Divinity

The School of Divinity offers a Master of Theology programme (MTheol, with Honours four years, General three years) and a Bachelor of Divinity programme (BD with Honours, three years available only to those with a previous degree). Divinity (sometimes called Theology) is one of the oldest intellectual pursuits and also one of the most relevant to the modern world. The many opportunities for dialogue with other disciplines (philosophy, history, literature, the natural and social sciences) make a Divinity degree programme one of the most academically stimulating you could choose.

The subject is immensely varied. You will study the history of Israel, the person of Jesus of Nazareth, Paul's letters and the rapid growth of the early church, and contacts between Christianity and Greek and Roman philosophy. You will examine Christian thought in depth, including Church History, Christian Ethics and much more. You have the opportunity to study World Religions, Greek, Hebrew, the Anthropology of Religion, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Pastoral Care and Moral Reasoning, as well as modules in Moral Philosophy, Modern History, Information Technology, Psychology, or another subject in the Faculty of Arts.

Course details

The MTheol and BD have a common structure in their first two years. For the MTheol Honours degree, there follow two further years of advanced study. For the BD Honours degree, only one year of advanced study is required.

First level (1st year)

You take four core modules: 'The History and Religion of Ancient Israel: An Introduction', 'Jesus and the Gospels', 'Theology: Issues and History' (systematic theology and philosophy of religion), 'Living Faith' (practical theology).  Remaining credits may be gained from additional modules offered within Divinity (such as New Testament Greek or An Introduction to World Religions). Alternatively, you may pursue broader interests by taking a module offered by another School in the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science.

Second level (usually 2nd year)

You take at least three core subjects on to Second level by choosing from: 'Exile and Return in the Old Testament', 'New Testament History and Theology', 'Contemporary Theology and its Challenges', 'Christian Ethics: God, Sex and Money', 'The Late Medieval and Early Modern Church and its Theology'. You choose one further module from an approved list of options that includes Divinity modules (e.g. Anthropology of Religion or Biblical Hebrew) and modules taught in cognate subjects such as philosophy or history. Your two remaining modules may be chosen from the approved list or from a module offered by another School in the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science. This gives you an opportunity either to consolidate your Divinity interests or to develop interdisciplinary ones.

Please note that we encourage people to take New Testament Greek and/or Biblical Hebrew but that neither language is required for the MTheol. The second level module in Church History focuses on the Late Mediaeval and Early Modern Church and its theology. This gives you an option to develop further an interest whetted in your first year.

Honours MTheol (typically 3rd and 4th years) or BD (3rd year)

Please see our 2013 Prospectus for details of enhancements to our honours programmes: Divinity - 2013 Entry (PDF, 1,301 KB)