Biblical Studies

Biblical studies is an academic discipline that provides the opportunity to explore the profound influence that the Christian and Jewish scriptures have had on Western civilisation, examining these texts not only as religious documents but as literary, historical, and cultural objects of the first importance. Your studies focus primarily on the Old Testament and New Testament, but you will also encounter a large number of other Jewish and Christian writings from these periods, including the Dead Sea Scrolls and other texts from the Second Temple period, that shed light on the diverse religious worlds from which the canonical scriptures emerged. Biblical studies at this level is particularly suited for those wanting a wider range of options across arts subjects while giving most of their attention to divinity, and many students choose to take it alongside ancient history or classical studies to engage with important texts within the wider context of the ancient world.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year full-time MA (Hons) programme is delivered by one of the UK's strongest divinity faculties, with expert staff in biblical languages, textual criticism, Old Testament, New Testament, and the history of early Judaism and Christianity. You will develop skills in the close reading of biblical texts in their original languages if you choose, the historical criticism that situates them in their ancient contexts, and the cultural and theological analysis that traces their influence and meaning across centuries. A year abroad is part of the programme, giving you the opportunity to engage with biblical scholarship in another international educational tradition.

With a typical entry tariff of 152 UCAS points, this programme attracts students with serious intellectual interest in scripture, religion, and ancient cultures. Graduates pursue careers in education, ministry and chaplaincy, journalism, heritage, publishing, academic research, international development and the many analytical and communicative roles where deep literacy in the foundational texts of Western civilisation is a genuine asset. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in biblical studies, theology, divinity, or related humanities.