Theology

Theology is the rigorous study of religious traditions, sacred texts, theological doctrines and the ways in which faith and belief intersect with history, philosophy, politics, literature, art and culture. Far from being a narrow or specialised concern, theology engages with some of the most fundamental questions human beings have ever asked: about meaning, morality, suffering, transcendence, community and the good life. It does so with scholarly precision, drawing on textual analysis, historical investigation, philosophical argument and comparative religious studies.

At the University of Glasgow, this four-year full-time programme brings theology and religious studies into dialogue with the full range of disciplines and traditions they have always touched. You will study the Bible and its interpretation, Christian theology in its historical and contemporary forms, the major world religions including Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism, and the philosophical questions that run through all religious traditions. The programme also addresses the social and political dimensions of religion, including its roles in conflict and peace, in colonialism and resistance, and in contemporary public life.

You will develop skills in close textual reading, historical research, philosophical argument and critical writing. The programme asks you to hold together careful attention to texts and traditions with broader questions about their meaning and significance, which develops a kind of intellectual maturity that is genuinely transferable.

Graduates go on to careers in education, ministry and church work, the civil service, journalism, international development, social care, arts and culture, and a wide range of public sector roles. The rigorous analytical and ethical thinking the subject develops is valued across many fields. Many continue to postgraduate study in theology, philosophy, religious studies, ethics or related disciplines, including doctoral research.