Masters Degrees (Hinduism)

Research profile

Edinburgh has one of the largest concentrations of South Asianists in the UK, constituting a wide range of expertise.

Examples of our recent research include the study of:

social, historical and anthropological aspects of Joint Forest Management Agreements in India
socio-historical research on the Indian Uprising of 1857
sociological and human geographical aspects of secondary schooling in north India
sociological and anthropological aspects of pharmaceuticals in India and Nepal
federalism and ethnic conflict management in South Asia

Other cross-disciplinary areas where students are particularly welcome include:

the historical and contemporary study of religion (Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Hinduism) and South Asian societies
gender, family and population
nationalism and caste
the media
the South Asian diaspora
contemporary politics and identity
territorial politics (federalism, regionalism)
India as a global emerging power

Training and support

The MSc by Research in South Asian Studies offers core research skills and conceptual grounding for a research career or further study.

The PhD and MPhil programmes combine work on an individual thesis project with systematic training in research skills.

The Centre for South Asian Studies hosts a weekly research seminar as well as regular workshops and conferences.

Facilities

The University’s Main Library has many manuscripts in oriental languages originating from the countries of the Middle East and South Asia.

You will also have access to rich library and archive resources across the University including divinity and Celtic and Scottish studies, as well as the National Library of Scotland (holding the papers of several Viceroys of India) and the Scottish National Record Office.

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Research profile

With interest growing in India’s creative literature and Indian philosophy, linguistics and literary criticism, the study of Sanskrit is becoming vitally important.

We are the only research department of this kind in Scotland, and one of only four in the UK. The latest Research Assessment Exercise confirmed the international significance of the work being undertaken by our staff and postgraduate students.

You will be part of a community committed to exploring the linguistic and cultural aspects of this fascinating language.

We can offer you supervision in Sanskrit, Prakrit and Pali language and literature, as well as links with the School of Divinity, if your area of interest includes the study of religions such as classical Hinduism, Buddhism or Jainism. Purely linguistic research can also benefit from links with the Translation Studies area.

Our current areas of interest include:

Jainism
Prakrit language and literature
Sanskrit literature and literary theory
Theravada Buddhism

We also serve as the base for the Centre for South Asian Studies, through which various aspects of modern South Asia can be studied under the supervision of staff in several arts and social sciences departments. In addition, you will be encouraged to attend any undergraduate or masters courses you see as being appropriate to your research.

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Who is this programme for?:

The MA Religions of Asia and Africa is designed both as an end qualification in itself and as a platform preparing students for more advanced graduate work.

It typically suits students falling into one of the following three categories:

- students planning to pursue further research, which may involve at a subsequent stage the acquisition of a doctoral degree and a career in higher education;

- students willing to pursue a career or professional activity, for which advanced knowledge of the religions of Asia and Africa and of the theoretical and practical issues involved in their study is essential: arts, media, teaching, NGOs and charities, interfaith dialogue, consultancy for governmental agencies or the private sector, religious institutions, museums, and more.

- students who wish to pursue the academic study of religions as a complement to their personal experience and commitments: religious ministers and clerics from all confessions, believers, yoga and meditation practitioners; anyone interested in specific religious traditions or in religion as an essential dimension of life, and in the critical and experiential enhancement that their academic study may offer.

The MA Religions of Asia and Africa at SOAS offers the premier postgraduate curriculum in the U.K. for the study of the religions of Asia and Africa. It covers a wider range of religious traditions than most comparable programmes, whether in the U.K. or abroad: Buddhism in nearly all its doctrinal and regional varieties, Asian and African Christianities, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Taoism, Zoroastrianism as well as the local religious cultures of Asia and Africa.

The programme is strongly interdisciplinary and methodologically diverse, offering advanced learning in theories and methods in the study of religion as well as in historical, anthropological, philosophical, sociological and textual approaches to the study of particular religious traditions. It ensures students can benefit from the unique opportunity to tap cutting-edge academic expertise and library facilities on Asian and African religions as part of a spirited, cosmopolitan student community and within the intense religious and cultural scene of London.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 020 7898 4217

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/religions-and-philosophies/programmes/mareligions/

Structure

Overview:
1. Students take taught courses (half and/or full units) equivalent to three units in total from the list of taught courses.

2. The 4th and final unit is a Dissertation.

3. Languages: Students in the MA Religions of Asia and Africa may substitute one of their taught courses for a language course (most are taught in the Faculty of Languages and Cultures).

Note: Students wishing to take other SOAS courses relevant to their studies but taught outside the department may do so with the written approval of the tutor of the relevant course, the Department's MA Convenor and the Faculty's Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching.

Programme Specification

MA Religions of Asia and Africa Programme Specification 2012-13 (msword; 223kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/religions-and-philosophies/programmes/mareligions/file80695.doc

Employment

An MA in Religions of Asia and Africa from SOAS equips students with important knowledge and understanding of different cultures, history and beliefs across the regions of Asia and Africa. As well as subject expertise, students develop a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek in many professional careers in the private and public sectors as well as essential skills necessary to pursue further research. These include: the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources - often both in the original or other relevant languages; analytical skills to assess critically the materials relevant to a specific issue; written and oral communication skills to present, discuss and debate opinions and conclusions; and problem solving skills. A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Welcome to the Faculty of Arts & Humanities at SOAS, University of London. The Faculty is home to the departments of Anthropology & Sociology, Art & Archaeology, History, Music, Study of Religions and the Centre for Media Studies, as well as a number of subject specific Centres.

The study of arts and humanities has been central to SOAS activity since 1917. All Faculty staff are specialists in regions as well as disciplines, and all subjects taught at undergraduate level within the Faculty can be combined with other disciplines across the School. Indeed, the range of course options and combinations is a distinctive characteristic of studying at SOAS, with the option of studying language units included within all our degrees.

In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework Music, which was already ranked highly, has risen to 5th in the UK, with over half of its publications judged ‘world-leading’; History of Art and Archaeology has seen a dramatic rise up the league tables, from 17th to 8th (out of 25), coming in the top 5 nationally for the quality of its publications. This is just one indication of the international importance of the research activity carried out by academic staff, and staff research provides the basis of teaching activity in the Faculty.

At postgraduate level the Faculty is committed to providing stimulating courses that enable students to study particular countries or regions in depth, and to explore comparisons and contrasts across the major areas of Asia and Africa. The programmes are designed to provide students with the knowledge they need to understand the nature of other societies and cultures, and to form ideas about the past, present and future of the complex and multicultural world in which we all live.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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This is the only history of art and archaeology degree in Europe focused on the great religious traditions of Asia. It includes within its scope diverse countries, regions and time periods from antiquity to the present, with a particular emphasis on Buddhism in South, Central and Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, China, Korea and Japan. Hinduism, Shinto and animistic and syncretic practices are also studied. Students consider iconography, ritual, faith and pilgrimage in their multiple regional and historical guises. They study temple buildings, statues and paintings, formal, informal and popular.

The Department of the History of Art and Archaeology contains some of the world’s leading experts in the art history and archaeology of Asia, many of whom are principally concerned with religious art. Their ground-breaking research informs and is informed by their teaching. Students benefit from the unparalleled knowledge and enthusiasm of staff. As members of the School of Arts, they profit from the insights of scholars and students working in other related fields, such as music and religion in Asia, historically and in the present. They can also select from courses in other departments, taking advantage of SOAS’s unrivalled expertise in the religions, languages, history and cultures of Asia.

A Masters from the Department of the History of Art and Archaeology provides students with expertise in the History of Art and/or Archaeology of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Our postgraduates progress to work in arts, culture and heritage roles, including in galleries, museums, archives, conservation, publishing and arts administration. The large portfolio of transferable skills they acquire enables them to forge careers in a range of other fields across the world. Our Masters programmes are also an excellent foundation for MPhil/PhD research.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/art/programmes/maraa/

Teaching & Learning

- Teaching
Teaching consists of a combination of lectures and seminars. Classes are normally between two and three hours per week for each course. Teaching methods include lectures with discussion, seminars (at which students present papers) and museum visits. Students at all levels are expected to take an active part in class presentations. A particularly important element is the training of the student's visual memory.

In addition to their studies on the MA programme, students at SOAS can participate in a wide range of research seminars, lectures and conferences that regularly take place in the School and in the University of London.

- Assessment
For each of the three taught courses, the student will be expected to submit two or three pieces of written work usually around 3,000 to 4,500 words – for a total of 9,000 words per course. The emphasis is on developing essay skills during the session in preparation for the dissertation. In some courses the assessment is 100% on written work. On other courses, assessed course work forms 75% of the student’s final grade and an additional 25% is determined by slide quizzes, projects or other forms of assessment. The 10,000 word dissertation is submitted in September.

- Learning Resources
SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Employment

A Masters from the Department of the History of Art and Archaeology provides students with expertise in the History of Art and/or Archaeology of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Our postgraduates progress to work in arts, culture and heritage roles, including in galleries, museums, archives, conservation, publishing and arts administration. The large portfolio of transferable skills they acquire enables them to forge careers in a range of other fields across the world. Our Masters programmes are also an excellent foundation for MPhil/PhD research.

Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:

Asia House
Bonhams
British Museum
Christie's Hong Kong
Design Museum
Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum
Hong Kong Museum Of Art
India Foundation For The Arts
Museum of East Asian Art
National Gallery National Museum of Singapore
People Projects Culture & Change
Schoeni Art Gallery
Sotheby's
Taiwan Embassy
The Alliance for Global Education
The British Embassy
The Chester Beatty Library
The National Museum Of Korea
The Royal Collection

Types of roles that graduates have gone on to do include:

Manager of Communications
Culture Programme Coordinator
Research Assistant
Social Anthropology Lecturer
Specialist - Indian Art
Architect
Art Historian
Development Specialist
Archivist
Gallery Director Innovation Programmes Learning Manager
Creative Director
Organisational Consultant
Travel writer
Art Collector
Chinese Painting Specialist
Professor of Silk Road History
Rights and Reproductions Officer
Public Education Coordinator
Senior Curator of Photographs

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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The Studies in Philosophy and Religion MRes Distance Learning Programme is scheduled for a duration of one year (full-time) or three years (part-time). It is tailor-made to suit your interests in consultation with the areas of expertise offered by the School. It is designed also to suit the needs of those who are unable to attend time-tabled sessions at Bangor. It comprises two parts.)

Part 1:

Students will write two essays, each of 5000 words (30 credits each). The essay titles and content will be decided in consultation with your supervisor. However, they will follow any two topics listed below. Students will have full support from a supervisor (via e-mail, telephone, Skype, or any other means that is mutually convenient).

Topic List:

Eastern Philosophy and Religion (Hinduism, Sikhism, Shinto and Confucianism
Islamic Philosophy and ethics
Religious fundamentalism
Political Philosophy (including social theory such as Marx, Weber, Rawls etc.)
Globalization (including, multiculturalism)
The Enlightenment
Democratic theory
The Philosophy of Nietzsche
Psychoanalytic Studies
Jungian Theory
Old Testament
Ethical Theory
Applied Ethics
Religious Experience
Part 2:

Part 2 is a supervised dissertation of 40,000 words (120 credits). The subject of the dissertation will be decided by you in consultation with your supervisor. It is usually expected that the subject will relate to the broad range of topics listed above.

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Summary

As faiths of all kinds navigate their way through a period of great social change, it is more important than ever to possess an in-depth understanding of how faiths interact with each other and society. This MA creatively balances the close study of particular traditions with a broad understanding of the subject area. It is one of the few programmes in London that offers specialised teaching in Islam as well as several different aspects of Christian theology.

On this course, you can study a variety of religious traditions in relation to key topics such as social justice, gender, text and textual interpretation, and inter-religious dialogue and conflict. You will have the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of particular religious themes, with a broad view of religious studies, and its diverse forms of interpretation and practice. This course will suit students who want to develop advanced skills in the study and analysis of a range of issues, rather than focus on one specialist subject.

A strength of the course is that it allows you to have a critical awareness of the relationship between different religions and modern secular society, with an informed and scholarly understanding of differences within as well as between religious traditions and cultures. From this,you will use advanced methods of research and critical analysis to explore the ways in which different religious perspectives contribute to contemporary debates about identity, politics and culture.

Drawing on London's rich resources for studying religions in their material, social and historical contexts, this course provides an enhanced learning environment and contributes to your wider cultural awareness and understanding. This is underpinned by a focus on advanced study and research skills, designed to equip you with a high level of proven academic competence and preparing you for careers and vocations that require this expertise. This might include educational institutions, NGOs and other organisations in which understanding of religious perspectives is an advantage.

Content

The MA in Theology and Religious Studies allows you to focus on a broad range of topics within the subject area, and study your particular interests in-depth.

On offer is specialised teaching in Hinduism and Islam as well as different aspects of Christian theology. You could study gender across these traditions, for example looking at women in Islam from feminist, reformist and traditionalist perspectives, or specifically looking at gender across religious texts and narratives. Or you could study contemporary doctrine, such as Pentecostalism in different parts of the world, or in Christian marriage and family life, also taking into account qualitative and quantitative data on marriage and family today, and the political and policy decisions that affect families.

As well as contemporary debates, you will look at historical issues, for example through the effect of Christian theology on art and culture throughout history. You will look at how depictions of nature and grace, suffering and redemption, and gender and incarnation, changed through the Reformation, and then how these new representations influenced modern art and philosophy.

The course also provides opportunity to investigate the relationship of religion and society through modules look at, for example, human rights and community engagement. You will gain an understanding of the historic and contemporary relationship between the Church and the State, as well as the nature of Christian activism in public policy and public discourse.

Finally, you will write a dissertation on a topic of your choice, which can be informed by your study on the optional modules, or from an area of interest of your own.

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Master's specialisation in Practical Theology

This course is about searching for traces of meaning in everyday practices, and looking beyond traditional shapes of religiosity.
Have God and religion disappeared from modern society? According to some scholars of religion there is a global resurgence of religion, yet there is vast secularisation in most European societies continues. How can theology explain the transformation of the Christian religion in society? We need fresh expressions of theological concepts and new methods of research to understand religion beyond traditional studies of religiosity.
In the Master’s specialisation in Practical Theology, students are introduced in theological theory-building to understand the dynamics and meaning of lived religion at four different levels: the personal, inter-group relations, organisational and societal. Students learn to use empirical research methods to build new theological theory based on lived religion. Graduates of this Master’s specialisation in Practical Theology can become researchers, policy makers, educators or spiritual caregivers.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/practicaltheology

Why study Practical Theology at Radboud University?

- The new theoretical approach of Practical Theology at Radboud University manifests itself in the search for theological concepts that match the changing shape of the Christian religion in the life of individuals as well as fresh expressions of religious institutions.
- Our department has constructed new, unique methodologies that focus on a qualitative study of narratives, communication, and ritual (liturgy). We have expertise in spiritual biographical research, practice-oriented research and discourse analysis.
- We have a long-standing expertise in survey research, with a specialisation in cross-religious surveys where Christian believers are compared with believers of other religions (Islam, Hinduism).
- This programme is not just geared towards Europe, but also places developments in a global perspective.
- With electives, students have plenty of room to choose a direction that meets their professional and academic interests. Taking a few seminars from the other theology disciplines of choice (Church History, Literary Theology or Practical Theology) is mandatory to broaden students general knowledge on Theology.
- The third year is aimed at training students for a specific profession. Students can choose research (English), education (Dutch), religion and policy (Dutch) or spiritual care (Dutch).
- Teaching takes place in a stimulating, collegial setting with small groups, allowing for ample opportunity for questions and discussion.
- Radboud University and its Theology department are Roman Catholic in origin, but its Master’s programme in Theology is open to all students. Our students have very diverse religious and cultural backgrounds.

Change perspective

Graduates of Practical Theology will be able to pinpoint how certain groups of people view spirituality today, how they give meaning to lives and how this, sometimes, is at odds with traditional religious conventions. You will get insight in the different forms that religion takes in contemporary society and will be able to take that on board when participating in debates in the public arena.

Admission requirements for international students

1. A completed Bachelor's degree in Theology or related area

2. A proficiency in English
In order to take part in this programme, you need to have fluency in both written and spoken English. Non-native speakers of English without a Dutch Bachelor's degree or VWO diploma need one of the following:
- An TOEFL score of >575 (paper based) or >232 (computer based) or >90 (internet based)
- A IELTS score of >6.5
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) with a mark of C or higher

Career prospects

In a globalising world, more and more institutions require skills in theological communication and hermeneutics. Practical theologians search for traces of meaning in everyday practices and look beyond traditional forms of religiosity. Our graduates have an analytical attitude and the skills to make sound judgments which will help them participate in debates in the public arena. Using arguments based on Christian faith, they can convey their faith in society. In addition, the programme teaches you how to think independently and critically about the way that Christian doctrine can give meaning to contemporary issues.

Job positions

The Master’s programme in Theology has a strong emphasis on career prospects by allowing students to focus on one professional path in their third year: research, education, spiritual care or religion and policy.

Our approach to this field

Radboud University’s Master’s specialisation in Practical Theology is all about studying lived religion and lived spirituality. How do people today connect with Christian stories? The role of practical theologians is to research new religious motives. Where and in what way do people find inspiration? How do they give meaning to their lives?

Searching for new forms of religiosity
In other words, at Radboud University, we train our practical theologians to search for new forms of religiosity in order to gain an understanding of the transformation of religion. The church is not the only place for contemplation; sometimes people turn to the beach, the woods or even a health club. Symbols are given new meanings. Metaphors get a different connotation. The challenge is to deal with the tension between religious traditions and the many contemporary forms of spirituality.

We look at the role that religion and spirituality play, not only for individual people, but also for inter-group relationships and on organisational and societal levels. We try to get a grasp on differences between religious practices, how faith schools profile their religious character in their education policy, and how municipalities give religion a place in the services they offer, among other topics.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/practicaltheology

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First-year MLitt students are not registered for any degree and must undergo an examination at the end of their first year. If they successfully pass this then they will be registered for the MLitt degree. Candidates submit a dissertation of not more than 80,000 words. The dissertation title must be approved by the Degree Committee. There is an oral examination on the dissertation and the general field of knowledge in which the dissertation falls.

The Divinity Faculty at Cambridge has distinguished international reputation for research, teaching and for the formation of graduate students in Theology and Religious Studies. Consistently rated as one of the top research units in the country in our subjects, it offers postgraduate training at an acknowledged world-class standard.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/dvdvmlltr

Specialisms

The teaching officers of the Faculty include leading experts in a wide range of fields:

- Biblical Studies;
- Ancient, Medieval and Modern Judaism;
- Patristics;
- History of Christianity;
- Christian Systematic Theology;
- Philosophy of Religion and Ethics;
- Religion and the Natural Sciences;
- Religion and the Social Sciences;
- Study of World Religions (with special reference to Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism).

Each major research area is centred on a senior seminar meeting fortnightly during term. In practice these seminars are often interdisciplinary in character (such as the D Society in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics and the Hebrew, Jewish and Early Christian Studies Seminar); and a variety of other informal graduate seminars and reading groups also helps to expand the repertoire of exchange. A number of named lectureships (the Stantons, the Hulseans etc) regularly bring international figures from outside Cambridge to contribute to the research culture.

First-year MLitt students are not registered for any degree and must undergo an examination at the end of their first year. If they successfully pass this then they will be registered for the MLitt degree. Candidates submit a dissertation of not more than 80,000 words. The dissertation title must be approved by the Degree Committee. There is an oral examination on the dissertation and the general field of knowledge in which the dissertation falls.

Learning Outcomes

Candidates submit a dissertation of not more than 80,000 words. The dissertation title must be approved by the Degree Committee. There is an oral examination on the dissertation and the general field of knowledge in which the dissertation falls.

Format

Supervisions are given on the dissertation, twelve hours per year full-time (reduced pro rata for part-time).

Feedback will be given by the supervisor in the course of supervisions and in termly reports. In addition, there will be a report from the assessors following the first-year examination.

Assessment

Dissertation of not more than 80,000 words with a compulsory viva.

A first-year examination for which students must submit the following:
- a summary of the scope, purpose, methodology and value of research project;
- a provisional outline of dissertation with a timetable for the conduct and completion of the research and writing;
- a bibliography of topic and its immediate intellectual context set out in accordance with the conventions current field of study;
- a sample of written-up research of no more than 10,000 words, with appropriate footnotes and bibliographical references (included in word-count).

Students will have a meeting with two assessors to discuss the submitted work.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

Faculty Studentships:

- Burney & Gregg Bury Studentship (Philosophy of Religion & Christian Theology)
- Peregrine Maitland Studentship (Spread of Christian Religion, comparison between Christianity &other religions, the contact of Christian & other civilizations)
- Polonsky-Coexist Studentship in Jewish Studies
- Shapiro Fund (Jewish Studies0
- Theological Studies Fund Studentship

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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Who is this programme for?:

The MA Religions of Asia and Africa is in the first place a rewarding cultural and human experience. It is designed both as an end qualification in itself and as a platform preparing students for more advanced graduate work.

It typically suits students falling into one of the following three categories:

- students planning to pursue further research, which may involve at a subsequent stage the acquisition of a doctoral degree and a career in higher education;

- students willing to pursue a career or professional activity, for which advanced knowledge of the religions of Asia and Africa and of the theoretical and practical issues involved in their study is essential: arts, media, teaching, NGOs and charities, interfaith dialogue, consultancy for governmental agencies or the private sector, religious institutions, museums, and more.

- students who wish to pursue the academic study of religions as a complement to their personal experience and commitments: religious ministers and clerics from all confessions, believers, yoga and meditation practitioners; anyone interested in specific religious traditions or in religion as an essential dimension of life, and in the critical and experiential enhancement that their academic study may offer.

The two-year intensive language pathway is directed at students who want to engage with a country in a professional as well as academic way, as the intensive language course will enable them to reach a near proficient knowledge of the language.

The MA Religions of Asia and Africa at SOAS is the premier postgraduate curriculum in the U.K. for the study of the religions of Asia and Africa. It covers a wider range of religious traditions than most comparable programmes, whether in the U.K. or abroad: Buddhism in nearly all its doctrinal and regional varieties, Asian and African Christianities, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Taoism, Zoroastrianism as well as the local religious cultures of Asia and Africa. It is strongly interdisciplinary and methodologically diverse, offering advanced learning in the theory of religion as well as in historical, anthropological, philosophical, sociological and textual approaches to the study of particular religious traditions.

It provides a unique opportunity to tap cutting-edge academic expertise and library facilities on Asian and African religions as part of a spirited, cosmopolitan student community and within the intense religious and cultural scene of London.

It can also be taken with an intensive language pathway over two years, therefore making this programme unique in Europe.

For the Japanese pathway please see the webpage for the Japanese pathway of the programme and contact the MA convenor of that pathway for further information on the language component. Further information on entry level language requirements can be found on the programme page at: http://www.soas.ac.uk/japankorea/programmes/ma-and-intensive-language-japanese/

The Korean pathway is designed for beginner learners of Korean. Students with prior knowledge of Korean are advised to contact the programme convenor, Dr Anders Karlsson ([email protected]). Students will take four course units in the Korean language, one of them at a Korean university during the summer after year 1.

The Arabic pathway is designed for beginner learners of Arabic. Students will take four units of Arabic, one of them at the Qasid Institute in Jordan or another partner institution during the summer after year 1. Programme convenor: Dr Mustafa Shah ([email protected])

Email: [email protected]

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/religions-and-philosophies/programmes/ma-religions-of-asia-and-africa-and-intensive-language/

Structure

Students are generally required to follow taught units to the equivalent of three full courses (which may include one language course), and to submit a dissertation of 10,000 words.

In the two-year language pathway, students take 2 intensive language units and one discipline unit in their first year. During the summer, they will participate in a summer school abroad (location dependant on language). Upon their return, they will take one intensive language unit in their second year and two discipline units.

Programme Specification

MA Religions of Asia and Africa and Intensive Language Programme Specification (pdf; 300kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/religions-and-philosophies/programmes/ma-religions-of-asia-and-africa-and-intensive-language/file93574.pdf

Teaching & Learning

Aims and Outcomes:

- Advanced knowledge and understanding of selected approaches, methods and theories in the study of religions, with particular reference to the religious traditions of Asia and Africa.

- Advanced skills in researching and writing about topics in religious studies, also as a platform for further research at doctoral level.

- Advanced skills in presentation or communication of knowledge and understanding of topics in religious studies.

- Specialisation in one area from among those covered by the units listed in the programme structure.

- In the two-year pathway, the student will also be provided with a near proficient ability in a language.

Knowledge:

- Students will learn how to assess data and evidence critically, locate and synthesise source materials, critically evaluate conflicting interpretations and sources, use research resources (library catalogues, journal databases, citation indices) and other relevant traditional sources.

- Subject specific skills, such as manuscript transcription, textual bibliography, the editing of texts; familiarity with the study of religions as an academic field of study and its varieties.

- Aspects of literature in the Study of Religions, philosophy, learning, iconography and history, the impact of religion on society.

- Acquisition of language skills.

Intellectual (thinking) skills:

- Students should become precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence, and to understand through practice what documents can and cannot tell us.

- Students will develop the capacity to discuss theoretical and epistemological issues in an articulate, informed, and intellectual manner.

- Students will learn to become precise and critical in their assessment of scholarly arguments and to question interpretations, however authoritative, in order to reassess evidence for themselves.

- Students will learn to present complex theoretical arguments clearly and creatively.

- Those students who take a language option should be able to assess primary sources in foreign languages and critically evaluate interpretations proposed by different scholars.

- Students will acquire both theoretical and regional expertise in order to develop and apply self-reflexive approaches to the issues raised by the cross-cultural study of religions.

Subject-based practical skills:
The programme aims to help students with the following practical skills:

- Academic writing.

- IT-based information retrieval and processing.

- Presentational skills.

- Examination techniques.

- Independent study skills and research techniques.

- Reflexive learning.

- In the two year intensive language pathway, to acquire/develop skills in a language to Effective Operational Proficiency level, i.e., being able to communicate in written and spoken medium in a contemporary language

Transferable skills:
The programme will encourage students to:

- Write concisely and with clarity.

- Effectively structure and communicate ideas (oral and written).

- Explore and assess a variety of sources for research purposes.

- Work to deadlines and high academic standards.

- Assess the validity and cogency of arguments.

- Make judgements involving complex factors.

- Develop self-reflexivity.

- Develop an awareness of the ethical complexity of representational practices.

- Question the nature of social and cultural constructs.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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The Master’s in Theology and Religious Studies at Leiden University allows you to study a broad spectrum of religions and their manifestations. During the programme, you will be taught theories that you will apply immediately to empirical findings in a comparative approach. Important themes throughout the curriculum are modernisation and globalisation and their impacts on religion and its place in society. Our multi-disciplinary approach provides you with a set of academic skills that will enhance your career opportunities.

Visit the website: http://en.mastersinleiden.nl/programmes/theology-and-religious-studies/en/introduction

Course detail

What makes the Master’s in Theology and Religious Studies unique is the wide scope of the programme. The generalist approach towards the study of religion focuses on of skills, tools, methods and theories. Graduates are equipped with everything needed to analyse situations and tackle problems in society at large. Our staff members are specialised in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Antique and New Religious movements; their expertise is available on site.

Additionally Leiden University houses a wealth of scholars working in area studies, history and the social sciences, fostering conversations and the exchange of ideas. Our generalist toolbox, specialised knowledge and the university’s broader setting offer you a programme that is unlike any other in the Netherlands or beyond.

Why choose Theology and Religious studies at Leiden?

- Leiden University is famous for its wide range of specialisms, providing you with an excellent basis for the study of religion from a comparative perspective.

- Courses consist both of theory and applied practice, offering you hands-on experience with all the research skills and tools made available throughout the programme.

- A variety of alternating electives gives you freedom of choice. You can specialise in one of many religious traditions, or opt for a methodological approach.

- Relative small size of our department allows for an informal atmosphere and approachable staff members. You’ll be provided with individual, personalized guidance.

Careers

The master’s degree gives access to opportunities for pursuing a research-oriented career. Graduates often find employment as editors, journalists, policy advisors, counsellors or as teachers of religion or philosophy.

Positions you could hold after your studies:

- Teacher of religious studies
- Member of staff at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service
- PhD candidate at an international university
- Journalist
- Party Officer at a political party
- Consultant at McKinsey

How to apply: http://en.mastersinleiden.nl/arrange/admission

Funding

For information regarding funding, please visit the website: http://prospectivestudents.leiden.edu/scholarships

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Memorial University offers the largest graduate program in Religious Studies in Atlantic Canada, and one of the largest in the nation. Important resources include a large library with a generous collection of periodical literature, the Religion of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives, courses in ancient and non-western languages, strong computer support, and ten highly qualified, full-time faculty members.

One of the strengths of the graduate program is the individual attention given to students. Each student, for example, is assigned a supervisor with whom he or she designs a personalized reading course and receives individualized guidance in the preparation of a thesis, including a thesis proposal. The Department is also the home of the Journal of Macrodynamic Analysis. Faculty and graduate student research has been conducted on the following: Hinduism, philosophy of religion, Hebrew bible, new-age and pagan religious movements, Chinese and North American Buddhism, Buddhism and Psychology, Christianity, religion and popular culture, ethics and social justice, new testament, religious history of Newfoundland and Labrador, Islam in the West.

The MA program offers both project and thesis options. The project option involves courses and a project, and can be completed in one year of full-time study. The thesis option involves courses and a thesis, and can be completed in two years.

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The Department for the Study of Religion offers Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy programs in the study of religion and facilitates research and publication on religion. The department consolidates the vast curricular and faculty resources that are distributed throughout the many departments and colleges of the University and enables its students to use any resource in the University which serves the study of religion.

The department conceives the academic study of religion in interdisciplinary terms and embraces humanistic, historical, and social scientific approaches and methods. Programs of study are constructed individually to fit the specific needs and interests of each student. As a guideline for areas of strength in the department, we are organized by the following fields:
-Buddhist Studies
-Christianity
-Hinduism and South Asian Religions
-Islam
-Judaism
-Religion, Culture, and Politics
-Religion, Ethics, and Modern Thought
-Religion and Medicine
-Religions of Mediterranean Antiquity

These fields do not determine program requirements. Most faculty and students participate in multiple fields.

At the doctoral level, from the point of admission onward, student programs must be matched with the expertise of at least three professors who help supervise the student's work. The department's Graduate Studies Handbook, available on the web and from the department, gives full information on admissions and programs as well as the research and teaching interests of the faculty.

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This course will prepare you to teach secondary religious education in a variety of school settings, including Roman Catholic faith schools, academies and local authority secondary schools, across the 11-16 age range with post 16 enhancement . You will develop a good understanding of religious education and gain a solid foundation of professional awareness and understanding to help you develop your competence and confidence in imparting your subject knowledge to young people. In addition to enhancing your subject knowledge, the course will develop your practical teaching skills to meet the standards for qualified teacher status (QTS) and will improve your ability to demonstrate a range of key skills, that will support your wider professional development.

The course is designed to help deepen your knowledge and understanding of not only Christianity, which is the main religion taught within all schools, but also all of the other major world religions including Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism. During your studies you will be introduced to current debates and practices within religious education, as well as those issues relating to the promotion of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all pupils. You will be provided with opportunities to engage in the use of study trips to a variety of places of worship, including synagogues, churches, mosques, temples, gurdwaras and pagodas in teaching RE.

[[School Experience]

You will gain a vast amount of experience of teaching as a substantial component of the course involves teaching placements. You will undertake 40 weeks of full-time study at Newman (from early September to the beginning of July), and you can expect to spend at least 24 weeks in school. This focuses on an introduction to secondary teaching, developing standards through partnership school experience and extending and developing your professional skills. Experienced teaching colleagues, including subject mentors – teachers trained to provide beginning teachers with support and guidance - will support you through these placements.

Partnership Tutors from Newman will also be allocated to provide advice and support. You will attend taught sessions at Newman which will provide you with a thorough understanding of education theory that you will be able to apply in the classroom. A key feature of the course is the opportunity to develop your own professional interests thorough individual experiences. You will be encouraged to explore further aspects of religious education with groups of pupils across the age and ability range, including those with special educational needs.

One of the best features of studying this course at Newman is the high level of tutor support it offers. You may also have the option to study for the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS), which enables you to teach in Catholic schools.

Special Features

You can expect a variety of different teaching methods including off-site teaching, study visits, seminars, lectures and visiting experts in related fields of RE.

• Newman has excellent links with Birmingham’s faith communities.

• Assessment methods are varied and include essays, presentations, seminar preparation, school-based reports, teaching files and appraisal of practical teaching skills.

• To enable you to teach in Catholic schools you will have the opportunity to study for the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS)

Teaching Methods and Assessment

A variety of teaching methods are used, including off-site teaching, study visits, seminars, lectures and visiting experts in related fields of RE. Assessment methods include essays, presentations, seminar preparation, school-based reports, teaching files and appraisal of practical teaching skills.

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