Religion, Theology & Spirituality and English Literature (with Foundation Year)

RELIGION, THEOLOGY AND SPIRITUALITY

*This course is for 2025 entry only

*subject to validation

This course leads you into a profound exploration of spirituality, wisdom, and mysticism across major religious traditions like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. But, unlike traditional Theology and Religious studies courses, we pay special attention to religious experience and spirituality: the human quest for meaning and purpose. So, you will delve into contemporary religious experiences, exploring today’s ‘spiritual but not religious’ identity. You will tackle ethical and theological questions concerning the beginning and end of life, sexuality, gender, evil, suffering, and contemporary issues like radicalisation, ecology, violence, inter-religious dialogue, secularisation, post-secularism, health, wellbeing, and near-death experiences.

Visiting historical sacred spaces adds a tangible element to your studies, as you explore why these places still captivate people amidst modern challenges like technology and climate crisis. You will examine how our beliefs about our place in the universe impact how we treat our planet and all life forms.

By studying Religion, Theology, and Spirituality, you will gain insights into ancient wisdom, rituals, and sacred texts that influence millions today. Plus, you’ll actively participate in critical debates about human existence in a world facing numerous crises.

ENGLISH LITERATURE

Study English Literature at Liverpool Hope University and you will explore a wide range of literature as well as the history, ideas, people and places that shape it and are shaped by it. Throughout our course, we emphasise how literary texts address and influence the most important issues facing society today. We place an emphasis on sustainability and the environment, on work and employability, on travel and global perspectives, and on health, happiness and well-being. Key features of our course include a focus on publishing and the digital humanities, the exploration of the relationship between literature and the natural world, working with rare books and manuscripts from our library’s large Special Collections and Archives, and also going on a range of field trips.

During your three years of study, you will gain a sound grasp of the contexts and approaches within which English literature can be studied, as well as gaining a sense of developments across periods of English literature. You also develop a critical appreciation of the ways in which knowledge of other disciplines and their relationships to English literature can contribute to a deeper understanding of literary texts.

The academic staff teaching the degree have research expertise in a broad range of fields, from late medieval to contemporary literature. We pride ourselves on offering a challenging and stimulating degree, and our commitment to small group teaching allows us to help each individual student to develop sophisticated analytical and communication skills through working both independently and in groups. We not only strive to support you in the pursuit of academic excellence but also help you to explore your wide range of options after university through a focus on the diverse skills you will develop and the many sectors that will welcome you as an English Literature graduate.