Anthropology and Theology & Religion

Anthropology and theology and religion together examine two of the most fundamental questions any discipline can ask: what does it mean to be human, and what has humanity made of the sacred? Anthropology studies human beings in all their cultural, social and biological diversity, asking how societies are organised, how culture is transmitted, how kinship, ritual and identity are constructed, and what the deep patterns of human life tell us about our shared nature. Theology and religious studies examines how human beings have understood the divine, developed ethical and philosophical frameworks from religious traditions, and how those traditions have shaped history, politics and culture across the world.

At the University of Aberdeen you will study across four years full-time, including a year abroad that broadens your cultural and intellectual horizons. You will compare the major religious traditions of the world, with particular attention to Christian faith, life and doctrine in historical and contemporary contexts, alongside the anthropological study of religion as a social and cultural phenomenon. The programme combines the close reading of texts with fieldwork methods, critical analysis of doctrine and practice, and engagement with living religious communities.

Graduates from this combination are well placed for careers in education, international development, NGOs, ministry, interfaith dialogue, social research, journalism, arts administration, healthcare chaplaincy and the civil service. The ability to understand religious and cultural difference with genuine depth is increasingly valued in organisations working across communities and internationally. Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in anthropology, theology, religious studies, social work or international development, taking the analytical and cultural competencies the degree builds into specialist research and professional roles.