Study of Religions

Entry requirements

Normally the entry requirement for this programme is a first class or upper second class undergraduate degree. In addition, the Faculty encourages students with an equivalent and appropriate professional qualification or significant and relevant professional experience to apply.

A non-graduate may also be admitted to candidature provided that she/he has gained a minimum of three years professional experience relevant and appropriate to the programme and they can demonstrate a satisfactory level of writing /analytical skills.

Months of entry

October

Course content

This MA programme is based on the recognition that religion plays a crucial role in human affairs, and seeks to foster an understanding of this rich subject area.

The aim of the programme is not to focus on any one tradition, but to enable engagement with different traditions in a manner that is free, fair, accurate and open to correction.

This programme has a distinctive focus on contemporary religions. Its range of modules, exploring different aspects of religion today, has been designed by staff members with a background in sociology, anthropology, and religious studies. The modules enable students to explore not just the theoretical, but also the practical lived aspects of religious faith and practice in different contexts.

The programme is delivered as a full-time and part-time programme of study as distance learning. All module content is available through the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and students will be supported throughout their studies through regular access to their module tutors, either one to one (by email, skype, phone), in groups (using media such as Skype), or via VLE module discussion forums or wikis.

Campus-based students will be supported through research seminars and public lectures. An annual residential graduate summer school is held for postgraduate students in July where students are able to experience lectures and seminars covering both issues related to generic learning and subject-specific information and to engage with a number of our research students.