English Studies and Religion BA (Hons)

From books and magazines to email and the Internet, texts are all around us. As texts of all kinds become more prominent and powerful in our lives, the ability to analyse them and appreciate their often elusive meanings becomes more highly prized. The English Studies degree at Stirling will enable you to recognise ideology and bias, and see through the spin of cultural and political debate. You’ll refine your ability to think and write clearly – valuable skills in many careers and professions. Our graduates are well prepared in these transferable skills and have an excellent success rate in finding rewarding employment in many fields.The English Studies degree at Stirling introduces students to the critical and theoretical study of English, Scottish and American literature. Students have the opportunity to engage with texts from a broad range of historical periods, from the Middle Ages to the present day. There is also a language pathway through the degree, allowing you to study modules in language and linguistics in each semester. Understanding religion in different contexts and developing the transferable skills of critical thinking, communication, research and analysis, make Religion graduates an invaluable resource for today’s employers. At Stirling we are committed to approaching ‘religion’ in a critical manner, in two broad senses: Firstly: We question the fundamental category of ‘religion’. It is sometimes assumed to be a ‘thing’ that simply exists, and this is where, in part, the idea that we can study ‘religions’ as entities in any society or context comes from. This, of course, implies that what ‘religion’ actually is stands as common knowledge and applies to all contexts. But where does religion begin, end or move into other areas? This is just one of the intellectually challenging questions we ask during this course. Secondly: Rather than hold religion to suspicion, or blame, or discredit, or incredulity – a growing tendency amongst certain public intellectuals, even if against the tide of global demographics – we examine religion from a positive critical standpoint. What this means is that in our studies we consider how open to re-interpretation or re-conceptualisation the term ‘religion’ is today in our intellectual, social, and cultural spheres. In coming to Stirling to study Religion, every student is thus exposed to a broad and interdisciplinary vision that can be life-changing in many rich and unexpected ways. Please note that Religion is studied as a Combined degree. You will take Religion plus two other subjects in Year 1.