Whether you describe yourself as agnostic, atheist or a firm believer, if you have a passionate interest in the ethical, political, philosophical and religious issues of our time, this course is perfect for you. Here at BGU we can look back on many years of experience in teaching Religious Studies, Philosophy and Theology. We designed this degree to bring the oldest of academic subjects into the present day – combining the richness of ancient tradition with the relevance and freshness of a 21st century subject.
This course offers a different type of Theology and Ethics – we like to think of it as Theology ‘with its sleeves rolled up’. Our hands-on programme will take you beyond the classroom and open doors that have the potential to change your life and make a difference to the world you inhabit.
Courses
About Theology & Ethics at BGU
Throughout the course you’ll develop your curiosity and fascination about different religious cultures, learning from hands-on experience and developing research skills and critical evaluation skills. You’ll look at recent trends in theology alongside the implications of scientific discovery, and you’ll explore religious debate together with arguments for atheism and for the existence of God.
Not only will you study world religions, but you’ll also explore other key events and issues, such as green theology, terrorism, race, gender and sexuality. In your second year, you will be offered a placement with the charity Christian Aid, which could take a variety of forms and will be tailored to your needs and skills. In the third year of your course you’ll be able to choose a topic for your individual study. Working closely with a tutor, you will develop a real expertise in a subject of your own interest – possibly opening opportunities for future research and higher level degrees.
Easy access to our course tutors means we can help you to achieve the best results you possibly can. As well as traditional lectures and tutorials with our highly-experienced staff, you will learn from hands-on experience, field visits and work placements. The course is assessed using a wide range of methods, including written assignments, presentations, multimedia work and exams.
What You Will Study
In your first year you will pursue four core modules that will provide the foundations for the rest of your study in years two and three. These modules will cover the course of western philosophy, cover backgrounds to the world’s major religions, explore the world of Ethics and will take you on a journey to uncover the history of religions, bringing it right up to date with some of the new religions and cults in Britain.
Your second year will give you the chance to pursue specialist modules. These modules cover exciting subjects such as Religion and Sexuality, Religion and Science, Holocaust Education and Green Theology. Placements will be available throughout the degree, with our range of partners including charities, schools and third sector groups.
In your final year, you will once more pursue specialist modules on cutting edge subjects such as Atheism, Women and faiths, Religion and Terrorism, and Media and Message. If you are thinking about a career in teaching these specialist modules are ideal for helping you develop skills as an RE teacher and prepare you for a PGCE course. However, we also expect students to be interested in a range of other careers such as those in the public sector, NGOs, international development and charities.
Assessment
On our course we believe that we have an imaginative approach to assessment that allows us to utilise your strengths. We assess our students using a wide range of methods which include written assignments, paired and single presentations, research-based dissertations, files of work and exams. A good deal of continual assessment and easy access to our course tutors means that we are in a strong position to get the best possible results from our students.
What Our Students Say
“The staff at BGU are fantastic – they are always there for you whenever you need them, and not just for subject related information but also if you’re having a bad day as well!” Lyndsey, Education Studies and Theology graduate
Careers and Further Study
The wide range of knowledge and skills you will learn from this course will make you an extremely desirable graduate. Many of our students will pursue careers directly related to the disciplines of Theology, Ethics and Religious Studies, in education and schools. However, graduates of our course are highly skilled individuals fully prepared to pursue a wide variety of careers in other fields, such as Community Work, Counselling, Policing, Librarianship, Social Work, work in the third sector, Politics, Museum Work, Education Officers attached to religious buildings or organisations and Media work. Specialised modules and the ability to choose individual routes through our programme will prepare you for whatever career might best suit your interests.
Many of our students apply to join our primary or secondary PGCE courses (see our Postgraduate Courses section for further information).
As well as an in-depth understanding of ethical and theological issues, you will gain a wide range of transferable skills which will prepare you for further study or employment. Possible future careers for Theology & Ethics graduates may include:
- RE Teacher/Primary specialist
- Theology lecturer
- Social/Youth work
- Politics/Policy planning
- Museum work
Successful graduates of this course have also continued to study for higher degrees, with many choosing to pursue further study in the field of education (those wishing to pursue a career in primary or secondary teaching will need to take one of a variety of teacher training courses either at BGU or elsewhere, subject to separate application).
Fees and Funding
A lot of student finance information is available from numerous sources, but it is sometimes confusing and contradictory. That’s why at BGU we try to give you all the information and support we can to help to throughout the process. Our Student Advice team are experts in helping you sorting out the funding arrangements for your studies, offering a range of services to guide you through all aspects of student finance step by step. Click here to find information about fees, loans and support which will help to make the whole process a little easier to understand.
How To Apply
Undergraduate course applicants must apply via UCAS using the relevant UCAS code. The application fee is £12 for a single choice or £23 for more than one choice. For all applicants, there are full instructions at UCAS to make it as easy as possible for you to fill in your online application, plus help text where appropriate.
Year 1
The World’s Religions
This foundation module will give you an introduction to the historical manifestations and principal beliefs and practices of the six main religions of the world: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism. Reference is also made to other faith traditions too.
Christianity: The First 2000 Years
This module covers a broad sweep of Christian history starting with the development of an early Church through major theological developments. You will explore the important foundation stages, personalities and concepts attached to the historical and theological development of Christianity from the Early Church, through the middles-ages, the Reformations and through to the modern age. You will look at the contributions to theology from the work of a selection of outstanding thinkers such as Augustine of Hippo, Aquinas and Luther, as well as modern theologians such as Barth and Rahner.
A Brief History of Thinking
This foundation module represents a comprehensive survey of the main characters, movements and developments of Western thought. You will be provided with a review of the ancient European traditions through the medium of philosophy as you examine the contributions of key thinkers to important areas of thought such as Ethics, the existence of God, reason, government and education. In this way the module will provide a crucial foundation base in terms of knowledge, understanding and skills upon which you will be able to develop further study for a degree in contemporary theology and ethics.
Ethics
This module will introduce you to ethical theory and to the practice of Classical, Christian and modern ethics. The module will help you explore and critically reflect on various ethical issues using the tools provided by key philosophical/theological movements and thinkers.
Year 2
- Professional Contexts
- In Dialogue: Subject Studies across the Arts and Humanities
Religion Race and Sexuality
This module brings together two major themes of this degree, theology and ethics, and applies them to major issues in contemporary society. You will gain knowledge, understanding and awareness of the context in which liberation theology exists and you will be given opportunities to gain academic and personal knowledge of liberation theology through reading, learning, visits and meetings. You will be encouraged to examine political theologies from core thinkers such as Gutierrez, Loades and Cone, and will be expected to encounter issues of poverty, sexuality powerlessness and liberative theologies. You will explore the implications global issues have for religions in order to provide insights into crucial areas of theology, ethics and society. By examining a wide range of liberation theologies including Latin American, Black, Feminist, Gay, and Green theologies it will enable you to develop and use your analytical and critical skills in relation to political and theological issues.
Green Theology
Environmental issues have become an increasing concern for both Religious organisations and Theologians in recent years. This concern is informed by a realisation of the detrimental impact of human activity which has in turn led to the development of eco-theology. This module will employ knowledge and skills, gained in previous modules, to explore recent developments in this field of study in order to evaluate its contribution to religious life, in particular, and to human life in general.
Holocaust Education
This module explores the notion of holocaust education and how it is approached in a variety of settings such as education establishments. It questions whether holocausts should be approached as an historical event or whether it can be used as a learning tool to promote justice and respect in the present day. These issues will build on your foundation knowledge and understanding of religion and contemporary issues in order to draw you into an appreciation of their practical implications.
God and Science
This module is an introduction to and an exploration of the contemporary dialogue of science and theology. You will first begin with study in the nature of explanation in science. Key Philosophers of Science will be engaged and comparisons will be made with the rationality of theology. You will explore the relationship between science and religion, and the possibility of a genuine dialogue between theology and science will be raised and discussed. The relationship between these two disciplines, with their questions of compatibility or exclusivity, forms a pivotal issue not just with regard to theology and society, but with regard to our contemporary society in general.
Year 3
Atheism
This module is designed to build on your knowledge and skills from previous modules and apply them to current issues that are crucial to the twenty-first century world of theological debate. After preliminary consideration of what is meant by ‘modernity’, ‘religion’ and ‘atheism’, you will examine the thoughts and ideas from a selection of central thinkers, both theistic and atheistic, and consider the implications of their works for religious questions. You will be encouraged to examine and evaluate a majority of the central themes in Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment Western religious and atheistic philosophical debates in order for you to engage with both the history and the latest developments in this core religious issue.
Asian Beliefs
This module builds on earlier exploration of world religions, offering a more in-depth study of Asian religions, particularly Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, but also other Indo-Chinese religions such as Jainism and Taoism. The module explores the history and beliefs of major Indo-Chinese religions, and some of the ways in which their beliefs and traditions are expressed in everyday life and practice. In addition to readings from scholarly literature, you will also be offered first-hand experience of the various faiths through visits to places of worship, meetings with faith-adherents, lecturing guest speakers and the use of various sources produced from within those faith traditions.
Media and Message
Film, cartoon, radio and music are important facets of contemporary communication and as such, plays a role in a modern society which is ever growing in importance. Through this module, you will apply previously gained knowledge and understanding in order to reflect on the way in which the Christian religion and Theology in general is represented in, influences, and affects media products. In particular you will explore the contribution the film and music industries have made to the arena of public theological discourse.
Religion, War and Terrorism
This module will build on two aspects of previous learning – the understanding of the main faith traditions and an appreciation of the issues that arise when these traditions attempt to engage in the contemporary world via acts of violence. You will examine Islam, Judaism and Hindu responses to politics, violence and the world, and you will explore the issues raised by modern conflict, war and terrorism in order to discuss their implications for theology. You will be provided opportunities to encounter issues of war, terrorism, and liberative theological thinking and will be offered an in depth exploration of the implications these global issues have for Religions. You will also discuss various responses of religious individuals such as Martin Luther King, Ghandi, and Malcolm X in regards to political and social problems.
Academic Co-ordinator
Dr Jack Cunningham – Academic Co-ordinator and Senior Lecturer in T
heology
Dr Jack Cunningham teaches on the undergraduate Theology programme at Bishop Grosseteste University. Jack is a Church Historian with a current interest in early modern and late medieval ecclesiastical history with a particular interest in the Reformation period, particularly in Ireland and Iceland. In 2007 he was elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in recognition of his work in Reformation studies. Jack joined Bishop Grosseteste from the University of Ulster where he was the Mac an tSaoir PH. D. Scholar.
Lecturing Staff
Dr Peter Green – Dean of Chapel and Chaplain
Dr Peter Green is a priest in the Church of England and whilst his role as Dean of Chapel is mainly focused on the pastoral support of members of the University community it also involves the option of contributing to its teaching and research activities. He served as a parish priest in the Black Country before becoming Chaplain and Head of Religious Studies at Abbots Bromley School in Staffordshire. He did his undergraduate degree at St. Andrews University and then combined his work in parish and school with part-time study with the Open University through which he obtained an MA and a PhD in English Literature.
Mark Plater – Senior Lecturer in Theology
Mark Plater coordinates and teaches on both the Church School Studies Cathedral Group Award and the Secondary PGCE Religious Education programme. He also teaches various undergraduate and Masters level theology modules, with an emphasis on education studies and world religions and education. He has a special interest in fieldwork, and leads annual visits to London, Turkey and India in addition to various day trips. Mark joined the staff of Bishop Grosseteste University in 2006 following a wide-ranging career in secondary school teaching, advisory work and four years as Director of Education at the Diocese of Southwell, Lincolnshire.
Visiting Tutors
Dr John Tomlinson
Dr John Tomlinson has a degree in History with Welsh (University of Wales), an MA in Social and Pastoral Theology (Manchester University) and a PhD in Church History (Birmingham University). His main interests are historical and current religious expression, both in the UK and overseas, and in particular the effects of secularization and fundamentalism. He is Lecturer and Head of Religious Studies at Lincoln College, and Parish Priest in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. During 2014/15 he was appointed a Farmington Fellow researching religious literacy and commitment among young people.
Head of School
Dr Andrew Jackson – Head of School of Humanities
Dr Andrew Jackson is the Head of the School of Humanities. Andrew is a historian with current research interests that include twentieth-century urban and rural change, and local and regional history. He also engages in consultancy and project work relating to community history and heritage, digitisation and e-learning. Andrew joined the staff of Bishop Grosseteste University in 2007, following ten years at the University of Exeter.
Teaching
Andrew contributes to the teaching of the undergraduate subject of History, Masters programmes in Heritage Education and Community Archaeology, and the Doctoral programme in Education. Andrew’s teaching interests include: rural, urban and landscape history; local and regional history; historical and cultural geography; country houses and garden history; archives and history education; heritage and community identity; Lincolnshire’s history and heritage; and Devon history.
Trips and Visits
Because first-hand experience is important, many of our Theology modules include field visits and visiting speakers. In recent years these have included days at the Beth Shalom Holocaust Centre, the Pure Land Buddhist Gardens and Meditation Centre, and visits to regional religious centres and places of worship. The following two tabs details the trips and experiences on offer for students.
India Field Visits
The Theology course has offered annual 10 day field visits to India since 2008. Time is spent in Bangalore and Madurai, seeing temples, shrines, schools, museums and other activities, as well as enjoying all of the amazing tastes, smells, sounds and sights of the bustling Indian sub-continent. Below is just a selection of some of the great photos which have been taken. Click here to view a wonderful booklet of additional images and pictures.
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Year 1 BA (Hons) London Field Visit
Each year, as part of the first year BA World Religions module (THE121), Theology students can participate in a four-day residential visit, seeing religious people and centres across London. The intensive programme includes visits to major Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim & Sikh places of worship as well as galleries and museums.
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Lincs RE Hub
Termly twilight meetings for all RE enthusiasts. Come and join with other RE teachers and co-ordinators to update on what’s happening and to share ideas and resources.
To get your name on the email list or just to find out more, contact Mark on mark.plater@bishopg.ac.uk.
Farmington Religious Education Fellowships
This is an amazing offer! The Farmington Trust awards annual fellowships for practicing teachers (including heads and senior managers) in all age-phases of education, both for Religious Education and aspects of collective worship. The Trust will fund up to 20 days supply cover and other incidental costs to enable you to carry out an agreed research project that will help to develop your own practice, and which may be of help and interest for others.
3forRE Scheme (Bursary for MA in Relgious Education)
Interested in further study in RE? Culham-St Gabriel’s Trust will provide up to £2000 towards the cost of your full or part time master’s level study – as long as your school is willing to also contribute a further 10% of the tuition fees. Bursaries are open to primary and secondary school teachers of RE.
Want to know more? Click here for more information
Church School Studies (Cathedral Group Award)
Working in a Church school and want to know more about them? Or just interested in Church schools? We have courses of study available that can lead to a Higher Education Certificate, or a Post-Graduate Certificate with credits that can be used towards an MA.
Want to know more? Click here for more information.
Lincs RE Hub
Termly twilight meetings for all RE enthusiasts. Come and join with other RE teachers and co-ordinators to update on what’s happening and to share ideas and resources.
To get your name on the email list or just to find out more, contact Mark on mark.plater@bishopg.ac.uk.
