Religion and Society MA

Durham University

Our MA in Religion and Society will take you on a journey and offer you the opportunity to explore the fascinating field of study in which religion is considered from anthropological and sociological viewpoints, looking at its role in the origins, development and structure of human societies and cultures. 

The theme and tone of the course reflects the academic strengths that the Department possesses; in particular, Mormonism, death, dying and disposal, religion and emotion, religion/faith and globalisation, religion and politics, contemporary evangelicalism and post-evangelicalism, and religion and generational change.

You will benefit from the extensive library-based resources available to the theology and religion department be it in the Department itself, in Durham Cathedral’s library or in the theological collections belonging to the University’s colleges. The Department also hosts the Centre for Death and Life Studies and the Project for Spirituality, Theology and Health.

The course includes core modules on researching religion and belief, qualitative methods in social sciences and ritual symbolism and belief in the anthropology of religion. It also includes a broad selection of optional modules that includes topics such as Christian Northumbria 600-750, literature and religion and Christian gender. You will also complete a dissertation.

Core modules:

Researching Religion and Belief: Reflexivity, Ethics and Identity focuses on researching human experiences in the context of religion, faith or belief and the distinct challenges around the methods and ethics that researching such experiences will create. The module develops a critical understanding of a range of social scientific work on religion and belief and an understanding of the associated challenges and debates. Qualitative Methods in Social Science equips you with the knowledge and skills to understand, conceptualise and critically appraise qualitative social sciences research to a high level, including different approaches to research and design and analysis of qualitative data. It develops the communication, time and data management, and independent study skills required for carrying out qualitative research projects. Ritual, Symbolism and Belief in the Anthropology of Religion examines selected theories and theorists in social-cultural anthropology that concern key aspects of the relationship between religious thought and practice. This enables you to develop an informed approach to religious organisation and belief, to learn how to engage with religious communities, objects or texts and to understand the connections between anthropology and theology.

The Dissertation of between 12,000-15,000 words enables you to broaden your knowledge and understanding in a particular area of theology and religion that is of interest and to build your skills in the research, analysis and the bringing together of ideas and arguments. Support for the production of the project is provided by a dissertation supervisor.