RELIGION AND THEOLOGY NEWSLETTER MARCH 2015
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Hello! I am delighted to share with you some of the exciting opportunities provided by the Religion and Theology department here at Manchester University. Religions and Theology is a vibrant and friendly department dedicated to one of the most challenging, exciting, thought-provoking, and important subjects you could choose to study. We deal with some of the most difficult and controversial questions that have ever exercised the human mind. Is there a God? Does life have meaning and purpose? What do we mean by ‘good’ and ‘evil’ and what are the criteria for distinguishing between them? Are ethical values God-given or human inventions? How should humankind address the challenges of war and peace, terrorism, politics, the environmental crisis, sexuality and gender? A degree in Religions and Theology will give you the opportunity to study in depth the beliefs, texts, practices, histories, and cultures that have emerged from the great religious traditions – Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. You will wrestle with some of the most prodigious minds – people like Athanasius, Augustine, Shankara, Maimonides, Avicenna, Averroes, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, Barth, and many others. Through this, you will develop your own informed understanding of the issues that have moved human beings over the centuries, and continue to move them today. Take a look through this magazine for further highlights of our courses, news and events. I hope to see you next year!
1 CONTENTS Our Undergraduate Courses
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Career Options
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Department News and Events
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Contact Us
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2 OUR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Religions and Theology (3 Years) This flexible degree programme allows students to choose subjects from the full range of traditions and topics taught in Religions and Theology. With your course options, you can concentrate on one specific subject area, or choose from a range of different subject areas. You can study the language of a sacred text, learn about Islamic, Jewish, Hindu or Buddhist traditions, pursue an interest in the Bible or Christian thought, or discover the different approaches to religion offered by theology, sociology, anthropology and philosophy. Some of our resources include the Centre for Jewish Studies and the Centre for Biblical Studies.
Comparative Religion and Social Anthropology (3 Years) Although these disciplines differ from one another in various ways, an interface between the two is commonly recognised, and this course allows you to discover the areas where the two disciplines come together and explore interesting possibilities where their interaction is less direct. You will develop your critical understanding of religion, theology and the various approaches to studying this discipline through a diverse range of learning, teaching and assessment methods.
Theological Studies in Philosophy and Ethics (3 Years) Theology, philosophy, and ethics have had a long history of interaction and this course offers you an exciting opportunity to study the thought of key theologians and philosophers and how they have shaped modern thinking about the role of religion in the world, and the ethical challenges faced by contemporary society. You'll choose from an extensive menu of course modules relating to philosophy and ethics in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism.
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Study Abroad Programme Students may apply to spend one semester studying abroad during the second year of their degree. Exchange partners are offered through the Erasmus Exchange scheme (in Europe) and the Worldwide Exchange scheme (eg. USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore). Find more information about the Study Abroad Programme here.
4 Career Options A Religions and Theology degree is very attractive to employers because it generates cultural sensitivity and awareness. Students are well orientated with regard to a wide variety of beliefs and worldviews. Like other humanities subjects, a Religions and Theology degree is suitable for careers in teaching, law, management, social, community and youth work, administration, publishing, broadcasting, and local and national government. Recent Manchester Religions & Theology graduates found employment in, for instance, Xaverian Roman Catholic College (teaching), PriceWaterhouse (finance), SPCK (publishing), Church of England (youth work), Liberal Jewish Synagogue (national director of youth work), Manchester city council (government), University of Salford (administration), and Christian Aid (NGO). You'll train in key transferable skills to enhance your employability, such as the ability to research, analyse and synthesize different sources of information, good organisational skills, IT skills, team-work and communication skills honed in tutorials and group projects, analysis of complex texts, empathy and imaginative insight, ability to work methodically and accurately, independence of mind and initiative.
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Careers Service Students can count on the Careers Service for advice and support, and it is regarded as one of the best Career Services in the UK. For more information, please click here.
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DEPARTMENT NEWS AND EVENTS Podcast — Are we Charlie? A round-table discussion took place on Friday 30th January 2015 to contextualise the recent Paris killings and their consequences. Academic presentations were followed by an open debate. An audio recording of the event is now available to listen to here. Between Theology & the Political A three day conference exploring activism and the relationship between theology and politics will be taking places at The Lincoln Theological Institute, University of Manchester on 26th—28th March 2015. Further information is available here.
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You can find out more about news and events at the Department over at their blog.
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CONTACT US alison.pearson@manchester.ac.uk Undergraduate Admissions Office School of Arts, Languages and Cultures Room A19, Samuel Alexander Building The University of Manchester Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PT United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)161 306 1252