BA Philosophy, Ethics and Religion

Year 2

(Award available for year: Diploma of Higher Education)

Learning outcomes

By the end of Y2 students should be able to:
a) apply their knowledge of theological, ethical, philosophical and sociological thought about religion to a range of scholarship in theology and religious studies
b) understand religion in local, national and global contexts providing a basis for greater independent study
c) demonstrate research skills in theology and religious studies including literature reviews, use of primary sources and the formulation of research questions
d) apply critical and analytical tools in theology and religious studies (e.g. feminist critique, postcolonial critique etc…)
e) demonstrate the ability to reflect critically on their own skills, strengths and learning needs, both in relation to the programme of study and in relation to future employment
f) comprehend different disciplinary and methodological approaches to the study of religious traditions, including historical, anthropological, sociological and theological approaches

Transferable (key) skills

Students will have had the opportunity to acquire, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
- qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment in a plural society related to the subject area(s) studied (i.e. communication, group work, problem solving, IT; evaluation of different sorts of evidence and the construction of argument);
- skills necessary for the exercising of personal responsibility in a range of professional and personal situations (i.e. learning to learn, self-management, time-management, self-sufficiency, interactions with others);
- decision making (selection of modules in line with existing and developing interests and needs, both academic and skills-related; selection of items of assessment; dissertation choice).

Assessment

Achievement will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:
- demonstrating the ability to apply a broad range of aspects/competencies of Philosophy and Theology & Religious Studies to complex, albeit standard, situations and simple, albeit novel or atypical, instances;
- work that is often descriptive in nature but drawing on a wide variety of material;
- demonstrating basic professional competencies relevant to Philosophy and Theology & Religious Studies;
- the ability to evaluate and criticise received opinion;
- demonstrating the ability to read and use texts both critically and empathetically, while addressing such questions as genre, content, context, perspective, purpose, original and potential meaning, and the effect of translation if the text is not read in the original language.