Religion, Theology and Spirituality BA (Hons)
UCAS Code: Combined Honours only – see combinations tab|Duration: 3|Full Time|Hope Park
UCAS Campus Code: L46
International students can apply|Study Abroad opportunities
About the course
*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.
Course structure
Year 1: 3 x 1- hour lectures; 2 x 1- hour seminars; 1 x 1-hour small group tutorial per week.
Year 2: 2 x 1- hour lectures; 2 x 1- hour seminars; 1 x 1-hour small group tutorial per week.
Year 1: 2 x 1 1- hour lectures; 2 x 1- hour seminars per week, plus regular research supervision (some in small groups, some one-to-one)
Assessment and feedback
Essays, presentations, vivas, exams (2nd and 3rd years) and textual analyses.
Year One
The first year lays the foundations for your studies by introducing you to some of the key ideas of the course:
- Theories of Religion
- African Indigenous Religion
- Religious and Mystical Experience
- Introduction to Spirituality
- Introduction to Sacred Texts (Bible, Quran, Hindu Scriptures)
- Imagery, symbol and Ritual (inter-religious)
- Introduction to Christian Traditions
- Introduction to Judaism and Islam
- Art, literature, film and music
Year Two
In the second year you take a closer focus on the human dimension of theology, religion and spirituality:
- Religious Ethics and Spirituality
- The Human the divine; understanding the person of Jesus Christ
- Sacred space and time (pilgrimage - different traditions)
- Religion and Health (including disability, Islamic psychology)
- Reformation and Enlightenment
- Islamic Law and Society
- Gender, sexuality and spirituality
- Death and the afterlife
- Environment and spirituality
Year Three
The third year takes you into some of the most important issues at play today in this field:
- The darkness of God
- Contemporary Eastern Theology
- Judaism in the Shadow of the Shoah
- Islamic Political Philosophy
- Fundamentalism, politics and secularism
- Virtual Religion and spirituality
- Research Project
Entry requirements
A-Levels | BCC |
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UCAS Tariff Points | 104 UCAS Tariff points must come from a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent). Additional points can be made up from a range of alternative qualifications |
BTEC | DMM |
Access to HE | 104 Tariff Points |
IB | 24 |
Irish Leaving Certificate | 104 Tariff Points from Higher Level qualifications only |
Welsh Baccalaureate | This qualification can only be accepted in conjunction with other relevant qualifications |
T-Levels | Merit |
Subject Requirements | No specific subject requirements |
International entry requirements
Specific Country Requirements | Select your country |
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IELTS | 6.0 overall (with reading and writing at 6.0) and no individual score lower than 5.5. We also accept a wide range of International Qualifications. For more information, please visit our English Language Requirements page. |
Careers
This Major gives you the skills valued by employers across a huge range of jobs, including law, media, analysis, public administration, and social, pastoral, church and community work. It is an excellent preparation for the teaching profession and for professional chaplaincy work.
Crucially, it gives you skills of thinking, analysis, empathy and argument which will help you be flexible and move between employment opportunities across your career. Graduates with this Major would be skilled in working within interdisciplinary and multi-cultural contexts and a range of research methods and approaches.
Graduates will be able to navigate complex issues relating to what it means to be human in the global context. They will be aware and literate in dealing with philosophical, ethical, religious and historical/political complexities as they manifest themselves in todays world. An advantage of this Major would be the versatility of the graduates, enabling them to apply for a range of job opportunities.
Enhancement opportunities
SALA
The Service and Leadership Award (SALA) is offered as an extra-curricular programme involving service-based experiences, development of leadership potential and equipping you for a career in a rapidly changing world. It enhances your degree, it is something which is complimentary but different and which has a distinct ‘value-added’ component. Find out more on our Service and Leadership Award page.
Study Abroad
As part of your degree, you can choose to spend either a semester or a full year of study at one of our partner universities as part of our Study Abroad programme. Find out more on our Study Abroad page.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2024/25 academic year are £9,250 for full-time undergraduate courses.
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £9,250.
The University reserves the right to increase Home and EU Undergraduate and PGCE tuition fees in line with any inflationary or other increase authorised by the Secretary of State for future years of study.
Additional costs
As well as your tuition fees, you also need to consider the cost of key books and textbooks, which in total will cost approximately £150.
You will also need to consider the cost of your accommodation each year whilst you study at university. Visit our accommodation pages for further details about our Halls of Residence.
Scholarships
We have a range of scholarships to help with the cost of your studies. Visit our scholarships page to find out more.
International tuition fees
The International Tuition fees for 2024/25 are £12,500.
Visit our International fees page for more information.
Course combinations
This course is only available as a Combined Honours degree with the following subjects: