Course Overview
Your degree will give you a thorough grounding in the major characteristics of a wide range of world faiths. Taught by staff with international reputations, it will help you answer questions such as: What differentiates the world's major faiths? How do people use religion to find meaning in their lives? How is religious belief faring in the modern world? Where is religion declining and where is it growing and how do we make sense of these phenomena?
You'll begin your degree with the study of World Religions before moving on to more specialised subjects in your second year, where modules include Traditions and Transformation I: Asian Religions; Traditions and Transformations II: Abrahamic Religions; Religion and Society; Cross-Cultural Ethics, and Western Philosophy and Religious Thought.
In your final year, you'll be able to study subjects such as Indian Religious and Philosophical Thought; Modern Religious and Atheistic Thought; New Religions and Alternative Spiritualties; Reading Buddhism; Reading Islam, and Religion in Schools.
Related Courses
Modules
Lancaster degree programmes are flexible, offering students the opportunity to cover a wide selection of subject areas to compliment their degree. The following is an example list of modules which our previous students have studied. For a full list contact the Politics, Philosophy and Religion department.
Year 1
- Religions of the Modern World
Year 2
- Western Philosophy and Religious Thought
- Ethics: Theory and Practice
- Contemporary Issues in Asian Religions
- Contemporary Issues in Christianity and Islam
- Religion and Society
- Constructing Ethics: Christianity and Islam
- Traditions and Transformations: Abrahamic religions
- Traditions and Transformations I: Asian Religions and Modernity
- Cross-Cultural Ethics
Year 3
- New religions and alternative spiritualities
- Reading Buddhism
- Continental Philosophy
- Practical Philosophy
- Applied Philosophy
- Reading Political Theory
- Indian Religious and Philosophical Thought
- Modern Religious and Atheistic Thought
- Reading Islam
- Religion in schools
- Dissertation
- Cross-Cultural Ethics
- Special Subject B
- Contemporary Issues in the Middle East
Lancaster University offers the chance to follow a structured study programme or the option to devise a more flexible programme. We divide academic study into 2 sections - Part 1 (Year 1) and Part 2 (Year 2, 3 and sometimes 4). In Part 1 you will take three modules of study which, depending upon your programme, will be drawn from one, two or three different academic subjects, a higher degree of specialisation then develops in subsequent years. For more information about our teaching methods at Lancaster visit our Teaching and Learning section.
For further information about the department, staff and courses please visit the Politics, Philosophy and Religion department website.
Entry Criteria
A-level: AAB
General Studies: Accepted as one of 3 A-levels
Preference: Minimum of two A-levels
Key skills: Not included in offer
Scottish Highers: ABBBB
Irish Leaving Cert: Offers will be made on the basis of 5 or 6 Higher level subjects. Please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office (01524 592028) for further information
BTEC: DDD/DDM
International Bacc: 35 pts overall with 16 pts from best three HL courses
Mature students: Applications welcomed. Please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office (01524 592028) for further information
IELTS: 6.5
Careers
Recent Religious Studies graduates have found jobs in sectors such as law, journalism and consultancy. Their ability to remain open-minded while carefully weighing up arguments makes them highly employable. The course also equips graduates with crucial communications skills that transfer well to the workplace. Pursuing further study through a postgraduate degree is also an option.
Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring you not only gain a highly reputable degree, but that you also graduate with relevant life and work based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which offers you the opportunity to complete key activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development. Visit our Employability section for full details.
Studying
Teaching and Learning Methods
At Lancaster we offer a broad range of learning environments designed to best support the requirements of your chosen degree programme. These may include lecture and tutorials, interactive workshops, laboratory sessions, other practical activities, student-led seminars and web-based elivery.
The modules which make up a programme of study are assessed using a variety of different methods, enabling students to demonstrate their capabilities in a range of ways. Typical coursework assignments include laboratory reports, essays, literature reviews, short tests, short and sharply focussed critical reports, poster sessions and oral presentations. Formal examinations include short answer questions, essays and data analysis. Multiple choice formats are also employed where appropriate. Students are supported in the production of final year project reports and dissertations. Details of the assessment methods for individual modules can be accessed via the university's online module catalogue.
In addition to these learning and teaching methods we encourage independent study, meaning you take responsibility for your own learning. For more information visit our Teaching Approach page.
Assessment Methods
We offer you a variety of stimulating and effective approaches to teaching, learning and assessment. This enables you and your tutors to explore the very latest thinking within your subject and develops your skills in problem solving, analysis and critical reflection, communication, application of knowledge and modern technologies.
As a University, we commit to providing all our undergraduates with a minimum number of contact hours per week, providing you with timely feedback on your work and a maximum number of 15 students per seminar group.
Funding
Lancaster University has committed £2.7m in scholarships and bursaries to help with your fees and living costs. Our financial support depends on your circumstances and how well you do in your A-levels (or equivalent academic qualifications) before starting study with us.
Lancaster University's priority is to support every student to make the most of their life and education. For students starting their study with us in 2013, over 600 each year will be entitled to bursaries and/or scholarships to help them with the cost of fees and/or living expenses. For UK students entering in 2013 we will have the following financial support available:
- An Academic Scholarship of £2,000 for the first year of study to any student from the UK entering with A*, A*, A or equivalent academic qualifications
- An Access Scholarship of £1,000 per year for all UK students from households with an income of less than £42,600 who achieve grades of A*, A, A or the equivalent academic qualifications
- A Lancaster Bursary of £1,000 per annum for all students from England with a household income of more than £25,000 but less than £42,600
- As part of the National Scholarship Programme, a £1,000 Bursary, a £1,000 Fee Waiver and a £1,000 Accommodation Discount in the first year of study, for students from England with a household income of less than £25,000. Plus a Lancaster Bursary of £1,000 in subsequent years.
*All of the financial awards above are subject to approval by the Office for Fair Access July 2012.
For full details of the University's financial support packages including eligibility criteria, please visit our fees and funding page
View details of our current Undergraduate fees.
