Study of Religions (Taught)

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2025). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.

This course offers an intensive training in research in the study of religions. It enables students to study two major religions, and to explore the nature of religion itself, at an advanced level.

The Oxford tutorial system applies to postgraduate study in this course, so you are encouraged to develop your particular interests in conversation with your tutors.

Course structure
You will take one core course with two elements. All seminars will require student preparation and will be led by academic staff.

You will select the two religions that you wish to focus on from the following five religious traditions currently covered by the faculty.

You will study your selected two religions from perspectives of your choice, as worked out with specialist tutors to whom you are assigned. You may study the early doctrines and practices of religious traditions or opt to study the modern variations of a particular religion, or a set of religious practices or institutions in the contemporary world.

Students will normally be assigned a tutor (or tutors) for each religion, who will guide them through study over one of each of the first two terms of the academic year (ie you can normally expect to study one religion in each term, though arrangements are subject to tutor availability).

Each of these traditions has an internationally-recognised research centre, institute or outstanding cluster of scholars in Oxford. This typically means that you are not only taught by specialists in your chosen tradition, but also have access to a variety of specialist libraries and collections.

Research seminars
In addition there is a fortnightly Inter-disciplinary Graduate Research Seminar on the Study of Religions, on topics directly relevant to the course, which all MSt students are expected to attend.

Progression to the DPhil in Theology relies on a strong performance in the taught course. The faculty would normally expect a final grade of 67% or above.