Religion - Study of Religions

Course Outline
The HDip Arts: Study of Religions gives you an intensive course in the study of religions. The course will appeal to those who have a degree, but have not previously studied religions to degree level.

You’ll select modules drawn from the undergraduate course ‘Religions and Global Diversity’. Through this programme, you’ll have access to research-informed teaching in a variety of religious traditions such Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and East Asian religions and in methods and theories in the academic, cross-cultural study of religions.

The Higher Diploma in Arts shall consist of modules to the value of 60 credits taken from a range of existing 2nd and 3rd Arts modules in the relevant subject.

Over the year, you will study a range of religious traditions and approaches to the study of religions through the following modules: (modules are 10 credits unless otherwise indicated).

Authority and Community in Contemporary Christianities
Christianities in a Global Age
Hinduism and Indian Religions
Indigenous Religions
Islam: historical and contemporary perspectives
Korea's Religious and Philosophical Traditions
Sufism: charisma and devotion in Islam
Contemporary Religions in Ireland
Western Esotericism and New Religious Movements
Religions of East Asia
Buddhism in Practice
Religions and Gender

Dissertation in the Study of Religions: offers supervised research in any area you’re specially interested, whether or not it’s been covered in the HDip programme.

As a HDip student you can take, with the permission of the department, up to 10 credits of religion-related modules in other departments: e.g. Asian studies, folklore, sociology, history, philosophy, classics, history of art. You can study a language such as Chinese, Japanese or Korean.

Registration with the Teaching Council: For applicants who are taking the Higher Diploma with a view to Teaching Council subject registration, the Higher Diploma is recognised by the Teaching Council for teacher subject registration. In general, if you wish to qualify with Religion as a teaching subject, you are advised to refer to the school curriculum and match the modules to that broad field. Modules are chosen in consultation with the programme coordinator in September.

Students wishing to satisfy Teaching Council requirements will take 60 credits of RG courses (selected in consultation with the Programme Coordinator) plus ED6319.

Many subjects have discipline-specific requirements and you are advised to check the requirements for the subject area by consulting the following:

Curricular Subject Requirements: Teaching Council: Curriculur Subject Requirements https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/

Teaching Council Subject Declaration for Religious Education https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/

It is intended for those who already have a 3 or 4 year primary degree, preferably in the area of Arts or the Sciences, and who wish to study the subject Study of Religions intensively over one academic year.

The Higher Diploma in Arts is a conversion programme and applicants would not normally have studied the relevant subject to Honours Degree level previously.

Closing Date Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.

Assessment
You will be assessed by a variety of methods including essays, presentations, in-class tests, learning journals, fieldwork research reports and (in a small number of cases) exams.

60 credits

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time.

Start Date 9 September 2024

Skills and Careers Information
As societies worldwide become increasingly closely interlinked whilst remaining culturally diverse, understanding people’s very different religious beliefs and practices become essential for teachers, public sector workers, professionals in NGOs, the media, business, healthcare, human resources, etc.

As well as the enhanced general transferable skills acquired through an Arts/Social Sciences postgraduate programme, the Study of Religions course provides particularly deep insights into different religions and cultures which will help you in any kind of employment involving people. Students successful in the HDip may also apply to enter the department’s MA Contemporary Religions, which offers a pathway to research at MPhil/PhD level.