Bible and the Contemporary World

(full-time, campus-based version)

If you are looking for our part-time distance learning version of this programme please follow this link <more>.

This programme aims to offer an opportunity for learning that is interdisciplinary between biblical and theological studies, and between these and various other human disciplines in the arts, humanities and social sciences. This is possible by making substantial use of an internet-based virtual learning environment and of face-to-face teaching.

The overall aims of the programme are to enable students to:

• relate the Christian tradition in creative and productive ways to various aspects of the contemporary world,
• gain an understanding of how 'culture' both shapes and has been shaped by the situation within it of Christian religious belief, practice and theology,
• acquire a critical awareness of some current issues of dispute in the field,
• evaluate positions represented in advanced scholarly literature,
• proffer judgments on the issues concerned.

Structure

You will be taught face-to-face and through our Viritual Learning Environment. Your VLE modules are shared with students on our part-time, distance learning version of this programme. This means that you attend a Study Week with them, on the University campus, in early-September and again in January. You continue your learning in the VLE modules through online seminar discussions that are linked with reading materials.

In first semester you take a further module, delivered via lectures/seminars on the campus.

Modules for 2013-2014

Semester 1

'Church, Theology and Globalization'  tutored by Prof. Mario Aguilar (by VLE) and a face-to-face module, either 'Christian Doctrine and the Arts', or 'Theological Engagements with the Arts: Rationales, Methods and Texts' (modules in other MLitt programmes may also be available - more information on request).
(We endeavour to provide your preference but numbers are limited so we cannot guarantee your choice.)

Residential Study Week in St Andrews, 2 - 6 September 2013.

Semester 2

'The Bible and Contemporary Issues' tutored by a team of faculty (by VLE).

Residential Study Week in St Andrews, 13 -17 January 2014 (to be confirmed).

Dissertation (15,000 words; supervised by a Faculty member) to be submitted 31st August 2014 

Entrance Requirements

For the MLitt we normally expect a good degree with honours from a U.K. university or its equivalent, i.e. an upper second class (2i). In the USA this typically means a GPA of 3.6 or greater. From the People's Republic of China it generally translates as a GPA of 3.2 or greater.

For this programme we do not require your undergraduate degree to have been in theology or biblical studies. Previous successful students have had first degrees in the sciences, engineering, law, education and many other disciplines.