THEOLOGY AND RELIGION UNDERGRADUATE SUBJECT BROCHURE 2018
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KEY INFORMATION AND ENTRY REQUIREMENTS UCAS CODE
TYPICAL OFFER
V615
AAB-BBB; IB: 34-30
V616/V613/V614
AAB-BBB; IB: 34-30
QV85
AAB-ABB; IB: 34-32
QV86/QV87/QV89
AAB-ABB; IB: 34-32
Philosophy and Theology
VV56
AAB-ABB; IB: 34-32
Philosophy and Theology with Study Abroad^
VV5P
AAB-ABB; IB: 34-32
Y004/Y006/ Y007/Y008
A*AA-AAB; IB: 38-34
BA Single Honours
Theology and Religion Theology and Religion with Study Abroad /with Employment Experience/with Employment Experience Abroad ^
BA Combined Honours
Classical Studies and Theology Classical Studies and Theology with Study Abroad /with Employment Experience/with Employment Experience Abroad
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Flexible Combined Honours/with Study Abroad / with UK Work Experience/with Work Abroad ^
We make every effort to ensure that entry requirements are up-to-date in our printed literature. However, because brochures are produced well in advance, our entry requirements and offers may be subject to change. For up-to-date details regarding entry requirements and programme specifics, please see our Theology and Religion pages at www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/theology We strongly advise that you check current requirements before attending an Open Day or making your application. Some programmes require prior study of specific subjects and may also have minimum grade requirements at GCSE or equivalent, particularly in English Language and/or Mathematics.
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details about study abroad please see www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/theology
International students The University welcomes applications from international students and recognises a wide range of international qualifications as well as A levels and the International Baccalaureate. You can find further information about academic and English language entry requirements at www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/international
Applying For information on the application, decision, offer and confirmation process, please visit www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/applications
STREATHAM CAMPUS, EXETER Website: www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/theology Email: hums-ugadmissions@exeter.ac.uk Phone: +44 (0)1392 724202
THEOLOGY AND RELIGION 2nd in The Guardian University Guide 2017 and 5th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017 6th in the UK for Graduate Prospects1 Varied programme including biblical studies, Judaism and Christianity, philosophy of religion, ethics, science and religion, theology and art Theology and Religion is one of the most challenging and stimulating subjects you can study. Religion is a major factor that shapes the world in which we live. All religions raise ethical and philosophical questions that are among the most fundamental we face as human beings: Is there a meaning and purpose to human existence? Is there a god or gods? How should we understand good and evil? How do we decide what’s right or wrong in relation to war and peace, birth and death, sex, and the environment? Can we better understand the tensions in Eastern Europe, the Middle East or Northern Ireland if we first understand the religious traditions that often separate communities from one another? Studying Theology and Religion at Exeter gives you the opportunity to wrestle with these questions in depth, through a disciplined and rigorous framework. Good theology engages with the political, cultural and social issues that affect our lives and communities, and we offer a demanding and rewarding programme enabling you to develop a wide range of skills that will stretch your intellectual abilities to the full. You will work as a historian, anthropologist, literary critic and philosopher, gaining all the essential skills you need to be fully equipped for a wide range of future careers.
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Our department is welcoming and supportive, with a lively and dynamic team of scholars of theology, religion, history, ethics, philosophy of religion, biblical studies and anthropology. We pride ourselves on the quality of our undergraduate programmes, and our members of staff are at the forefront of innovative research; our research feeds directly into your undergraduate studies, ensuring you are taught cutting-edge ideas that are relevant to contemporary society. Our research interests and teaching expertise span a wide range of subject areas, with particular research strengths, including: biblical studies, the reception of Christian and Jewish traditions, disability studies, religion in the public sphere, sex and gender, and religious art and architecture. Our broad and varied curriculum is taught by enthusiastic staff. You do not have to be religious to find the issues our Theology and Religion programmes raise (or the ways in which we tackle them) compelling. Our friendly department is made up of students and staff with diverse opinions and ideas about religion and faith, atheism and secularism. All you need is the desire to study with enthusiasm and an open mind.
based on Graduate Prospects score in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017
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DEGREE PROGRAMMES Our degrees offer a stimulating and rewarding combination of topics and approaches. You will receive a solid grounding in the core subjects that are fundamental to the study of theology and religion, and explore more specialised areas through optional modules. These include familiar topics such as the relationship between science and religion or feminist theology, and less familiar ideas like the built environment or depictions of heaven and hell throughout the ages. We focus on understanding historic traditions and our own contemporary world from a theological perspective. You will be taught by academics who are active in research and enthusiastic about their subject, so that you encounter the latest thinking and innovative approaches to their disciplines.
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How your degree is structured Our programmes are divided into core and optional modules, giving you the flexibility to structure your degree according to your specific interests. Individual modules are worth 15 or 30 credits each, and full-time undergraduates need to take 120 credits in each year. In addition to the core modules, you can choose from an extensive range of options in all three years; recent examples can be found in this brochure. For up-to-date details of all our programmes and modules, please check www.exeter.ac.uk/ ug/theology
Single Honours
Combined Honours
BA Theology and Religion
BA Classical Studies and Theology
The BA in Theology and Religion gives you an excellent grounding in these disciplines: biblical studies, Jewish studies, church history, Christian cultures, modern theology, and philosophy and ethics. The programme enables you to explore the contexts, development and meanings of the texts of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, with the option of studying the texts in their original languages (Biblical Hebrew and New Testament Greek). You will study a wide range of Christian and Jewish thought, including aspects of (and the relationship between) the Abrahamic faiths and the critical philosophical, political, ethical and historical questions raised about religion in the modern and post-modern world. You will be able to customise your degree by choosing from a long list of modules covering issues as diverse as: sexuality, criminal justice, feminism, the environment, science, anthropology, evolution, art, the body, the soul, heaven and hell, heresy, morality and ethics, martyrs and pilgrimage, life after death, and the study of religions. You can enhance your studies by undertaking field trips, a work placement, or studying abroad. You may also take modules in the departments of Arab and Islamic Studies, Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology, Politics, History, or Classics and Ancient History, many of which offer modules directly related to theology, religion, ethics and philosophy. In your first year, you will study primarily core modules to gain a solid grounding in the broad areas of study essential to theology and religion. You can also choose from a range of optional modules to begin exploration into more specific areas. All modules in your second and third years are optional (except for the final-year dissertation) enabling you to pursue your particular interests across diverse areas. For full details on degree structure and module selection and details, please refer to the section on modules.
This programme combines the challenge of exploring the culture and thought of the ancient world with the study of theology. Both disciplines focus on literary, historical, religious, cultural, political, philosophical and ethical issues debated in the ancient world – issues which continue to impact the world today. Your study time will be divided equally between the two subjects, combining core modules drawn from Greek/Roman philosophy or Greek/Roman religion, biblical studies and the history and doctrine of Christianity in the first and second year. You will also choose optional modules exploring topics in both disciplines, including ancient religions, sexuality, politics, literature, art, philosophy and ethics during your second and third years. For Classical Studies, texts are usually taught in translation, so there is no requirement to study Latin or Greek language modules unless you choose to do so. The same is true of biblical studies for Theology, although there is an option to learn New Testament Greek and Biblical Hebrew.
Theology and Religion, and you will also write a dissertation on a philosophical or theological topic of your choice. Full details of Philosophy modules can be found at www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/philosophy
Flexible Combined Honours Our innovative Combined Honours scheme enables you to combine modules from a number of different fields of study not otherwise available through an existing Combined Honours programme. You can combine Theology and Religion with up to two other subjects from an extensive list. Throughout your degree you will be given regular support to help you choose the most appropriate pathway for you. Further information and the full list of available subjects can be found at www.exeter.ac.uk/ ug/flexible
Full details of the Classical Studies modules can be found at www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/classics
BA Philosophy and Theology This programme combines the perspectives of philosophy, theology and religion to enable you to develop a reflective understanding of some pervasive and problematic features of the world and ourselves. You will acquire a solid grounding in the main themes and methods of philosophy and theology, equipping you with the critical and analytical skills necessary to engage with the key questions, debates and methods of both disciplines. Your studies are divided equally between the two subjects, combining core modules exploring classical epistemology, metaphysics and moral philosophy, with the philosophy of religion, Christian ethics and doctrine. In the second and third year you will study optional modules chosen from a diverse range across both Philosophy and 3
MODULES
KEY C = Co re = Opti onal
For up-to-date details of all our programmes and modules, please check www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/theology
Philosophy and Theology
Art in Syria and the Holy Land at the Time of the Crusades
C
Blasphemy and the Abrahamic Faiths
Dead Sea Scrolls
C
‘Deviant Bodies’: Disability Studies and the New Testament
Earliest Christian Communities
Encountering the Historical Jesus
Encounters Between Religions
Encounters in Philosophy and Theology
Evolution, God and Gaia
Heaven and Hell Throughout the Ages
Incarnation: Topics in Philosophical Theology
Jewish Religious Responses to the Holocaust
Legends of the Fall
Life and Death in Israel and Judah
Postcolonial Theology
Reading Augustine through the Confessions
Scribes, Apostles and Sages: Early Jewish Biblical Exegesis
Theology and Business Ethics
Theology and Criminal Justice
Module Name
Philosophy and Theology
Elements in New Testament Greek
Classical Studies and Theology
C
Classical Studies and Theology
Christian Origins: From Jesus to the Early Church
Theology and Religion
C
Module Name
Theology and Religion
The Bible: Past and Present
Philosophy and Theology
Module Name
Classical Studies and Theology
Year 2 and 3 Optional Modules Theology and Religion
Year 1 Modules
Dissertation (Combined Honours students can choose to write a Dissertation from either subject)
C
C
C
Evidence and Argument 1 God, Humanity and the Cosmos: An Introduction to the Debate between Science and Religion
C
Greek and Roman Drama OR Greek and Roman Narrative Introducing Biblical Hebrew
Introducing Christian Theologies
C
C
Introduction to Philosophical Analysis Judaisims in Transition: Crises and Innovations
C
Knowledge and Reality 1
C
Knowledge and Reality 2
C
Philosophy of Religion and Christian Ethics
C
C
Religion in the Modern World
C
C
Year 3 Modules
To see the full list of modules (including compulsory and optional modules in other subjects for Combined Honours programmes), please visit www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/theology 4
I applied to Exeter primarily because of the location and because it was a campus university. I lived in London most of my life and I wanted somewhere that was much quieter but still had a buzz of activity. Exeter provided me with that and much more. The location is not only beautiful and very close to the seaside but the University itself is astounding. The Theology department are friendly and welcoming and pretty much know your name by the end of the first day. The teaching at the University has also been phenomenal and you can tell that the lecturers are very invested and interested in their subjects. Ebun Adewuyi, third year, BA Theology 5
MODULES CONTINUED Please note that availability of all modules is subject to timetabling constraints and that not all modules are available every year. For a full list and details of the individual modules, please check the undergraduate section of our website at www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/theology
Year 1 The Bible: Past and Present
This core module will introduce and examine the Bible not only as a library of ancient books reflective of the interests and ideologies of their authors and original contexts, but also as a material object, icon and persistent influence (for good and ill) in contemporary cultures. You will gain methodological skills of interpreting biblical texts through engagement with key cultural themes (ancient and modern), including religion, identity, politics, place and displacement, and body and gender.
God, Humanity and the Cosmos: An Introduction to the Debate between Science and Religion
You will be introduced to science as an academic discipline and how the subject subsequently developed. You will then consider how theology operates, and uncover how both Theology and Science relate to one another. This will enable you to examine some of the classic debates: Richard Dawkins against divine design, the problem of providence and miracle versus the problem of evil, the alleged fine-tuning of the universe, and the problem of its ultimate end.
Christian Origins: From Jesus to the Early Church
This module will give you an introduction to the emergence of Christianity, in its diverse and varied forms, through the first six centuries of its existence. It will give you a sense of the context in which these developments took place, the historical sources at our disposal, the debates and divisions that occurred, and the diversity of modern scholarly approaches and perspectives.
Greek and Roman Drama
Elements in New Testament Greek
This module gives you the chance to learn New Testament Greek from scratch. You will become equipped to read biblical texts in their original language, as well as gain an insight into the interpretative difficulties facing translators and interpreters of biblical texts. From this introductory module you can then progress to study the language of the New Testament texts.
This module examines a wide range of plays, both tragic and comic, including works by authors as varied as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Menander, Aristophanes, Terence and Plautus. Students will be encouraged to think about such matters as the connection between drama and society, the role of ritual and religion, the nature of the tragic and comic genres, and the psychological and emotional impact of drama on its audience. All these texts are studied in the medium of English translation.
Greek and Roman Narrative
This module explores Greek and Roman epic poems within their literary cultural and social contexts: the Homeric epics Iliad and Odyssey, and selections from Apollonius’ Hellenistic work The Argonautica and Roman ‘epic’, including Catullus 64, Virgil’s Aeneid and Ovid’s experimental Metamorphoses.
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Years 2 and 3 Introducing Biblical Hebrew
In this module you will learn Classical Hebrew. Following Kahn’s Routledge Introductory Course in Biblical Hebrew, you will acquire a good working knowledge of the basic elements of Biblical Hebrew. This will enable you to translate short passages from Hebrew into English (with appropriate glossary and the aid of a dictionary) and to translate short sentences from English into Hebrew.
Introducing Christian Theologies
This module introduces some primary concepts associated with the study of theology in the Eastern and Western Christian traditions. You will be introduced to the major sources of Christian theology, scripture, tradition, reason and experience, and the ways in which these have been understood to interrelate. Students will engage with the language of theological study and be introduced to major areas of Christian doctrinal theology, such as creation, theological anthropology, evil and suffering, the doctrine of God, Christology, pneumatology, eschatology, soteriology and ecclesiology.
Judaisms in Transition: Crises and Innovations
This core module focuses upon the changes in Jewish thought that have developed out of historical crises. The case studies considered span antiquity to the present day and highlight the evolution in Jewish identities and tradition. They include the destruction of the first and second temples, the rise of Christianity and Islam, the Enlightenment and the rise of Hasidism and Zionism.
Philosophy of Religion and Christian Ethics
You will engage with some of the key questions raised by religious belief and by Christian teachings about how to live one’s life. You will begin by focusing on philosophical issues such as the nature of religion, and whether religious faith can be rational. In the second part, you will consider Christian moral teaching and its relation to fundamental Christian doctrines.
Religion in the Modern World
You will develop an informed and critical approach to religion (including the meaning of ‘secularism’ and ‘post-secularism’, challenges to the freedom of religion, whether the state should be neutral regarding religion, and other points of contact between religion and politics) in the modern world. When addressing the meaning of ‘religion’, you will engage with key texts, and from this theoretical basis, you will consider more contemporary social questions about religion in Western societies today.
Art in Syria and the Holy Land at the Time of the Crusades
This module examines the art-historical and architectural impact of the Crusades on Syria and the Holy Land (modern Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Jordan). It will concentrate primarily on the earlier Crusades and explore the beliefs and material culture brought from the west by the Crusaders, as well as study the native art and culture of the region. The course will explore to what extent these traditions remained separate from each other and whether the two sides left a lasting impact on each other. It also seeks to contextualise the history of Christian-Muslim conflict within an historical framework.
Blasphemy and the Abrahamic Faiths
This module will focus on the evolving concept of blasphemy as articulated in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Attention will be given to exploring how notions of blasphemy have historically interacted with understandings of sacredness, and enabled religious communities to establish boundaries of acceptable speech and action. Focus will also be placed on the changing relationship between blasphemy and law, with consideration given to whether governments should legislate against the religiously offensive.
Dead Sea Scrolls
This optional module will introduce and analyse the Dead Sea Scrolls, in English, discussing the various genres found within them, such as Rewritten Bible, Apocalypse, Communal Texts, Liturgy, Magic and Pesharim, with attention to authorship, context and significance for the origins of Judaism and Christianity.
‘Deviant Bodies’: Disability Studies and the New Testament
You will be introduced to the themes and methodologies of disability studies through close readings of specific New Testament texts. By considering the contribution of these readings to the historical understanding of those perceived as ‘disabled’ to incorporate sensory, physical and mental impairments, this module will further inform your thinking in relation to the potential for freeing disabled communities from current attitudes to disability.
Earliest Christian Communities
This module is suitable for students who are interested to learn about various social aspects of the earliest Christian communities and the perspectives on these topics developed in contemporary scholarship. These will include the membership, meeting places, and rituals of the early Christian communities, their patterns of leadership, and the processes of institutionalization. You will find the module most accessible if you have previously done some study of the New Testament and of Christian origins, but with that proviso it would suit students on interdisciplinary courses, including in history, social science, liberal arts, and ancient history, as well as students of Theology and Religion.
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MODULES CONTINUED Encountering the Historical Jesus
This module will introduce you to a variety of historical methods used within the ‘Quests for the Historical Jesus’, to help you develop a plausible picture of Jesus’ life, aims and the movement he led. Beginning with an analysis of the state of the ‘quest’ for the historical Jesus, we will then critically examine some of the key New Testament narratives and theological interpretations of the life and teachings of this mysterious Galilean.
Encounters Between Religions
Christians have since Earliest Christianity encountered other religions and in many cases entered into dialogue with them – sometimes less than successful with acrimony and violence, other times constructive, clarifying Christian teaching and leading to a cross-fertilization between different religious traditions. This module draws on a variety of disciplines to examine the history of interreligious encounters and the differing theologies of religion, and the contemporary turn towards a sympathetic comparative theology that aligns different traditions theologically while drawing on the practices of interreligious dialogue. Emphasis will be placed on the changing role of comparative theologies in the post-secular public sphere.
Encounters in Philosophy and Theology
Christian theology has always had a close relationship with philosophy. Theologians have used philosophical ideas and arguments to articulate religious doctrines, and philosophers have addressed religious ideas in their work. The relationship has not always been a happy one, however, with theologians sometimes condemning philosophy as impious, and philosophers sometimes denigrating religion as irrational. In this module you will study some of the key periods in history when Christian theology has interacted especially closely with major philosophical movements of the day. The emphasis throughout is on both the history of these encounters and the ideas and arguments that they spawned.
Evolution, God and Gaia
You will be introduced to evolutionary theory since the early 19th Century and the challenges posed for Christian theology. In particular you will look at the development of evolution theory of intelligent design from the early debate pre-Darwin, through the contributions of Charles Darwin and beyond. You will consider it alongside the Gaia Hypothesis, that the Earth is a self-regulating complex evolving system able to maintain a stable, constant condition of properties to sustain life. You will explore in detail arguments in relation to the suffering of non-human creatures, and the character and behaviour of human beings. In particular you will use these theories to debate the implications for environmental ethics.
The Theology programme at Exeter is probably best described as a mental tin opener; rather than programming you, it opens your mind to the world and what may lie beyond it. I still remember leaving the room after our opening Introduction to Theology lecture in the first year with a bemused face and sense of excitement, after we had been challenged by the idea that ‘theology is the exploration of the suggestion that in all reality, love might be final’. The course and department fully embraces this exploratory nature, and with great student-staff relationships I’ve enjoyed having my horizons massively broadened here. Benjamin Humphris, third year, BA Theology 8
Heaven and Hell Throughout the Ages
In this module you will trace the development of Christian doctrines of heaven and hell from the period of the Early Church to the present day. You will assess the social and political factors affecting belief in or the denial of hell, examine concepts such as purgatory and the role of the Devil, and engage with debates about war, the Holocaust, universal salvation, and evangelical views of hell.
Incarnation: Topics in Philosophical Theology
In this module you will explore some of the questions surrounding the doctrine of incarnation – that God has become a human being. You will be introduced to the theological and philosophical problems associated with the doctrine of incarnation, and examine in detail the many different solutions proposed by ancient, medieval and modern theologians. The main emphasis throughout is on critical philosophical engagement with these ideas, but you will also study their historical context.
Jewish Religious Responses to the Holocaust
Legends of the Fall
Life and Death in Israel and Judah
Postcolonial Theology
This module will focus on the diverse ways in which Jewish religious thought has engaged with the Holocaust. Alongside considering the reactions of those caught up in the events of the 1930s-40s, attention will be given to some of the radical assessments of the Holocaust’s implications for Judaism that developed from the 1960s onwards. These assessments took a number of forms, so as well as examining the writings of several prominent Jewish theologians, the religious dimensions of postHolocaust art and literature will also be considered. This module will examine the treatment of the ‘Fall of Humankind’ in English literature. At its core will be the reading and discussion of Milton’s Paradise Lost. Other works and genres of literature (lyric poetry, short story, novella, children’s stories) will be read in conjunction with Milton’s epic poem by such authors as G.M. Hopkins, Donald Barthelme, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and C.S. Lewis. Key themes will include dualism and the origin of evil, free will and predetermination, innocence and adulthood (especially in relation to sexuality), the function of angels and demons, paradise and hell. This module explores ancient Israelite concepts of life, death and post-mortem existence and examines their associated religious rituals within various sociohistorical contexts. You will assess and critically evaluate presentations of matters of life and death in the Hebrew Bible, and trace echoes of ancient beliefs and rituals within later concepts of life, death and post-mortem existence. This module will explore postcolonial theologies and show their areas of tension and accord with feminist and liberation theologies. It will also show how Christianity’s historical relationship with empire has shaped recent and contemporary understandings of non-western traditions and interpretative frameworks.
Reading Augustine through the Confessions
The module engages with one of the most influential works in western literature. You will investigate the following questions: to what extent is it ‘autobiography’? How do Augustine’s reflections on his life and relate to his conceptions of memory, time, desire and God? How should Augustine’s encounters with his mother, lovers, friends and teachers be interpreted? What can be learned about his aims in writing? How has the text been read? You will approach the text from literary, historical, theological and philosophical methods of interpretation. The module will take an interdisciplinary approach which is of interest to students in a number of disciplines, such as Classics, English literature, modern languages, philosophy and those taking combined programmes.
Scribes, Apostles and Sages: Early Jewish Biblical Exegesis
This module will introduce you to various collections of Jewish scriptures and writings from the Bible to the Talmud. Taking a combined chronological and thematic approach to the different sources to discuss examples of Jewish biblical interpretations, you will identify elements of change and continuity between each stage. You will examine themes such as scribal activity, fallen angels and apostasy (rejection of personal religious beliefs). Sources include books of the Old and New Testaments, the Talmud, Dead Sea Scrolls and Midrash.
Theology and Business Ethics
This module aims to answer an important question: What does Christian social thought (ancient and present-day) mean for our economic life in the 21st century? You will review a number of significant texts in Christian tradition and bring the insights of their authors into conversation about economics and business today. There will also be the opportunity to visit St Paul’s Institute, London, and host a local Study Day, at which (where possible) we engage with business people who profess their Christian beliefs.
Theology and Criminal Justice
Learn about the connections between religion and concepts of criminal justice, investigating the many lines of contemporary debate about criminal justice. You will explore the implications of Christian principles, such as justification, for our understanding of the treatments of offenders, and the ethics of the current policies for dealing with offenders. You will look at Christian attitudes of forgiveness alongside restorative justice and reconciliation. You will have a field trip visit to a local prison.
Year 3 Dissertation
This module provides an opportunity to carry out independent research in a sustained way on a chosen topic. The dissertation is written in your final year, and will allow you to put to use the skills you have acquired in the first two years of the programme, by thinking at length about a question that is of particular interest to you.
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LEARNING AND TEACHING The nature of university learning involves considerable self-directed study and research. As well as traditional lectures, seminars and small-group tutorials, led by internationally respected academics at the forefront of research, you will be encouraged to take the initiative by organising study groups, taking advantage of online and traditional learning resources and managing your own workload and time. Most of your work will be done in group and self-directed study: reading or viewing module material, writing essays or preparing material for seminar presentations. We encourage your presentation work because it involves you actively in the teaching and learning process and develops important transferable skills such as good verbal and visual communication and effective interaction with other people. You will also develop a range of professional skills, such as time management and team working, plus valuable critical, analytical and communication skills.
Contact time In your first year, you will receive a minimum of 10 hours of contact with academic staff per week. You will also be expected to attend other activities such as study groups, workshops and film screenings. Your total workload should average about 40 hours per week during term time.
Innovative teaching Our approach to Theology and Religion is interdisciplinary; the broad areas studied relate to politics, social sciences, the arts, literary studies and more. We are actively engaged in introducing new methods of learning and teaching, including increasing use of interactive computer-based approaches to learning through our virtual learning environment where you can access detailed information about modules, learning outcomes and interact through activities such as discussion forums.
Other opportunities Each year we arrange various guest lectures and study days led by visiting speakers, 10
including the series of Prideaux Lectures hosted every other year. Past lecturers have included Tom Wright, Sarah Coakley, Nicholas Lash, Robin Gill, James Dunn, John Rogerson, Marcella Althaus-Reid and Christopher Rowland.
in areas not available at Exeter, and when it comes to a career, your skills and knowledge of another country will prove invaluable to many employers. This programme is equally available to overseas students coming to study abroad at Exeter.
Research-inspired teaching
Full details of these schemes and our partner institutions can be found on our website at www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/studyabroad
We believe that every student benefits from being part of a culture that is inspired by research and where modules are taught by experts. Your lecturers will be contributing to the latest developments in their field and their teaching will be highly relevant to contemporary issues. We have a vigorous research culture spanning a wide range of subject areas with particular strengths in theology, ethics, social contexts and public issues.
Academic support You will have an academic tutor who is available for advice and support throughout your time here. There are various other services on campus providing advice, information and support, including the Students’ Guild Advice Unit. You can find further information about all the services in the University’s undergraduate prospectus or online at www.exeter.ac.uk/undergraduate
Taking modules outside of your programme Depending on your programme you may take up to 30 credits in another subject (subject to academic approval and timetabling), for instance a language or business module, to develop career-related skills or widen your intellectual horizons. If you achieve at least 60 credits in a language via our Foreign Language Centre you may be able to have the words ‘with proficiency in’ and the language added to your degree title. Further details about the FLC can be found at www.exeter.ac.uk/flc
Study Abroad Studying for your degree at Exeter offers you the exciting possibility of spending up to one year abroad. With Study Abroad, you could learn a new language, experience different cultures and become more self-confident. You could also get the chance to specialise
Employment Experience in the UK or Abroad Spending up to a year carrying out a graduate-level work placement or placements as part of your degree programme is an invaluable opportunity. This unlocks a world of experience allowing you to develop essential employability and interpersonal skills that relate to your degree and future career. You will take full responsibility for finding and organising your placement (either in the UK or abroad), with preparation, support and approval from the University. This is a great way to demonstrate to employers your adaptability, cultural awareness, independence and resourcefulness.
Assessment You will be assessed in a variety of ways, but primarily through exams and coursework. Coursework includes essays, a dissertation and presentation work. The ratio of formal exam to coursework is on average 40: 60. Your first year does not count towards your final degree classification, but you do have to pass it in order to progress. In order to be eligible for our ‘with Study Abroad’ programmes you will need to attain an average of 60 per cent or more in your first year. The assessments in the second year, year abroad (if applicable) and final year will contribute to your final degree classification. Further details of the assessment criteria for each module are available in the undergraduate section of our website www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/theology
I remember being really keen to come to Exeter even before the open day. When I read the course description online, I became even more enthusiastic. It seemed like no other course that I had researched as the modules available were so varied and interesting. Laura MacFarlane, third year, BA Theology 11
CAREERS Our Theology and Religion programmes give you an excellent range of skills to use in a variety of different careers. You will learn to understand other people’s points of view, to communicate your own position clearly and to argue effectively. You will also learn to collect, assess and present evidence, as well as work independently and in groups. Our programmes are demanding and encourage initiative and open-mindedness, helping to ensure that you will be well equipped with a range of academic, personal and professional skills that will prepare you for future employment. Our careers service runs a number of schemes that encourage you to participate in employability-related workshops, skills events, volunteering and employment. Exeter has an excellent national and international reputation, with many employers targeting the University when recruiting new graduates. Our students have progressed to work in a broad range of sectors, including the media, education, charity, social work and law. Further information about what the careers service at Exeter offers can be found at www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/careers
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Examples of the destinations of our recent graduates: Occupations Publicity and Fundraising Manager // Development Foundation Programme Tutor // Researcher // Ministry Trainee // Nurse // Registry Officer // Teacher // Lecturer // Assistant Producer (Radio) // Youth and Young Adult Worker
Employers Teach First // BBC // Devon County Council // St Michael and All Angels Church // Soho House Group // Purple PR // Global Action Plan // Financial Times
Examples of further study followed by our graduates:
A Social Work M MA Theology MA Theology and Youth Ministry MSc Development and Security MA Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology MA Religion and Culture MA Religious Conflict MTS Religion PGCE Religious Education Graduate Diploma in Law
The Bible is probably the best known collection of texts in the Western world, and yet there’s still so much we don’t know about the cultures lying behind these texts. My research focuses on the cultures giving rise to the Hebrew Bible, in particular, the religious realities of these cultures – what people believed about the gods and other divine beings and how they expressed their beliefs through rituals, myths and social practice, and this feeds directly into my undergraduate teaching. Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou, Professor in Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion 13
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER Top 1% of universities worldwide (Times Higher Education) 9th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017 Six months after graduation, 94% of our first degree graduates were in employment or further study (HESA 2014/15)
Our teaching is inspired by our research, 98% of which is of international quality (2014 Research Excellence Framework) We have 21,000 students from 181 countries, and they are the most satisfied in the Russell Group (NSS)
VISIT US TO FIND OUT MORE Open Days
You can register your interest now for our Open Days and receive priority access to book your place*; visit www.exeter.ac.uk/ opendays * Pre-registration only guarantees priority access to the booking system and is not an absolute guarantee of a place at any of our Open Days. Booking is essential and is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Campus Tours
We run campus tours at the Streatham Campus each weekday. You’ll be shown round by a current student, who’ll give you a first-hand account of what it’s like to live and study at the University. Phone: +44 (0)1392 724043 Email: visitus@exeter.ac.uk
Exeter campuses:
Friday 2 June 2017 Saturday 3 June 2017 Saturday 2 September 2017
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This document forms part of the University’s Undergraduate Prospectus. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in the Prospectus is correct at the time of going to print. The University will endeavour to deliver programmes and other services in accordance with the descriptions provided on the website and in this prospectus. The University reserves the right to make variations to programme content, entry requirements and methods of delivery and to discontinue, merge or combine programmes, both before and after a student’s admission to the University. Full terms and conditions can be found at www.exeter.ac.uk/undergraduate/applications/disclaimer
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www.exeter.ac.uk/ug/theology