Program Overview

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Theology and Religious Studies BA

Course Overview

Profound. Inspiring. Divisive. Religion can be all of these things. Making sense of religion and its impact is essential to understanding other cultures - and your own. At Nottingham, you'll explore:

• how religious ideas, practices, and identities develop over time
• the insights theology and ethics bring to the biggest questions we face today
• how religious beliefs influence science, philosophy, art, and literature.

Key Information

• UCAS Code: V610
• Duration: 3 years full-time
• Fees: £9,535 (UK undergraduate students)

Entry Requirements

• Qualification: BA Hons
• Entry Requirements: ABB
• Start Date: September 2025
• UCAS Code: V610
• Duration: 3 years full-time
• Fees: £9,535

International Students

• Qualification: Bachelor of Arts with Honours
• Start Date: September 2025
• Entry Requirements: 30 points overall or 655 in 3 HL certificates
• IB Score: 30 points overall or 655 in 3 HL certificates
• IELTS: 6.5 (with no less than 6.0 in each element)
• High School Qualifications: Check our country-specific information for guidance on qualifications from your country
• A Level: ABB
• Required Subjects: GCSE English grade 4 (C)
• Excluded Subjects: NA
• Additional Entry Requirements: All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications.

Alternative Qualifications

• We recognise that applicants have a wealth of different experiences and follow a variety of pathways into higher education.
• Consequently, we treat all applicants with alternative qualifications (besides A-levels and the International Baccalaureate) on an individual basis, and we gladly accept students with a whole range of less conventional qualifications including:
  • Access to HE Diploma
  • Advanced Diploma
  • BTEC HND/HNC
  • BTEC Extended Diploma (considered on a case-by-case basis)

Mature Students

• At the University of Nottingham, we have a valuable community of mature students and we appreciate their contribution to the wider student population.
• You can find lots of useful information on the mature students webpage.

Visa Restrictions

• International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK.
• Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses.
• The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses.
• The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases.
• Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

Work Experience

• NA

Scholarships and Bursaries

• Faculty of Arts Alumni Scholarships: Our Alumni Scholarships provide support with essential living costs to eligible students.
• University of Nottingham Bursaries and Scholarships: The University offers a wide range of funds that can provide you with an additional source of non-repayable financial help.
• International Students: We offer a range of international undergraduate scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers.

Additional Costs

• All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
• We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus.
• For more information, please check the equipment advice.
• Essential course materials are supplied.
• Books: You'll be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to buy your own copies of core texts.
• Volunteering and Placements: For volunteering and placements, such as work experience and teaching in schools, you will need to pay for transport and refreshments.

Language Study

• You may be able to choose to study a language as part of this degree.
• Learning another language can open career opportunities around the globe and enriches your CV.
• It could also help you in your studies by being able to access learning materials in other languages.

Module Information

• Year One:
  • Big Questions in Theology and Religious Studies
  • Christianity and the Challenge of Modernity
  • Interpreting the Hebrew Bible
  • Interpreting Islam
  • Interpreting Judaism
  • Interpreting the New Testament
  • Philosophy for Theologians
  • Reading World Religions
  • The Bible in Music, Art and Literature
  • Religion, Media and Ethics
  • Atheism
  • Biblical Hebrew
• Year Two:
  • Religion in Britain: Interfaith Encounters in a Secular Age
  • Buddhism and the World
  • Exile and Homeland: Jewish Culture, Thought and Politics in Modern Europe and Mandatory Palestine between 1890 and 1950
  • Body and Soul: Christian Theological Anthropology
  • The Theology of Paul
  • Islamic Theology and Philosophy
  • Africana Philosophies and Religions
  • The Philosophy of Religion
  • Jewish Theology and Philosophy from Philo to Kabbalah
  • Biblical Hebrew
  • Intermediate Biblical Hebrew
  • Employing the Arts
  • Arts Work Placement Module
• Year Three:
  • Dissertation
  • Islamic Theology and Philosophy
  • Jewish Theology and Philosophy from Philo to Kabbalah
  • The Theology of Paul
  • The Philosophy of Religion
  • The World of Orthodox Sainthood
  • Exile and Homeland: Jewish Culture, Thought and Politics in Modern Europe and Mandatory Palestine between 1890 and 1950
  • Body and Soul: Christian Theological Anthropology
  • Africana Philosophies and Religions
  • Intermediate Biblical Hebrew

How You Will Learn

• Different topics suit different teaching methods.
• Depending on the modules you choose, you may get involved in presentations to your peers, different forms of group work, be asked to develop a video, podcast, or other creative format.
• We record all of our lectures.
• This allows you to watch important points again, review your notes, and catch up if a personal situation means you can't attend in person.

Quality Teaching

• Over 90% of our students think staff are good at explaining things in the 2022 National Student Survey.
• Supportive environment: If you have worries about your work, we won't wait for them to become problems.
• You'll have a personal tutor who will proactively review your academic progress and help find solutions to any issues.

Teaching Methods

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Placements

Assessment Methods

• Dissertation
• Essay
• In-class test
• Portfolio (written/digital)
• Presentation
• Reflective review
• Written exam

Contact Time and Study Hours

• The minimum contact time you will have is:
  • Year one: at least 12 hours
  • Year two: at least 10 hours
  • Year three: at least 8 hours
• Your lecturers will also be available outside your scheduled contact time to help you study and develop.
• This can be in person and online.
• As well as your timetabled sessions, you'll carry out extensive self-study such as course reading and seminar preparation.
• As a guide, 20 credits (a typical module) is about 200 hours of work (combined teaching and self-study).

Careers Overview

• Theology and Religious Studies prepares you for a wide range of potential careers.
• You'll develop key professional skills such as:
  • understanding and analysing others' ideas and beliefs, both spoken and texts
  • sifting evidence and formulating arguments
  • thinking carefully and clearly
  • making reasoned decisions
  • developing sensitivity to cultural and religious diversity
  • communicating your ideas with confidence
  • engaging intelligently and critically with the world in all its depth and complexity

Job Prospects

• Average starting salary and career progression:
  • 78.8% of undergraduates from the Faculty of Arts secured graduate-level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation.
  • The average annual starting salary for these graduates was £23,974.

Careers Advice

• Studying for a degree at the University of Nottingham will provide you with the type of skills and experiences that will prove invaluable in any career, whichever direction you decide to take.
• Throughout your time with us, our Careers and Employability Service can work with you to improve your employability skills even further; assisting with job or course applications, searching for appropriate work experience placements, and hosting events to bring you closer to a wide range of prospective employers.