Department of Religions and Philosophies

Undergraduate Modules in the Study of Religions

This list presents the regular module offering in the BA Study of Religions as single or combined degree. Modules are sorted by categories and may appear more than once.

For modules in the BA World Philosophies, please see Undergraduate Courses in World Philosophies. Note: In order to provide a broad offer, many second and third year modules run in alternating years. Modules not running in a given year, therefore normally run in the next. Students may also contact the module conveners for details on when a module will run again.

I) First Year Courses

Core Course

Introduction to the Study of Religions 158000096 1 Unit Full Year

Foundation Courses

Buddhism: Foundation 158000110 0.5 Unit Term 1
Hinduism: Foundation 158000118 0.5 Unit Term 2
Islam: Foundations 158000189 0.5 Unit Term 1
Judaism: Foundation 158000148 0.5 Unit Term 2
Religions of Africa: Foundation 158000119 0.5 Unit Term 2
Religions of East and Central Asia 158000100 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
World Christianities Foundation 158000117 0.5 Unit Term 2
Zoroastrianism: Foundation 158000187 0.5 Unit Term 2

II) Languages offered by the Department

(Language courses from other departments at SOAS can also be taken as part of a Study of Religions Degree.)

Avestan 158000182 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Basic Pali 158000200 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Middle Persian 158000183 1 unit Unit
Syriac Texts on Christians and Muslims 158000034 1 Unit Full Year
Vedic Sanskrit 158000128 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017

III) Comparative and Theory Courses (second & third year)

Anglo-European Philosophies and Critical Dialogue: Hermeneutics and Beyond 158000135 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Comparative Ethics 158000199 0.5 Unit Term 2
Death and the Meaning of Life 158000172 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Metaphysics in Comparative Perspective 158000198 0.5 Unit Term 2
Mysticism in the Great Traditions 158000022 1 Unit Full Year
The Holocaust and the Problem of Evil 158000156 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
'The Margins of Philosophy': Postcolonial, Gender, and Queer Epistemologies 158000116 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Theories of the Self 158000202 0.5 Unit Term 2

IV) Courses by Religious Tradition (second & third year)

African Religions

Limited offer in 2016/17 due to research leave.

Islamic Reform Movements in Modern Africa 158000190 0.5 Unit Term 1
Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in Africa: Past and Present 158000185 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Religion, Power and Society in Modern Africa 158000005 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017

Buddhism

Limited offer in 2016/17 due to research leave.

Buddhism in Central Asia 158000121 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Buddhism in Pre-Modern China 158000201 0.5 Unit Term 2
Buddhist Monasticism 158000097 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Buddhist Philosophy 158000195 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Imag(in)ing Buddhas in South Asia (1) 154900182 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Imag(in)ing Buddhas in South Asia (2) 158000191 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Japanese Religion: A Historical Overview 158000044 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Representing Religion in Japanese Films 158000184 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Themes in Japanese Religions 158000043 0.5 Unit Term 1
Tibetan Buddhism 158000050 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017

Christianity

Eastern Christianity 158000132 0.5 Unit Term 1
Martyrs & Monks in Eastern Christian Writings 158000130 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Minority Religions in the Contemporary Middle East 158000163 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Orthodox Christianity 158000131 0.5 Unit Term 2
Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in Africa: Past and Present 158000185 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Religion, Power and Society in Modern Africa 158000005 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017

Hinduism

Religious Philosophies of Ancient and Medieval India 158000123 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Textual Sources of Classical Hinduism 158000023 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017

Islam

Developments in Muslim Religious Thought 158000188 0.5 Unit Term 1
Islamic Reform Movements in Modern Africa 158000190 0.5 Unit Term 1
Islam in Britain 158000169 1 Unit Full Year
Messianic Movements in Muslim History 158000149 0.5 Unit Term 1
Minority Religions in the Contemporary Middle East 158000163 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Religion, Power and Society in Modern Africa 158000005 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Shi'a Islam: Religious Authority and Community Identity 158000147 1 Unit Full Year

Jainism

Introduction to Jainism 158000053 1 Unit Full Year
Non-Violence in Jain Literature, Philosophy and Law 158000054 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017

Japanese Religions

Japanese Religion: A Historical Overview 158000044 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Representing Religion in Japanese Films 158000184 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Themes in Japanese Religions 158000043 0.5 Unit Term 1

Judaism

Daily Life of Jews in Antiquity 158000155 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Jewish Identity 15800O168 0.5 Unit - Not Running 2016/17
Modern Jewish Thought 158000178 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism 158000151 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
The Bible and its Interpretation in Ancient Judaism 158000160 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
The Holocaust and the Problem of Evil 158000156 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
The Representation of Jews and Judaism in Film 158000186 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
The Role and Representation of Women in Judaism 158000154 0.5 Unit Term 2

Taoism

Taoism and Chinese Religions 158000150 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Taoism: the Great Tradition 158000181 0.5 Unit Term 1

Zoroastrianism

Limited offer in 2016/17 due to research leave. Students interested in Zoroastrianism are advised to select Middle Persian, which also has a cultural component and introduces students to the religion as well as the language.

Middle Persian 158000183 1 unit Unit
Minority Religions in the Contemporary Middle East 158000163 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Zoroastrian Literature in Translation 158000095 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Zoroastrianism in the Ancient and Modern Worlds 158000029 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017

V) Courses by Geographical Region (second & third year)

Africa

Islamic Reform Movements in Modern Africa 158000190 0.5 Unit Term 1
Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in Africa: Past and Present 158000185 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Religion, Power and Society in Modern Africa 158000005 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017

East and Inner Asia

Buddhism in Pre-Modern China 158000201 0.5 Unit Term 2
Buddhist Monasticism 158000097 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Japanese Religion: A Historical Overview 158000044 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Religions of East and Central Asia 158000100 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Representing Religion in Japanese Films 158000184 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Taoism and Chinese Religions 158000150 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Taoism: the Great Tradition 158000181 0.5 Unit Term 1
Themes in Japanese Religions 158000043 0.5 Unit Term 1
Tibetan Buddhism 158000050 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017

Iran and Central Asia

Buddhism in Central Asia 158000121 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Eastern Christianity 158000132 0.5 Unit Term 1
Religions of East and Central Asia 158000100 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Shi'a Islam: Religious Authority and Community Identity 158000147 1 Unit Full Year
Zoroastrian Literature in Translation 158000095 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Zoroastrianism in the Ancient and Modern Worlds 158000029 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017

Near and Middle East

Daily Life of Jews in Antiquity 158000155 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Eastern Christianity 158000132 0.5 Unit Term 1
Jewish Identity 15800O168 0.5 Unit - Not Running 2016/17
Martyrs & Monks in Eastern Christian Writings 158000130 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Minority Religions in the Contemporary Middle East 158000163 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism 158000151 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Shi'a Islam: Religious Authority and Community Identity 158000147 1 Unit Full Year
The Bible and its Interpretation in Ancient Judaism 158000160 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017

South Asia

Buddhist Monasticism 158000097 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Eastern Christianity 158000132 0.5 Unit Term 1
Imag(in)ing Buddhas in South Asia (1) 154900182 0.5 Unit Term 1 Not Running 2016/2017
Imag(in)ing Buddhas in South Asia (2) 158000191 0.5 Unit Term 2 Not Running 2016/2017
Introduction to Jainism 158000053 1 Unit Full Year
Non-Violence in Jain Literature, Philosophy and Law 158000054 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Religious Philosophies of Ancient and Medieval India 158000123 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017
Textual Sources of Classical Hinduism 158000023 1 Unit Full Year Not Running 2016/2017