Theology and Religion

Entry requirements

You should have, or expect to get, a 2:1 Honours degree in a relevant area.

Relevant equivalent study or professional experience can also be considered for entry.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Carry out your own independent research project in Theology and Religion in one of the top departments for Theology research in the UK. Access essential training with our experts to enhance your research project.

Design your own research project, supported by your supervisors with expertise in a range of religious beliefs from around the world. The taught modules provide the ideal transition for you to become an independent researcher, providing you with key tools to complete your research.

Course highlights

At Birmingham, our academic expertise spans a wide variety of areas. We offer specialist knowledge in Jainism, Islam, Sikh, and Christian traditions.

The MRes Theology and Religion will enable you to develop the skills for both doctoral study and a future career. You'll complete a major individual research project, supervised by a specialist in your topic of interest, and study taught modules which develop your research and analytical skills.

• Enjoy flexibility and choose from a range of taught modules so you can select the topics that match your interests.
• Take part in research seminars and events like our speaker series, workshops, reading groups and academic conferences.
• Immerse yourself in one of the most religiously and culturally diverse cities in Europe. Make the most of the Department's links with faith-based communities across the city.
• An MRes combines the best of postgraduate taught study with in-depth independent research.

Course delivery

At Birmingham, research and teaching go hand-in-hand. Lecturers and professors continue to research in their field, offering valuable expertise in Theology and Religion.

An MRes is a programme that helps you develop the skills for doctoral study and a future career. You’ll complete a major individual research project, supervised by a specialist in the field of study, and a taught component that develops research and analytical skills.

• Taught modules - each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.
• Seminars – modules are mainly taught by small group teaching.
• Research thesis– you'll undertake a 20,000-word thesis in an area that interests you.

Information for international students

If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification.

For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:

• TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
• Cambridge English: C1 Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component
• LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 'Communicator' with no less than 33 in each skill

Fees and funding

The College of Arts and Law is a vibrant community of students and academics, dedicated to ensuring that excellence is rewarded, and that fears about finance do not constrain current or prospective students. For this reason, in addition to University funding schemes, we offer our own College-specific funding initiatives.