Theology & Religious Studies/English Literature

Theology and religious studies combined with English literature brings together two disciplines that have been in conversation for centuries. Theology and religious studies examines religion not as a world apart but as a force deeply entangled with politics, history, philosophy, art, culture and personal experience. It encompasses the study of religious texts, traditions, ethical frameworks and the ways in which belief shapes and is shaped by society.

English literature, studied at degree level, develops the critical skills needed to analyse how language, form and narrative function across different genres and historical periods. Together, the two disciplines illuminate how some of the most fundamental questions human beings ask, about meaning, morality, suffering, hope and justice, have been addressed in writing across very different traditions.

At the University of Glasgow you will study theology and religious studies alongside English literature on a part-time basis, with a year abroad built into the programme to broaden your academic perspective and engagement. You will engage with the history and analysis of religious traditions alongside close reading of literary texts, developing the ability to move between doctrinal, historical, ethical and aesthetic modes of interpretation. The programme draws on Glasgow's significant strengths in both departments and benefits from a research-active environment that connects teaching to current questions in both fields.

The part-time mode of study makes the programme accessible to students who have other commitments alongside their education.

Graduates of this kind of combined programme work in education, ministry, chaplaincy, journalism, publishing, arts organisations, the civil service, international development and the voluntary and community sector. The analytical and interpretive skills developed through both disciplines are valued across a wide range of professional roles. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in theology, religious studies, English, humanities or divinity, and the combination of literary and theological training is a strong foundation for doctoral research in either field.