Theology & Religious Studies

You can take Theology & Religious Studies as an MA degree, or if you are training for the ministry or specialising in Christianity for other reasons, we also offer the specialist/professional BD and BD (Min) degrees. The structure of the programmes differs in the first two years of study.

Theology and religious studies is concerned with the critical study of religion. This programme is designed to cater for the interests of students of all faiths and none, allowing you to study a variety of religions or to focus upon the Christian tradition. It will develop your awareness of the rich scriptural, cultural, artistic and philosophical heritage of humankind.

As part of this programme you will be able to study a wide variety of subjects across the sub-disciplines of theology and religious studies and you may customise your degree by choosing to specialise in particular areas. You are also able to study other subjects offered by the University and shape your own degree programme.

In first year you might choose to focus upon the Bible and Christianity or gain a greater understanding of a wide range of religious traditions. At the same time you will be introduced to some key concerns shared by those who work in theology and religious studies:

• How do we read sacred texts?
• How do we think and speak about God?
• What defines religion and culture?
• What impact does religion make upon our social and political life?

In second year you will develop your understanding further by progressing in your studies of the Christian tradition or other world faiths. More advanced courses will enable you to explore what religious believers consider to be the most significant aspects of their faith and how these impact upon their daily lives. You are also required to take a study skills course before entry to year 3.

You will also study other subjects in years 1 and 2: see Degrees in Arts, Life Sciences, Science and Social Sciences.

The BD and BD (Min) have been developed in conversation with partners from a number of churches and voluntary bodies. These specialist degrees are primarily designed for those who intend to focus on theological concerns in their later professional life through working in pastoral ministry, the caring professions or voluntary organisations. They combine rigorous academic study with placement work and small group reflection and offer the opportunity to reflect in depth upon experience in a supportive and challenging environment.

The BD (Min) programme is primarily aimed at recognised candidates for ordained ministry. However, the BD is open to all and covers a very similar syllabus. We have an open and ecumenical spirit and you will be enriched by relationships with staff and students from a wide variety of denominations and traditions. Church of Scotland students who are candidates for ordination become members of a foundation of the Church of Scotland.

You will take introductory courses on the Bible, theology and religious studies. These will introduce you to some of the basic concerns of those studying religion today and give you tools for analysis and critical thinking. You will also take courses exploring theological reflection and worship which will help you to understand how theology is ‘put to work’ in the daily lives of Christians and the practice of the Church. You will undertake a placement, which is an integral part of the degree programme.

In your second year you will continue to take courses in the Bible and theology. You will also study ethics and pastoral practice. You will explore some of the issues that confront believers today as they seek to reconcile their faith with the many challenges presented by contemporary technological, social and environmental change. You will continue to reflect upon your experience through structured group work.

If you successfully complete the courses in first and second year, you may progress to Honours (years 3 and 4).

Your Honours courses are chosen from a wide range of options including:

• Bible, literature and culture
• Buddhism
• Chan and Zen
• Christianity and bioethics
• Church in Scotland since 1500
• Classical Hebrew
• Contemporary theology
• Doctrine of God
• Early church and patristics
• Genesis
• Holocaust and the ethics of representation
• Jesus Christ since 1900
• Media Bible
• Modern Judaism
• New Testament Greek
• New Testament texts
• New Testament theology
• Old Testament/Tanakh texts
• Pastoral theology
• Political theology
• Reading Islam
• Reformation studies
• Roots of sectarianism
• Sufism
• Understanding Muhammad
• Wisdom literature in the Old Testament
• Worship and witness

Our Honours courses are generally offered on a two-year rotation. In your third year, you may choose to take a double-credit option which will include research training and reflection on the skills and attributes you have acquired and developed in the course of your studies.

In your final year, you will also complete a 12,000-word dissertation on an approved topic of your own choice.

You may study for one semester or one year (usually your third year) of your degree at an overseas university as part of a student exchange programme. In recent years our students have studied in countries including Argentina, Austria, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and the United States, returning with a fantastic experience of different cultures and traditions. From 2016-17, we hope to offer an Honours course co-taught with the University of Mainz, with the main teaching block taking place in Mainz during the Christmas vacation.