Study THEOLOGY RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION at Cambridge

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1 Study THEOLOGY RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION at Cambridge Undergraduate Prospectus 2016 entry

2 1 Contents 2 Why study Theology, Religion and Philosophy of Religion? 3 Why should I apply to Cambridge? 5 What can I study at Cambridge? 9 What are the opportunities for Theology graduates? Welcome to the Faculty of Divinity Cambridge University is a great place to be, and to be yourself. We know from our students that Theology and Religious Studies here at Cambridge is a diverse, engaging and enlightening degree programme. Whether your interest is in philosophy, ethics and metaphysics, anthropology, history, literature or the study of Bible and Qur an (and much else besides) you will find something here just for you. Above all, you will find a welcoming community of teachers and fellow students who believe that beliefs matter. It s a pleasure for me to encourage you to visit us and find out more about what we can offer you for your degree course. Janet Soskice, Head of the Faculty of Divinity Quick Facts: Theology and Religious Studies UCAS code: BA/TRS Duration: 3 years Typical offers require: A-level: A*AA (in any subjects) IB: points with 776 at Higher Level (in any subjects) Useful subjects: Religious Studies, Philosophy and Ethics, English, History, Classics, Modern Languages Colleges: all except Churchill 2014 entry: Applications per place: 2 Number accepted: 43

3 2 Why study Theology, Religion and Philosophy of Religion? Explore historic and contemporary issues The study of religion is essential to understanding civilisation. By choosing this degree you will learn to reflect on societies over several millennia and upon subjects which are relevant to current political events. You do not need to be religious to study for our degree, but should have keen interest in the significance of religion both past and present. Develop textual skills Our undergraduates spend a substantial proportion of the course reading and interrogating primary and secondary texts from across religious traditions and in more than one language. You will develop key skills analysing and critiquing this material. Texts will take the form of scripture, works of literature, historical sources, philosophical treatises and academic debates. Wide-ranging subject Religion has permeated all aspects of human existence and so to gain a deep understanding of the subject you will need to engage with a number of other academic disciplines including literature, history, languages, anthropology, sociology, philosophy and even science. You will learn from staff and peers, and working independently, how to use this material to form cogent arguments in both verbal and written forms. Developing these skills will mean that you are highly attractive to employers when you graduate. For more information about careers, see page 9. Theology is the study of one subject that somehow comprises many other of the arts subjects available at Cambridge! Rose, 2 nd year undergraduate

4 3 Why should I apply to Cambridge? World class teaching Our students consistently praise our teaching. In the 2014 National Student Survey, 96 per cent said that overall, they were satisfied with the quality of the course; while 98 per cent agreed that the staff are good at explaining things, that the course is intellectually stimulating and that feedback helps clarify things they don t understand. It s not just our students that recognise the quality of the learning experience. In 2014 we were top of The Guardian University Guide and The Times Good University Guide League Tables for Religious Studies and Theology. In addition to the papers (modules) you choose, you ll also take our fourweek Undergraduate Study Skills course to give you the best start to your degree. The Cambridge supervision system is highly valued by students. You ll meet once or twice a week for an hour with a supervisor having prepared by reading a text or writing an essay. The supervision will then give you time with a world leader in the field to explore this in great detail, develop your own ideas and get feedback to help improve your work. Broad degree programme Cambridge s degree programme reflects the breadth of the subject area including Philosophy of Religion, Biblical Studies, Ethics, Religious Traditions of India, Christian Doctrine, Islamic Studies, Jewish Studies, and the History of Christianity. The structure of learning is so worthwhile. The one-onone supervisions are by far the most effective teaching and learning experience I've ever had. The divinity library is amazing and the lecturers and staff are all lovely! Annie, 2 nd year undergraduate

5 4 Flexibility Many students enjoy sampling this breadth, choosing a deliberately diverse range of papers to ensure that they develop an expansive knowledge of the subject. However, the Cambridge course also allows you to focus on an area of interest for one or more years. Outstanding resources The Faculty s award-winning building has lecture theatres and seminar rooms, fully equipped with state-ofthe-art audio visual facilities. Our lightfilled library sits at the top of the Faculty and houses over books and journals. There are nearly 50 reader places and wi-fi is available throughout the building. You will have exceptional access to online books and journals which are available to you wherever you are studying. Along with the services offered by the University Library and College libraries, this led to 100 per cent of respondents to the 2014 National Student Survey agreeing that the library resources and services met their needs. Academic Community Our teaching staff, students and researchers comprise a supportive and enriching Faculty community. We have around 150 undergraduates, and over 100 masters and doctoral students. Staff and students meet in a relaxed environment every weekday morning in term for tea and coffee. The wider university is a fantastic place to explore your interest in the subject. In addition to relevant debates and talks that take place across Cambridge almost every night, you may also consider joining societies that are dedicated to exploring religions and the philosophy of religion such as the Buddhist Society, Hindu Cultural Society, Intercollegiate Christian Union, Islamic Society, Jewish Society, or the Moral Sciences Club (the Faculty of Philosophy s student society). Applications to Cambridge If you decide to apply to Cambridge, you ll need to submit your application by 15 October. If you have a realistic chance of being offered a place and are predicted to meet our entry requirements (that s about 80 per cent of applicants), you ll be invited to interview at the college you selected or the one allocated to you if you enter an open application. You will also be invited to an interview at another college. This gives you the opportunity to approach an interview differently and to meet a different set of staff. If your first college is unable to offer you a place, but you still impressed the interviewers, both sets of interview notes may be taken to the Winter Pool. This allocates one in three offers to strong candidates to ensure that the brightest and best students come to Cambridge, regardless of which college they apply to. For more information about applying see

6 5 What can I study at Cambridge? The course is so diverse both quirky and really cutting edge! Emily, 3 rd year undergraduate We believe that your degree should be guided by your interests and so we give you the freedom to select from a wide range of papers to shape a course that fulfils your intellectual curiosity. Year One (Part I) In your first year you will select five papers, two of which develop foundational skills that you will need throughout your course of study. All students study a scriptural language, usually from scratch. You can choose from Hebrew, New Testament Greek, Qur'anic Arabic or Sanskrit. Developing a knowledge of language and sacred texts gives our students a deeper understanding of religion and the impact of translations on studies of scripture. If you choose to learn New Testament Greek, an online course is available to prepare you before you arrive in Cambridge In addition to the language, students also select a biblical paper. Textual analysis is a core part of your education in all fields of religion and theology. By taking the Old or New Testament paper you will be well prepared for undertaking further study in any of the major world religions. There s more about our papers at

7 6 The Biblical papers are: David: Israel s Greatest Hero? Jesus and the Origins of the Gospel You will study a further three papers. This can include the remaining Biblical paper or all three can be chosen from the following: English Christianity before and after the Reformation Who is Jesus Christ? Understanding contemporary religion: The sociology of religion World religions in comparative perspective Philosophy of religion and ethics Example Part I paper Philosophy of religion and ethics This course introduces students to the main themes of philosophy of religion and ethics. The first section introduces first year undergraduates to the major themes of Philosophy of Religion and the arguments for and against such positions. Students are introduced to the ontological argument, the problem of religious language and the justification of religious belief through a few select texts. The second section of the paper introduces students to the main ethical positions, from Joseph Butler, to moral sense theory, deontology and Kierkegaard s teleological suspension of the ethical. It considers a range of criticisms and counter theories. Students gain acquaintance with a range of positions and arguments, from Virtue ethics to Hegelian ethics and Nietzschean nihilism. It combines breadth and depth, allowing a huge variety of options for different people I am always amazed at the number, variety and quality of the papers offered by the Faculty. Dominic, 2 nd year undergraduate

8 7 Year Two (Part IIA) Your second year builds on the skills you have developed in Part I. You choose four papers from a total of 18. There are no compulsory elements so you can tailor the course to your interests. You can study a wide variety of papers including a new scriptural language, your first year language in more depth, Judaism in the Greek and Roman periods, the Letters of Paul, World Christianities, Religious Themes in Literature, Introduction to Islam, Philosophy of Religion, Life and Thought of Religious Hinduism and Buddhism, and the Johannine Tradition. You can also study the Logic paper taught by the Faculty of Philosophy. What can I study in Cambridge? Example Part IIA paper Theology and the Natural Sciences I This paper covers topics in the overlap of theology and natural sciences, with an emphasis on cosmology and evolutionary biology. The lectures and seminars discuss scientific perspectives on the nature of reality and consider a range of theological responses. Attention is also given to philosophical and methodological assumptions, both within the natural sciences and in the ways in which they have been brought into dialogue with theology. The emphasis is on Christian theology, although attention is given to the debate between theology and natural sciences in other theological traditions. Year Three (Part IIB) Part IIB allows you to develop a detailed knowledge of specialised areas within the subject by concentrating on four papers. These include Old Testament: Creation and Covenant, New Testament Christology, Theologies of Hope, Self and Salvation in Indian and Western Thought, The Rise of Pentecostalism, Contemporary Study of Religion, Jewish Law, Islamic Philosophy, Metaphysics, Theology, Science and Creatures, and Topics in Christian Ethics. Example Part IIB paper Jews, Christians and Muslims before and after Muhammad Judaism, Christianity and Islam are usually taught separately. Here they are intertwined within a historical frame. The course pivots around the Qur an, which emerged in Arabia on the peripheries of the two world-empires of Iran and Rome, and variously refracts rabbinic Judaism and patristic especially Syriac Christianity. The course also concentrates on the interaction of these communities, especially their scholars along the Silk Road. It interrogates the fashionable concept of Abrahamic religion, and argues for a fresh historical periodization inclusive of both late Antiquity and Islam, namely the First Millennium.

9 8 Teaching and assessment methods Teaching is provided through classes, lectures and supervisions. You can expect up to nine hours of classes and lectures a week and at least one supervision. You will spend a significant amount of time engaged in independent study as well. Assessment is mainly by three-hour written examinations while other papers are assessed on the basis of coursework. In your third year you can choose to be assessed for a dissertation in place of one paper. A dissertation gives you the opportunity to explore in greater depth a topic that you are particularly interested in. It allows you the freedom of independent study, to shape a topic according to your interests and ideas, and to gain research experience. It will develop your ability to work independently, plan a larger project, gather data, and present an extended and coherent argument. The variety of topics chosen by our students for their dissertations reflect the diversity of the course. Last year these included: Religious television programming: a comparison of its objectives in the U.S.A. and the U.K. prior to the Internet Prayer as transformation: Perspectives from Theology and Psychology The nature of moral decision making in Arthur Miller s A View from the Bridge and All my Sons The conception of the Apostolic past in the early second-century C.E. Kali and empowerment for women: Text, theory and image. Ethics precedes the law : The place and implications of secular ethics in the divine law Education and Devotion: Jesuit Attitudes to Christian Art in Europe and Latin America,

10 9 Careers What are the opportunities for Theology graduates? Our graduates are highly employable, offering inter-disciplinary skills much valued by employers, and detailed knowledge of diverse world views and issues. This means that they go on to a strikingly broad range of jobs as well as options in further education. We ask our alumni about their employment six months after graduating. Of the students that graduated in 2013, a third went on to further study in Theology or related disciplines, or training to follow a career in teaching or law. By studying theology and religion you will be able to: Of the remaining two thirds who went into employment, some made direct use of course content by entering jobs that value religious sensitivity in our multi-cultural society. 28 per cent of graduates from 2013 went on to professions in social, community and charity professions or teaching roles. Other graduates applied the transferable skills that they have developed here to gain employment in the arts, banking, local and national government, management consulting and retail management. Sift, select and retain complex information and identify key issues Express ideas clearly through essay writing and discussion Take a critical view of contemporary issues Tackle new languages from scratch Use imagination and creativity Take a disciplined approach to problem solving Improve your investigative, analytical and critical evaluation skills Understand and take a sensitive approach to different cultures and beliefs Demonstrate a genuine curiosity in people and world cultures Read more about what our graduates go on to do at

11 10 Destinations and jobs of selected graduates from 2012 and 2013: Business Apple Graduate Management Scheme Management Consultant, Deloitte Barclays Bank Graduate Scheme Marketing Analyst, The Value Engineers Public Sector Policy Lead, Department for Education Intern, Department for Communities and Local Government Officer Cadet, Royal Navy Executive Assistant, King s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council Arts TV programme production and research, Lion Television Professional Musician Education RE Teacher, Greenford High School Teacher with Teach First Programme Actor in Residence, Highgate School Divinity Master, Eton College Non-governmental Organisations President of the World Council of Peoples for the United Nations Schools Co-ordinator, 3 Faiths Forum Conference and Events Coordinator, Limmud Youth Engagement Officer, Community Barnet Theology opens more doors to you than you would expect. Given its wide-ranging nature, it is constantly challenging you to think holistically, and draw inspiration from different areas that you would assume are otherwise unconnected. The lecturers are fantastic at pushing you to provide your own perspective and not simply regurgitate what others have said before you. This really sets you up well for the future it enables you to stand out from the crowd and have confidence in your own ability, whatever your chosen field. Michael, graduated 2013 now working for an Executive Search Firm in London

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