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Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
108
Course content
In your first year you will study a range of introductory courses:
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Introduction to World religions
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Introduction to Biblical studies
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Introduction to theology
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The Abrahamic faiths in their history of tradition
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Religions from the first to the twenty-first century
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Approaches to the study of religion
From the second year on, you may choose from a range
of courses depending on the individual interests you have
discovered in your first year. Students may choose courses on
subjects such as:
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The origins of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
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Ancient languages, especially Greek and Hebrew
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The theological debates between Jewish, Christian and
Islamic thinkers in the Middle Ages
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Key controversies in Western religious and philosophical
thought
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Asian religious traditions and their histories
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Philosophical and theological approaches to God
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Biomedical ethics, including issues such as human cloning
Students in the second year may substitute a Broad Curriculum
course (see page 14) for one of these half year courses.
Students have a variety of subject choices in the Junior and
Senior Sophister (third and fourth) years. These include:
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Hebrew Bible (historical and literary approaches to texts and
their Ancient Near Eastern contexts)
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The New Testament and Early Christianity (origins and
earliest history of Christianity)
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Christology
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Ethics in modernity and theological responses
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Reformation and Enlightenment
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Hermeneutics (the theory and practice of interpretation)
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Theological ethics and ecology
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The Bible and art
Students not only encounter religious cultures in the lecture
theatre and libraries, but also enjoy excursions to local libraries
(e.g. the Chester Beatty Library), museums, and other cultural
destination central to the history of religious traditions. A range
of extracurricular activities is available ranging from participation
in lively College societies (e.g. the Theological society “Theo”) to
excursions abroad.
Assessment
Students write between five to six essays per semester
depending on whether they choose a language module. In
addition they sit end of the year examinations for six courses
(three for TSM students).
Study abroad
A student exchange programme offers you the opportunity to
spend up to a year at the University of Leuven in Belgium, the
University of Glasgow in Scotland or other universities open to
TCD students, e.g. in the US and Canada.
Career opportunities
The course in World religions and theology is an arts degree
and shares many features of other arts degrees in Trinity
College. A knowledge of the cultures, values and histories of
different societies in the global community is an asset for many
types of careers. Students graduate with an understanding
of the challenges and opportunities which multi-cultural
societies present. This understanding is of particular value to
those who pursue careers in media, education, public policy
making, human resources and health care professions, law
and business. Graduates have skills which are highly valued by
potential employers, and our graduates pursue the same kinds
of careers as other arts graduates. Over recent years these
have included careers in publishing, media, business, education,
archaeology, tourism, law and psychology. Many of our
graduates go on for postgraduate studies at Trinity College and
first tier universities around the world. Trinity College’s Careers
Advisory Service recently surveyed employers about what they
looked for in arts graduates and top of the list came: enthusiasm
for the position, personal qualities and transferable skills such
as good oral communication, written communication, team
work and problem solving. Students of religions and theology
have ample opportunity to develop all of these skills within a
department which is relatively small and student centred.
Further information
Tel: +353 1 896 1297
