Religions, Philosophies and Ethics

Religious and philosophical thinking is dynamic and ever-changing, and so is our course. It demands - and helps you to develop - rigorous and systematic thinking.

You’ll explore religions, philosophies and ethics from a global perspective, not just a Western one. We'll examine the philosophies and ethics of the Indian subcontinent and China, and a range of religious traditions, from Buddhism to Christianity to Paganism.

You'll engage with topical and emerging contemporaty issues such as: gender, identity, our relationship to the natural world and environmental crisis, through the lens of different belief systems and traditions.

Year One
Introductions and foundations: develop your understanding of the global dimension of religious, philosophical and ethical thinking, and follow a broad curriculum which allows you to ask questions, challenge your own assumptions, interrogate evidence, data and opinions.

Year Two
Practical, applied, relevant: this year combines the academic study of non-Western and Western traditions of thought with the acquisition of professional skills and the application of your knowledge and understanding to a defined problem or idea.

Year Three
Achievement, consolidation, creativity: your final project in the third year brings all this together. You’ll identify your own area of study, develop your proposal and put it into practice. This might be an extended piece of academic writing, an exhibition, community project, or the creation of digital resources.

Optional modules explore issues in contemporary religion, philosophy and society. You can opt to undertake detailed research or an employment-related project through the Dissertation and Advanced Project modules.

Assessment is primarily by coursework such as essays, reports, presentations, and online discussion boards. There are some timed assessments, as well as opportunities to work on creative projects such as making a film or designing a website.

We offer lectures, seminars and workshops, and support you throughout your degree with individual tutorials. Visits and encounters with people from different religious backgrounds and traditions of belief form an important part of our teaching.

You’ll have the opportunity to study in a wide range of locations around the world. Our students have completed exchange programmes in a variety of countries including Spain, Sweden and the USA.

Fieldwork and visits are an integral part of the course. We visit religious communities, mosques, temples, gurdwaras and churches.

We have excellent links with third sector organisations, working with environmental and educational charities, as well as others. These links support your study, as we’ll explore how religious, philosophical and ethical perspectives can be applied to current issues.

Our graduates have careers in:

• The police service
• Health administration
• Education
• Social work
• Journalism

Many graduates go on to train as teachers – the course is widely respected as a foundation for a career in education.

This optional placement year provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.

On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.

The course is based at our Newton Park campus, which combines outstanding modern facilities with a beautiful setting.

The Library provides many core resources, both in print and online. We draw on a wide range of resources, and encourage the use – and creation – of different materials.