Degree programmes

Explore our wide ranging choice of degree programmes.

Studying Theology, Religious Studies and Divinity with us enables you to explore different religious traditions and to do so using a range of approaches or methods. We study religions in a range of historical and cultural contexts, globally and locally, both in their own right and in mutual interaction. You may wish to specialise in a particular tradition or approach, or you may prefer to take a broad range of courses to suit your varied interests.

We offer courses on lots of different religious traditions: We have been teaching Christianity the longest, and offer courses across the full breadth of its history, thought and literature in its many global contexts. We also have extensive course offerings on Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism, as well as on indigenous religions, particularly in Asia and Africa, and new religious movements or spiritualities, atheism and non-religion.

Our undergraduate degrees

A Master of Arts (MA) is an undergraduate degree awarded to students within the School. Most universities in the UK award undergraduate humanities degrees under the title Bachelor of Arts; at this university (and within Scotland), a Master of Arts with Honours – or MA (Hons) – is the conventional undergraduate degree, different only in name to the standard BA (Hons).
A Bachelor of Divinity (BD) is an undergraduate degree awarded to students within the School. A Bachelor of Divinity (General) is a three-year Ordinary degree taking a small proportion of honours courses. A Bachelor of Divinity (Honours) is a four-year Honours degree, including a 40-credit dissertation.
A Master of Divinity (MDiv) is an accelerated Honours degree in which students take an extra course per year in order to complete the degree in three years. You must already hold a degree to study in this graduate programme.
The Graduate Diploma is an undergraduate degree for those with a previous non-theology degree who wish to acquire competence in Theology and Religious Studies.

Single or joint degrees?

Joint or combined degrees and single degrees involve the same amount of class hours, assessments and credits; neither is more comprehensive than the other, only the range of subjects differs.

Single degrees are programmes in which you study a single subject area. You can take courses outside the School of Divinity in years one and two.
Joint degrees are programmes in which you study two subject areas. You can take courses outside the School of Divinity across all four years.

Learning and assessment

Our four-year programmes are split into two halves: Pre-Honours and Honours.

Pre-Honours years (also known as Level 8) are the first and second years of a four-year programme. In these years, you prepare for your specialism and have more flexibility with the courses you complete. Courses are mostly organised as a series of larger group lectures and small tutorial groups for student-centred learning.
Honours years (also known as Level 10) are the third and fourth years of a four-year programme. During this portion of your degree, you will study more specialised topics in greater depth. Courses are organised through seminars led by specialist staff and through a variety of other student-led activities such as presentations, fieldwork and guided research projects.

Courses can be assessed by a diverse range of methods such as exams, essays, presentations, short tutorial exercises or in-class participation, providing ongoing feedback and a summative assessment, which is submitted for credit. In Pre-Honours years (Level 8) and Honours years (Level 10), students must obtain a mark of at least 40% in the course overall to pass.

The Honours Dissertation: throughout your final year of study, you will write a 10,000 words dissertation. This significant project provides scope for you to study further your own particular academic interests and to consolidate and demonstrate your research skills.

Our terminology

We often refer to our degrees as degree programmes. These degree programmes are made up from a collection of units called courses.
Courses are units of teaching and learning, which carry a certain number of credits. Every course you undertake in the School will have a specific course organiser and at least one unit of assessment (examination/coursework).
Coursework is independent work completed over the course of your degree, outside of an exam environment, that is submitted for assessment. In addition to completing coursework, you will also take examinations.
Credits or credit points are assigned to a course to reflect the workload. Full-time undergraduate study usually comprises 120 credit points in each year of study. Part-time study is defined on a pro-rata basis in the relevant Degree Programme Table, and part-time students cannot take over 80 credits a year.
Dissertation is a compulsory year-long project undertaken in your fourth year of study. It counts as two courses and is worth 40 credits. Students consult initially with a member of staff to develop a dissertation topic and must complete a dissertation proposal towards the end of the Junior Honours year. This should be returned to the Dissertation Organiser, who will assign supervisors.
Lectures are large classes attended by all students on a particular course. They involve a presentation on a particular subject, usually one hour long, by a member of the academic staff.
Seminars are discussion-based classes, which involve a greater depth of independent work and preparatory reading than tutorials (see below). Seminars are staff-led, but have a clear focus on student research and input.
Tutorials are staff-led regular classes focusing on materials lectured on in that week. They are usually one hour long.