Clearing contact details
Clearing Contact Details
Course contact details
UG Religion 2025
Email:ug-religions@manchester.ac.uk
Phone:+44 (0)161 509 2871
University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL
Comparative Religion and Social Anthropology
- BA (Hons)
- 3 Years
- Full-time
- 21 September 2026
- Undergraduate
- Main Site
Course summary
Our BA Comparative Religion and Social Anthropology course explores how religion is inextricably bound up with ways of being human.
Religion is here to stay, and there is a critical need to understand how and why it forms a central part of human cultures.
You will explore themes such as ritual, myth, sacred space and iconography as critical features of human societies, both past and present.
You will study topics such as Judaism, the problem of evil, the Bible, social theory, power, and ethnography.
Your first year of study will cover research methods and key issues in Religion and Anthropology.
You will go on to focus on issues related to religion as culture, such as the role played by gender, politics and narrative representation, as well as the developing relationship between anthropology and religion.
In your final year, you will get the opportunity to focus further on specific themes and issues, including writing an independently researched dissertation on a topic of your own choice.
This course produces graduates who have a clear capacity to analyse and understand the many complex roles played by religion in human societies.
These are skills of high value in today's globalised world.
This course is available in Clearing. If you have submitted an application, you can add this course. If you haven’t sent us an application yet, you can do this until 24th September 2026.
Ways to study this course
Campuses
- Main Site
Study options
- BA (Hons) • Full-time • 3 Years
Start dates
- 21 September 2026
Apply by
14 January
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
Application codes
- Course code:
- VL66
- Institution code:
- M20
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus Code:
- -
- Points of Entry:
- Year 1
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
University of Manchester has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
How to apply
Apply by
14 January
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- VL66
- Institution code:
- M20
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
UCAS TariffNot accepted
A levelABB
ABB including one essay based/humanities subject.
Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.
Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.
Typical Contextual Offer: BBC including one essay based/humanities subject.
Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.
Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.
Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.
Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.
Typical Contextual Offer: BBC including one essay based/humanities subject.
Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.
Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)DDM
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: we consider the National Extended Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Extended Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, Merit.
Access to HE DiplomaD: 30 credits
M: 15 credits
We require a QAA-recognised Access to HE Diploma (a minimum of 60 credits overall with at least 45 at Level 3), with merit or distinction in a subject area relevant to the chosen course.
The specific course requirements are a minimum of 30 credits with a Distinction grade, plus 15 credits with a Merit grade, all in a Humanities-related subject.
The specific course requirements are a minimum of 30 credits with a Distinction grade, plus 15 credits with a Merit grade, all in a Humanities-related subject.
Scottish Higher
We normally require gradesABBBB in Scottish Highers.
English Language and Mathematics not taken at Higher/Advanced Higher must have been achieved at SCQF level 5 (minimum National 5 grade C/ Intermediate 2 grade C/ Standard Grade Credit level grade3).
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
English Language and Mathematics not taken at Higher/Advanced Higher must have been achieved at SCQF level 5 (minimum National 5 grade C/ Intermediate 2 grade C/ Standard Grade Credit level grade3).
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
AS
AS level results are not considered as part of the standard admissions process at The University of Manchester.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)DD
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma: we consider the National Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, plus one A-level at Grade B in an essay-based subject.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)D
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma: we consider the National Foundation Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Foundation Diploma with a Distinction grade, PLUS one A-level at Grade B in in an essay-based subject, PLUS an EPQ or AS at Grade B.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)D
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate: we consider the National Extended Certificate for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to this course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full National Extended Certificate with a Distinction grade, PLUS two A-levels at Grades BB (one of these A-levels should be in an essay-based subject).
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)Not accepted
Scottish Advanced Higher
We normally require gradesABBBB in Scottish Highers.
English Language and Mathematics not taken at Higher/Advanced Higher must have been achieved at SCQF level 5 (minimum National 5 grade C/ Intermediate 2 grade C/ Standard Grade Credit level grade3).
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
English Language and Mathematics not taken at Higher/Advanced Higher must have been achieved at SCQF level 5 (minimum National 5 grade C/ Intermediate 2 grade C/ Standard Grade Credit level grade3).
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the Academic School(s) to which you plan to apply.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme34 points
34 points overall. 6,5,5 in Higher Level subjects
Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.
Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.
WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales
The University welcomes and recognises the value of the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma/Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate and usually requires two A Levels or equivalent to be included within this.
The minimum grade required will normally be the same as the lowest grade listed in the A Level entry requirements.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to.
The minimum grade required will normally be the same as the lowest grade listed in the A Level entry requirements.
If you require further clarification about the acceptability of this qualification please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to.
Extended Project
The University recognises the benefits of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and the opportunities it provides for applicants to develop independent study and research skills. Although the Extended Project will not be included in the conditions of your offer, we strongly encourage you to provide information about the EPQ in your personal statement and at interview. A number of our academic Schools may also choose to take your performance in the EPQ into account should places be available in August for applicants who narrowly miss the entry grades for their chosen course.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade 6 or B in GCSE/IGCSE English Language and 4 or C in Mathematics. GCSE/IGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/IGCSE English Language.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the admissions team in your academic School/Department for clarification
Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the admissions team in your academic School/Department for clarification
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended DiplomaNot accepted
OCR Cambridge Technical DiplomaDM
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Diploma (CTEC): we consider the Technical Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Diploma with grades Distinction, Merit, plus an additional level 3 qualification such as an A Level at grade A in an essay-based subject such as English Literature, History or Politics .
OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation DiplomaDD
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Foundation Diploma (CTEC): we consider the Technical Foundation Diploma for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Foundation Diploma with grades Distinction, Distinction, plus an additional level 3 qualification such as an A Level/A Level at min. Grade B an essay-based subject such as English or History, PLUS an EPQ or AS Level at grade B.
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended CertificateD
Cambridge Level 3 Technical Extended Certificate (CTEC) : we consider the Technical Extended Certificate for entry, preferably in a subject relevant to the chosen course. Entry requirements are based on achievement of the full Technical Extended Certificate with grade Distinction, plus two additional Level 3 qualifications such as A Levels at grades BB, one of which must be in an essay-based subject such as English or History.
The University recognises a number of foundation programmes as suitable for entry to this undergraduate programme:
Applicants completing the INTO Manchester in partnership with The University of Manchester international foundation programme are required to achieve ABB in academic subjects and grade A in the EAP with writing, speaking, listening and reading grade B.
Applicants completing the NCUK International Foundation year are required to achieve ABB in academic subjects and grade A in the EAP with writing, speaking, listening and reading grade B.
Please read this in conjunction with our A-level requirements, noting any pre-requisite subjects.
Additional entry requirements
- Interview
- Applications are considered on the basis of an assessment of the quality of the personal statement, the reference, and past and predicted academic achievements. We encourage applicants to give details of their motivation for studying this particular subject.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7 | 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each component |
All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency. The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:
GCSE/IGCSE English Language grade B/6, or;
IELTS 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each component, or;
An acceptable equivalent qualification.
Please note that if you hold English as a second language iGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your iGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.
The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires that every student from outside the UK and the EU must show evidence of a minimum level of English Language in order to be granted a UK visa (Tier 4 visa) to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level. This level is often referred to as the 'B2 level'.
Additionally, our individual Schools may ask for specific English Language proficiency levels that are necessary for their academic programmes. In most cases these requirements are likely to be higher than the B2 level.
Acceptable English Language Qualificationshttp://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/international/admissions/language-requirements/
Contextual admissions
Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.
We operate contextual admissions meaning many applicants receive an offer and are admitted at least one grade below standard entry requirements. Entry requirements for applicants meeting contextual admissions criteria are listed next to the standard entry requirements on course profiles.
Contextual admissions means we consider your application in context helping us to ensure everyone has a fair chance of getting into Manchester. The data we use is automatically provided on your UCAS form.
Historical entry grades data
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).
It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.
Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
Not enough data available
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
Historical entry grades report
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
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