Biblical Studies and Comparative Literature

Biblical Studies and Comparative Literature is a combination that examines two of the most influential bodies of texts in human history and the interpretive traditions that have grown around them. Biblical studies explores the Old and New Testaments as literary, historical, and religious documents, situating them within the cultural and religious contexts of the ancient Near East and the early Christian world, and tracing their profound influence on Western civilisation. Comparative literature brings a broader literary perspective, examining texts across languages, cultures, and periods, and developing the tools to read the Bible alongside other great literary traditions in productive and illuminating ways.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year, full-time programme includes a year abroad, allowing you to deepen your studies in a different academic and cultural context. The biblical studies component gives you access not only to the canonical texts but also to a wider range of Jewish and Christian writings from the same periods, including documents such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, examined in their historical, linguistic, and theological dimensions. The comparative literature strand develops your analytical range, training you to read without boundaries across different literary traditions and to understand the relationships between texts, cultures, and periods of human expression.

St Andrews' strong reputation in both divinity and modern languages provides an excellent scholarly environment for this demanding and rewarding combination.

Graduates of Biblical Studies and Comparative Literature pursue careers in academia, theology, education, publishing, journalism, cultural organisations, and chaplaincy. The deep textual and interpretive skills the degree develops are valued in any profession that requires close reading, clear writing, and the ability to engage with complex ideas across cultural divides. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in biblical studies, theology, comparative literature, or religious studies, building specialist expertise for research, ministerial, or scholarly careers.