Big Questions in Theology and Religious Studies
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| THEO1022 | Philosophy | 1 | 10 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- THEO1022
- School
- Philosophy
- Level
- 1
- Credits
- 10
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
This module will offer an introduction to the subject of theology and religious studies by identifying several ‘big’ theological questions asked within the discipline, and by assessing the ways in which such questions have been grappled with in the past and continue to be grappled with in the present. Attention will be paid to the skills and strategies students will need as learners in order to engage with such questions as they progress throughout their degrees.
Target Students
Available to all students including subsidiary, Liberal Arts, and exchange students
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 5 weeks
- One 1-hour lecture each week for 5 weeks
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 5 weeks
In 23-24 the class will still have two contact hours, but this alternates between a two hour lecture and a one hour lecture plus a one hour seminar. Seminars should be taught by personal tutors.
Assessment
- 100% Coursework: 2000 word portfolio of short essays
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
To become familiar with the key questions asked in theology and religious studies; to understand how these questions have been considered in the past and how they are shaping beliefs and practices in the present; and to develop key skills for effective study within the discipline at undergraduate level. Students will reflect on the nature of effective academic writing by undertaking close readings of scholarly work, and will learn to produce clear and cogent writing of their own.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: By the end of this module, students will have gained a basic knowledge of some of the central questions that drive theology and religious studies, including central texts, figures and perspectives that have contributed to the advancement of these questions.
Intellectual skills: Students will be able to reflect upon difficult questions, interpret and discuss complex writings, develop scholarly curiosity and demonstrate critical thinking.
Professional and practical skills: Students will acquire the skills essential to study at undergraduate level, especially the ability to grasp, interpret, and interact with the ideas and arguments of others.
Transferable skills: Students will demonstrate an ability to deal with complex ideas, to organise and articulate a coherent and persuasive written argument, and to support interpretation with evidence. Students will be able to work with and learn from other students.
Students will be able to demonstrate a critical self-awareness of their own presuppositions and a capacity to listen empathetically and attentively to alternative perspectives.