Religious Studies with Education

Religious Studies with Education is a degree that combines rigorous academic engagement with the major religious traditions of the world with the professional preparation needed for a career teaching in post-primary schools. Religious Studies examines the beliefs, practices, texts, and histories of the world's major faiths, as well as the philosophical and ethical questions that religious traditions raise, developing both deep subject knowledge and the critical frameworks needed to engage with religion analytically and fairly. The Education component develops the pedagogical knowledge, classroom skills, and professional understanding required to teach the subject effectively to secondary-age pupils.

At Stranmillis University College, this four-year, full-time degree includes a sandwich year and work placements that give you extensive professional school experience alongside your academic study. Great teachers are described by the college as visionaries, lifelong learners, communicators, collaborators, and creative thinkers, and the programme is designed to develop all of these qualities. You will build the subject knowledge to teach religious studies with genuine confidence alongside the pedagogical expertise to create positive learning environments in which young people are inspired to think carefully about some of the most profound questions human beings face.

Graduation from this programme prepares you to apply for teaching posts in post-primary schools, where Religious Studies is a regular component of the curriculum. Teaching is a profession that offers direct and meaningful impact on the lives of young people and their communities, and the combination of specialist subject knowledge in religious studies and professional teaching qualification creates a clear pathway into a career in education. Postgraduate study in theology, religious education, or education leadership provides routes for further professional and academic development.