Religion Theology & Spirituality and Special Educational Needs

Religion, theology, and spirituality sit at the centre of human history and culture, shaping societies, laws, ethics, art, and the deepest personal experiences of billions of people. The academic study of religion asks what religious traditions claim, how they have developed and interacted over time, what they mean to those who live within them, and what role they play in contemporary social and political life. Combining this with special educational needs adds a practical and professional dimension, developing the skills and understanding needed to support learners with diverse needs in educational settings.

At Liverpool Hope University, this three-year full-time degree is set within a city whose religious diversity, including its two cathedrals, the oldest mosque in England, and vibrant Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, and secular communities, provides a rich living context for the subject. You will explore the wisdom, practices, and mysticism of major world religions including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, alongside contemporary spiritual identities that go beyond traditional faith boundaries. The special educational needs component develops your understanding of inclusive education, the legal and policy frameworks that govern it, and the practical skills needed to support learners with conditions including autism, dyslexia, sensory impairments, and social and emotional difficulties.

A sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement opportunities are built into the degree. The typical entry tariff is 88 points.

Graduates from this combined programme are well placed for roles in education as teaching assistants, SENCO support workers, and teachers, and for careers in inter-faith dialogue, community work, chaplaincy, social care, and the third sector. Postgraduate routes into teaching, educational psychology, social work, or theology are natural continuations.