English and Theology & Religion

English and theology and religion is a pairing of disciplines that share a profound concern with how human beings make meaning, whether through the literary forms that articulate experience and imagination or through the religious traditions that have shaped culture, morality, community, and identity across millennia. Literature and religion have always been intertwined: the Bible, the Quran, the Vedas, and countless other religious texts are themselves literary achievements of the highest order, and the writers, themes, and moral frameworks of religious traditions have shaped literary culture from antiquity to the present day. Studying both together allows you to engage with that relationship directly.

At the University of Aberdeen, this four-year, full-time programme combines English study within one of the UK's leading research environments for literature, language, and creative writing with a thorough exploration of the origin, function, and meaning of religion across the world's major traditions, with particular depth in Christian faith in its historic and contemporary expressions. You will develop the close reading skills and critical vocabulary of literary study alongside the comparative and interpretive methods of theology and religious studies. The programme includes a year abroad, enriching your academic and personal development.

A typical entry tariff of 168 points reflects the academic standard expected.

Graduates with this combination go on to careers in publishing, journalism, education, arts administration, heritage and museum work, broadcasting, the civil service, and religious and charitable organisations. The combination of literary sensitivity and theological understanding is particularly valued in roles concerned with culture, meaning, and human experience. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in English, theology, religious studies, or related fields, building on the distinctive dual perspective developed in the undergraduate degree.