Religion and Theology

Religion and theology together explore some of the deepest questions human beings have ever asked: what is ultimate reality, how should we live, what is the nature of the divine, and how have different communities across history constructed and transmitted systems of belief, practice, and meaning? Theology is the systematic intellectual engagement with religious belief, drawing on philosophy, textual scholarship, and ethical reasoning. Religious studies takes a broader approach, examining how religions work as social, cultural, and historical phenomena, drawing on anthropology, sociology, and history as well as theology.

Studying the two together develops a remarkably rich analytical toolkit.

At Cardiff University, a Russell Group institution with strong traditions in both theology and religious studies, this three-year full-time programme gives you access to the full range of the discipline. You will engage with the major world religions including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, alongside more specialised topics in biblical studies, philosophy of religion, ethics, mysticism, and religion in contemporary society. Cardiff's position in Wales adds a particular dimension to the study of religion, given the distinctive role of Nonconformist Christianity in Welsh history and culture.

The typical entry tariff of 120 points reflects a programme that welcomes students with genuine intellectual curiosity about these questions, regardless of their own religious commitments or absence thereof.

Graduates of religion and theology programmes go on to careers in teaching, religious ministry, chaplaincy, the civil service, international development, journalism, heritage, community work, and inter-faith dialogue. The ethical reasoning, textual analysis, and cultural literacy the discipline develops are valued wherever organisations work across different communities and belief systems, which is an increasingly broad range of professional contexts. Postgraduate study in theology, religious studies, philosophy, ethics, or related fields is a natural next step for those who want to pursue research, academic careers, or more specialist professional roles in ministry, chaplaincy, or interfaith work.