Theological Interpretation of Scripture

This programme will not be accepting any further applications this year whilst it is currently under redevelopment (see update). Further information on applications for September 2011 will follow in due course.

• MLitt - full-time, campus-based, one-year
• Taught and research components

The theological interpretation of Scripture is an exciting growth area in recent theological research and a number of faculty at St Andrews are active in the field. Scholarship in theological interpretation of Scripture works at the cross over between a number of theological sub-disciplines: biblical exegesis, hermeneutics, the history of interpretation and dogmatics. Students wishing to do research in the area are consequently faced with coming to terms with a sizeable bibliography and a complex array of methods.

The one-year MLitt in 'Theological Interpretation of Scripture' will help students orientate themselves to recent research and the history of biblical interpretation, obtain necessary skills in methods and relevant research languages and begin to do their own research through a short dissertation. It will offer an excellent preparation for a doctoral dissertation in theological interpretation.

There are two core modules, each worth 40 credits. In the first semester students will study 'Theological Hermeneutics'  which will examine both past and recent developments in hermeneutics and biblical interpretation. In the second semester students will study 'Theological Interpretation of biblical texts'  which will examine one biblical book interacting with both textual critical issues, the history of interpretation and critical scholarship.

The two core modules are based around the 'Theological Interpretation of Scripture' seminar. This seminar, which has been run for the last ten years has been one of the most popular and successful in the School of Divinity. There are a number of choices for a further 40 taught credits, including learning a relevant research language. Possible choices will include: Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin, French and German.

The remaining 60 credits are made up by a 15,000 dissertation. The research for this dissertation will be supervised by a faculty member and will allow students to do their own research in an area where they wish to do further work.