Christian Theology

Entry requirements

The standard entry requirement is a good upper second class honours degree or equivalent (for example GPA 3.7) in Theology, Religious Studies or a related discipline. The two principal exceptions to this rule are as follows: graduates of other disciplines who have studied at undergraduate or equivalent level in one or more of the areas in which they hope to work, through their first degrees, through training for the ministry of the churches, and so on; students from overseas universities who have successfully reached a point in their theological studies comparable with completion of a British BA at the standard noted above - for example, on the German model, passing the Zwischenprüfung or Kolloquium and two semesters at the Hauptseminar level. When applying, please ensure that your two chosen referees send their confidential academic references (using the reference form [Word]) to us in a timely manner. Please note that we are unable to accept ‘open’ references submitted by yourself. The referees may send the references by email directly from their institutional email addresses to theo.pgadmissions@durham.ac.uk provided they are signed, or by post to the address provided on the reference form.

Months of entry

October

Course content

This course involves the study of historical and systematic theology across a range of Christian perspectives. Durham has long-established strengths in both Greek and Latin patristics, the medieval Church and Reformation, contemporary Catholic and Anglican theology, theological ethics, and philosophical theology.

Classic Texts in Christian Theology core module, Three option modules, Dissertation.

• Classic Texts in Christian Theology
• Dissertation.

Optional modules in previous years have included:

• Paul and his Interpreters
• Gospels and Canon
• The Bible and Hermeneutics
• Patristic Exegesis
• Patristic Ecclesiology
• Christian Northumbria 600-750
• The Anglican Theological Vision
• Liturgy and Sacramentality
• Conceiving Change in Contemporary Catholicism
• Twentieth-Century Catholic Theology
• Christian Gender
• Principles of Theological Ethics
• Theology, Ethics and Medicine
• Social Scientific Methods in the Study of Religion
• Ritual, Symbolism and Belief in the Anthropology of Religion
• Literature and Religion
• Catholic Social Thought
• Ecclesiology and Ethnography
• Doctrine of Creation

• Advanced Hebrew Texts
• Advanced Aramaic
• Middle Egyptian
• Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and the New Testament
• Selected modules from the MA in Theology and Ministry programme
• Level 3 undergraduate module, or any Level 1 – 2 language module offered by the Department of Theology and Religion, taken in conjunction with the Extended Study in Theology & Religion module
• 30 credits from another Board of Studies (including appropriate credit-bearing language modules offered by the University’s Centre for Foreign Language Study).

Information for international students

English Language requirements include an IELTS score of 7.0 with no band below 6.5.

Fees and funding

https://www.dur.ac.uk/postgraduate/finance/funding/

Qualification and course duration

MA

Course contact details