Education And Religion

Education and religion as a combined subject brings together two of the most fundamental aspects of human social life. Education asks how knowledge, values, and skills are transmitted between generations, how learning is organised and structured, and what the purposes and consequences of formal schooling are for individuals and societies. Religion asks about the deepest frameworks through which human beings make sense of existence, moral obligation, community, and transcendence, and about the historical and contemporary role of religious institutions and beliefs in public life.

The two subjects intersect constantly: religious traditions have shaped educational systems throughout history, and education itself is deeply implicated in questions of moral formation, cultural transmission, and worldview.

At Edge Hill University in the North West, this three-year full-time programme develops your understanding of both disciplines, drawing on theology and religious studies, philosophy, sociology, and educational theory to explore the complex relationship between religion, schooling, and society. You will study the major world religions and their educational philosophies, the history of religious education in British schools, debates about faith schools and secular education, and the contemporary challenges of teaching religion in a diverse and pluralistic society. The programme also develops your understanding of wider educational questions, including how learning works, how schools are organised, and what equity in education means in practice.

Edge Hill has a strong tradition in teacher education and close links with schools in the region, giving the programme a practical grounding alongside the academic study of education and religion.

Graduates of education and religion programmes work in schools as teachers of religious education and other subjects, in educational research and policy, in faith communities and organisations, in chaplaincy, and in social and community work. The degree also provides a foundation for postgraduate teacher training, further academic study in theology, religious studies, or education, and professional roles in a range of public sector and third-sector organisations.