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Theology and Religion MRes

Start date
September
Duration
Full time: 1 year
Course Type
Postgraduate, Combined research and taught
Fees

Annual tuition fee 2024 entry:
UK: £6,780 full-time; £3,390 part-time
International: £21,840 full-time
More detail.

Carry out your own independent research project in Theology and Religion within one of the top departments for Theology research within the UK, while undertaking essential training to support your project.

This programme is suitable for a wide range of interests. You can pursue various approaches to religious thought and practice, including the study of Islam, Pentecostal or Evangelical theologies, gender and religion; religion and culture, philosophy of religion and philosophical theology; religion and politics; Holocaust and Genocide studies. In addition, you can undertake research projects in areas such as religion and society, practical theology, and ethics.

The Theology and Religion department was ranked 3rd in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 based on research rated 4*.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

What is an MRes?

An MRes is a programme that will help you develop the skills for both doctoral study and a future career. You will 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. If you are interested in applying, we strongly encourage you to contact the admissions tutor or a member of staff with interests in your field to discuss your application in general and your proposed research topic in particular.

At Birmingham, Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research students also have the opportunity to learn graduate academic languages free of charge, to support your studies.

Why study this course?

  • The MRes is an excellent transition into research for applicants who already have a Theology or Religious Studies background and are exploring the possibility of future doctoral studies, a research or other academic career, or simply want to explore in detail a topic that they find particularly fascinating.
  • The University of Birmingham is an excellent centre for the study of religion and culture.  It has built up good relationships and partnerships with Birmingham's many different communities, and such a rich cultural mix means that it provides an ideal setting to study the relations between Religion and Culture. 
  • The Theology and Religion department was ranked 3rd in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 based on research rated 4*
  • Top 50 Theology and Religion department in the world (QS 2023)

The postgraduate experience

The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to its postgraduates, from libraries and research spaces, to careers support and funding opportunities. Learn more about your postgraduate experience.

Modules

The programme comprises three components:

  • One core module: Research Methods
  • Two optional modules from the range available in the Department of Theology and Religion
  • A 20,000-word thesis on a topic of your choice.

Core module

You will study one core module:

Research Methods
This module consists of a series of formal discipline-specific sessions taught by members of the School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion. Topics that will be addressed may include: conceptualising religion, doing fieldwork, insider – outsider debates, working with space and place, working with archives, researching comparative religion, postcolonial perspectives, gendered approaches, writing skills, research ethics, research design, and research rigour and validity.
Assessment: A 2,500 word essay (50%) with a 2,000 word Dissertation Proposal (50%)

Optional modules

You will then choose two optional modules from a range of modules in Theology and Religion that typically includes:

  • Approaches to the study of Islam
  • Atheisms: From Voltaire to Dawkins
  • Auschwitz in History and Memory
  • Conceptualising God in Christian Theology
  • Contemporary Issues in Sikhism
  • Gender, Sexualities, Religion
  • Historical and Contemporary Debates on the Holocaust
  • Religion in Contemporary Global Politics
  • The Bible and Sacred Space
  • Theology and Economics

For more information, see our Theology and Religion postgraduate modules.

Thesis

The programme is completed with a 20,000-word thesis, which you will complete with the support of an expert academic supervisor.


Please note that the optional module information listed on the website for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.

Fees

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024 entry are as follows:

  • UK: £6,780 full-time; £3,390 part-time
  • International: £21,840 full-time

Fee status

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.

Scholarships and studentships

Scholarships to cover fees and/or maintenance costs may be available. To discover whether you are eligible for any award across the University, and to start your funding application, please visit the University's Postgraduate Funding Database.

International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

How To Apply

Application deadlines

The deadline for International students (including EU) to apply is 7 May 2024. The deadline for UK students is 30 August 2024.

Six easy steps to apply for a postgraduate research course in the College of Arts and Law

Before you make your application

Please refer to our six step process on applying for PhD, MA by Research and MRes opportunities for Arts subject areas, which includes detailed advice on research proposals and how to write them.

Making your application

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

Our requirements for postgraduate research are dependent on the type of programme you are applying for:

  • For MRes and MA by Research programmes, entry to our programmes usually requires a good (normally a 2:1 or above) Honours degree, or an equivalent qualification if you were educated outside the UK, usually in a relevant area.
  • Applicants for a PhD will also need to hold a Masters qualification at Merit level or above (or its international equivalent), usually in a relevant area.

Any academic and professional qualifications or relevant professional experience you may have are normally taken into account, and in some cases, form an integral part of the entrance requirements.

If you are applying for distance learning research programmes, you will also be required to demonstrate that you have the time, commitment, facilities and experience to study by distance learning.

If your qualifications are non-standard or different from the entry requirements stated here, please contact the admissions tutor.

International students

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries - use our handy guide below to see what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements: standard language requirements apply for this course - IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band. If you are made an offer of a place to study and you do not meet the language requirement, you have the option to enrol on our English for Academic Purposes Presessional Course - if you successfully complete the course, you will be able to fulfil the language requirement without retaking a language qualification.

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band is equivalent to:

  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 21 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 59 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

Learn more about international entry requirements

International Requirements


Our main areas of research expertise, associated staff and  supervision areas in the Department of Theology and Religion are included in the links below for each research area:

We have a wide range of research expertise in the Department. However, if you cannot find your area of interest in our research areas, you can email our admissions tutor for further advice. Please send details of your qualifications, any relevant experience and a short paragraph summarising your proposed research project to a.daughton@bham.ac.uk. Alternatively, please see our staff page for a full list of staff specialisms and write directly to the staff member to discuss your proposed research project.

As well as the taught modules you take on this programme, the department has a programme of research seminars, conferences and workshops which you can attend, so you’ll be able to gain insight from a range of academics and peers from across the department.

You will conduct your thesis research independently, guided by a supervisory team (usually a lead supervisor and co-supervisor) selected for their expertise and experience relevant to your research project, with supervisory meetings taking place on a regular basis. 

You will also become part of, and contribute to, the lively international community of the College of Arts and Law Graduate School, which offers dedicated research resources and a supportive working environment. Our team of academic and operational staff are on hand to offer support and advice to all postgraduate students within the College.

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated  careers and employability team who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

  • Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
  • Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
  • Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
  • Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation.

Postgraduate employability: Theology and Religion

Birmingham's Theology graduates develop a broad range of transferable skills including familiarity with research methods; the ability to manage large quantities of information from diverse sources; the ability to organise information in a logical and coherent manner; the expertise to write clearly and concisely and to tight deadlines; critical and analytical ability; the capacity for argument, debate and speculation; and the ability to base conclusions on statistical research.

Postgraduates in theology and religion go on to a wide variety of industries, including public service, education, law, consulting, and other competitive graduate schemes. Others consider further study and go on to doctoral research, including the Midland4Cities funded scheme. Employers that our graduates have gone on to work for include Birmingham Council, Frontline, and the NHS.