MA Religions and Theology

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Each year the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures offer a number of School awards and Subject-specific bursaries (the values of which are usually set at Home/EU fees level), open to both Home/EU and international students. The deadline for these is early February each year. Details of all funding opportunities, including deadlines, eligibility and how to apply, can be found on the School's funding page  where you can also find details of the Government Postgraduate Loan Scheme.

See also the University's postgraduate funding database  to see if you are eligible for any other funding opportunities.

For University of Manchester graduates, the Manchester Alumni Bursary offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a First within the last three years and are progressing to a postgraduate taught master's course.

The Manchester Master's Bursary is a University-wide scheme that offers 100 bursaries worth £3,000 in funding for students from underrepresented groups.

We normally expect students to have a First or Upper Second class honours degree or its overseas equivalent in a humanities-based subject area.

An overall grade of IELTS 7.0 with 7.0 in writing and no skill below 6.5 is required or 100+ in the TOEFL iBT with a minimum writing score of 25 and no skill below 22.

If you have obtained a different qualification, please check our  English language requirements  to ensure that it is accepted and equivalent to the above requirements.

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country .

Applications are mainly considered on the basis of an assessment of past and predicted academic achievements, the academic reference(s) and any other supplementary evidence that supports the application. Once we have an application that is ready for a decision, the admissions tutor (often the Programme Director) will relay the decision to the admissions team, who will send you this decision.

Please note that your application is usually received by the School 24 to 48 hours after the time you submit it. If you have not provided documentation that allows the admissions tutor to make a decision, we will contact you.

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries that equate to a UK 2.1. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country .

If English is not your first language, please provide us with evidence of: 

• an overall grade 7.0 (with a minimum writing score of 7) in IELTS; or
• 100+ in the IBT Internet-based TOEFL).

The other language tests we accept can be found here: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/applicationforms/new-approved-english-tests.pdf

Exceptions to needing a language test (if English is NOT your first language) are:

• if you have successfully completed an academic qualification deemed by UK NARIC as equivalent to at least a UK Bachelors Degree or higher from one of the following countries:

  Antigua & Barbuda; Australia; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; Ireland; Jamaica; New Zealand; St Kitts and Nevis; St Lucia; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; UK; USA.

   

Applicants may defer entry for 12 months provided they contact the postgraduate (taught) office MASALC@manchester.ac.uk

Please note that applicants are subject to the fees for the entry year they will start the course.

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry.  In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved.  We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.If you are applying for a place for the same year of entry through UCAS Extra, you should provide additional evidence of your suitability for the course. If you are applying through clearing you are required to meet the clearing requirements. In both UCAS Extra and clearing the places will be subject to availability.

You will undertake units totalling 180 credits. Core and optional units combine to make 120 credits, with the remaining 60 credits allocated to the dissertation.

The first semester of study includes two core course units. Each class is two hours for half of the first semester. They bring all the MA students together, producing interchange and dialogue between your various specialisms, backgrounds and nationalities.

In class, you first study together on Methods for Analysing Religious and Theological Issues, then on Impacts of Religious and Theological Issues on Society and Culture. However, for your assessments, you are assigned to a lecturer in an area of your particular interest (eg Jewish studies), who offers small-group or one-to-one support to produce a Methods essay and an Impacts essay relating to your interests.

You choose your other course units from six types of options. You can combine these to produce anything from a broad mix to a specialised programme. Combinations of options are subject to Programme Director guidance and programme rules.

Six dedicated MA course units in religions and theology cover a broad menu of religious, theological and philosophical texts, traditions and issues.

Topics typically available are:

• Christian theology and politics;
• ethnic minorities and religious Identities;
• Bible and early Jewish texts;
• relations between Jews, Christians and Muslims;
• New Testament in Graeco-Roman context;
• philosophy of moral decision-making.

You can take a third year religions and theology unit, enhanced for MA by provision of extra tutorial support and assessment by an MA-level essay.

Topics typically available are:

• religion and cinema;
• studying sacred spaces;
• Rabbinic Judaism;
• Holocaust theology;
• Bible and gender;
• Paul's theology and ethics;
• radical theologies;
• religion and politics;
• Japanese Buddhism;
• contemporary Islam.

A further undergraduate unit can be attended in relation to the Directed Reading option.

These lists may be subject to change. For course units running in the current year , please see the Course unit list below. For current plans for next year, please contact us.

Further study options

Manchester offers a wide range of language options: Biblical Hebrew; New Testament Greek; Arabic; Classical Greek; Latin; Modern Hebrew; many other modern languages, all at either introductory or advanced level.

Manchester also offers probably the UK's widest range of options from other subject areas that can be taken as part of your MA Religions and Theology course. You have access to most of the units within other arts, languages and cultures master's courses at Manchester. We work particularly closely with our colleagues within Archaeology and Classics and Ancient History.

You can also take many options from other areas. Another type of option is directed reading on an agreed topic, leading to an essay. Finally, there is a placement option: 20 hours in an arranged work-related placement with supporting lectures and assessed by report/essay.

You may also attend further MA or BA Religions and Theology course units without taking them for credit. There are also non-credit-bearing skills lectures provided by the Graduate School, and you are invited to a wide range of research seminars for postgraduates and staff, often given by internationally leading guest speakers.

All in all, Manchester offers you the fullest possible range of MA learning opportunities.

Participate in our research centres' research seminars, lecture series and other activities. Your core course essays and dissertation can also intersect with our research.

Centre for Jewish Studies : This is one of three designated leading European centres for Jewish studies research and teaching. Options typically available cover Bible and early Jewish texts; relations between Jews, Christians and Muslims; ethnic minorities and religious Identities; Rabbinic Judaism; Holocaust theology; Bible and gender; Biblical Hebrew (introductory or advanced); modern Hebrew (introductory or advanced); Near Eastern archaeology; papyrology.

Centre for Biblical Studies : With over 30 active researchers, this is one of the world's most productive Biblical research centres. Options typically available cover: Bible and early Jewish texts; New Testament in Graeco-Roman context; Paul's letters; Bible and gender; Biblical Hebrew (introductory or advanced); New Testament Greek (introductory or advanced); Near Eastern archaeology; papyrology; law and society in the Roman empire.

Lincoln Theological Institute : We are at the cutting edge of research into theology, ethics, social, pastoral and ecclesial issues. Options typically available cover Christian theology and politics; ethnic minorities and religious Identities; relations between Jews, Christians and Muslims; philosophy of moral decision-making; radical theologies; religion and politics; Holocaust theology; Bible and gender; Pauline theology, ethics and philosophy.

Work Placements

The Department of Religions and Theology is part of a wider university project to place humanities students in a variety of work placements. Some of our most recent list of placement partners include:

Creative Industry

• Curatorial / Exhibition assistance (Touchstones Art Gallery)
• Event Planning and Co-ordination (Chuck gallery)
• Communications and Sponsorship Assistant (Manchester Jazz Festival, Quarantine Theatre)
• Digital Marketing and Communications Assistance (Common Wealth Theatre)
• Social Media and Marketing (Chuck Gallery)

Museums and Archives

• Digital archiving (Imperial War Museum North, Islington Mill Archive)
• Publications editor/curator (Manchester Modernist Society)
• Archival assistance (Rylands Library, Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre)
• Translation (Elizabeth Gaskell's House)
• Project Delivery assistance (City of Sanctuary)
• Project Assistance (Purple Patch, Digital Woman's Archive)

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Our core course units and the main MA course unit options are generally timetabled between 4pm and 6pm on Monday and Tuesday evenings, enabling the MA to be completed by studying in time slots designed to be as suitable as possible for continuing professional development for teachers and others in full or part-time work.