Courses at Newman are constantly evolving to reflect changes in the field of study. Therefore, modules listed here are indicative and may be subject to change for each academic year. Some modules are mandatory and some are optional. Not all modules will be available on all routes through the programme you choose, and modules studied will depend on whether you choose minor, joint, major or single honours routes.

Year 1

God and the Philosophers
This module explores key themes in contemporary philosophy of religion and philosophical theology. The intention of the module is to encourage an appreciation of the different attitudes towards the philosophy of religion taken by historical and contemporary philosophers, and to encourage students to develop their own critical response to the philosophers studied. The module will seek to foster an awareness of contemporary reactions to, and critiques of, analytical philosophy of religion.

Religions, Politics and Philosophy
The module will introduce the student to issues surrounding the study of religions e.g. sources, dogma and texts; beliefs and practices; spiritualities; secularisation and pluralism; the influence of economics and politics on the development of religious and philosophical thought and practice, using case studies drawn from the six major religious traditions represented in the UK.

Year 2

Issues in Contemporary Ethics
This module is designed to engage the student in the application of the principles of Christian Ethics to a variety of particular issues in social and medical ethics.

Radical Theologies and Philosophies
The aim of this module is to explore and assess the contribution of radical thought and action to the broader field of contemporary Christian theology. This will entail an examination of a range of movements from the 20th and 21st century, and will be developed in a detailed study of the thought of selected theologians and philosophers.

Three Monotheistic Faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam
This module focuses on some key themes in the three faiths, including worship, law and ethics and also covers historical and contemporary relationships between the three faiths, including co-operation and conflict.

Science and the Cosmos: The Search for Meaning
This module is designed to encourage an appreciation of how developments in contemporary science might inform some of the central debates in metaphysics, philosophy and theology. The module will foster an awareness of the way in which scientific discourse is underpinned by philosophical assumptions and it will encourage students to develop a critical analysis of whether empirical science can, on its own terms, respond adequately to key philosophical and theological questions such as 'who are we?', 'why are we here?' and 'how should we live?'

Year 3

Jewish Studies: Ancient and Modern
This module will offer an overview of important aspects of Jewish faith, history and literature, including the origins of Israel as recounted in the Hebrew Bible, Jewish law, selected Inter-Testamental and rabbinic texts, and the modern period (with a focus on 20th century Europe). The cultural and political influences on Jewish beliefs and life (e.g. ancient empires, the interaction with Hellenism, Nazi ideology) will be considered.

Philosophy of Truth: Conceptions of the Good, the True and the Beautiful
This module will encourage students to engage with key philosophical thinker in the Western canon and will study how post-modern philosophers have reacted against their 'modern' inheritance. Certain important philosophical themes will be addressed such as the use of myth and language in philosophy, the possibility of philosophical truth and knowledge, the death of God and noncognitivism. Students will be encouraged to explore and develop their own philosophical reaction to developments in post-modern philosophy.

Mysticism East and West
The course will open with a survey of the debate on the nature of mysticism within the western Christian tradition. The shift in this century to more comparative and inclusive models of study will be highlighted and the theories of key practitioners explored. The lectures will adopt three different approaches; theological, philosophical and the more comparative approach of contemporary psychology in the modern study of religions.

Values and Virtues
The intention of this module is to guide students towards developing an appreciation of the relationship between culture and philosophy. It is designed to encourage an appreciation of the ways in which ideas about virtue and 'the good life' have changed over time, influenced by and influencing particular historical contexts. It will explore how ideas current in ancient Greek thought have since been reasserted and recast by twentieth century philosophers.

"I realised that my flair resided in the Humanities subjects in particular Religious Studies and Philosophy. The passion I had for these subjects made me want to study further in this field and Newman was the best institution recommended to me by my college lecturer. Not only was Newman recommended to me but it was also renowned for its great teaching and achieving standards by Ofsted and by the national survey in The Guardian newspaper. I therefore opted to study BA Theology and English, as I enjoyed studying both subjects at A-Level. 

The last three years have flown by and I have had a great time with Newman. The staff from both the Theology and English departments are very supportive and encouraging throughout the course, especially when it came to module assessments. In my third year I applied for a place on the PGCE in secondary R.E as I became aware that my passion for Theology will help me become a R.S teacher. I now hope to be successful on the postgraduate course."

Sunita Kellay, Theology Student