Course Modules

The ideas of the Enlightenment provided new ways of thinking about science, religion, education, politics and society and the place of ‘mankind’ in the world, but to what extent did the ‘philosophers’ transform society and how enlightened were they? You […]

Gain an informed historical and critical perspective on a powerful literary and cultural tradition beginning with the fairy tales written in early modern Italy, continuing through Perrault, D’Aulnoy, Grimm, Andersen to the work of more contemporary authors such as Angela

The module investigates different philosophical approaches to freedom and justice. What constitutes a free action? Can freedom be granted? What are the key components of a just society? We explore different traditions with careful attention to their historical and cultural

This module aims to provide you with a robust understanding of the nature of ideology, its operation within different political and cultural contexts, including Marxist, liberal and conservative approaches. You will also explore and analyse a range of indicative political

This module gives a historical overview of the emergence and development of Islam and in so doing provide an understanding of divergent constructions of the Islamic faith in the modern world. You will reflect upon belief and practice in contemporary

This module assesses the causes and consequences of crusading to the Holy Land between 1095-1291. You will examine the motives of the First Crusaders and the subsequent defence of the Holy Land, including leaders such as Richard the Lionheart, as

This module allows you to investigate the connections between philosophy and contemporary theories on religion. Whilst recent philosophical debates have questioned the division between humans and the rest of nature, contemporary theory of religion has moved away from an understanding

This module examines the nature of papal pronouncements and diplomatic interventions in the continuing evolution of the modern nation state. You will consider these ideas in the new ideological landscapes of totalitarian power, in the two world wars and the

This module explores the distinctive ideologies of Soviet Communism, Italian Fascism and German National Socialism, and to consider if and how these were in fact new forms of religion. The module will also examine the construction of these ‘totalitarian’ states

The dissertation is the culmination of your degree, as you produce a research project on a specific aspect of theology. The dissertation consists of a study of 9,000 words on a topic agreed between the student and the module coordinator.