Religion and Theology Study Guide 2026/27
What you can study
The study of Religion and Theology helps us to understand how diverse cultures and individuals deal with life-shaping questions. At Bristol, you can explore the major themes of philosophy, ethics, mysticism, and power across a range of religions, which you can also encounter first-hand through excursions to local churches, mosques, and synagogues as well as Hindu and Sikh temples and Buddhist Centres.
You will find units on:
- specific religions
- philosophy, ethics, and thought
- methodology and scholarly approaches
- gender, sexuality, and politics
Pre-requisites
At UK universities, students specialise from their first year and rarely take units outside their degree subject. This means that:
- Year 1 units are suitable for all students.
- Year 2 units require some university study in the discipline.
- Year 3 units require a strong background in the discipline - Religion and Theology accepts requests for Year 3 units from those with a general background in the subject.
Subject pathway students
If you have been nominated to Bristol on the Study Abroad (Religion and Theology pathway), you must take the majority of your credits from this guide.
Year 1
Pre-requisites: suitable for all students
Teaching Block 1
- Approaches to the Study of Religion - THRS10030
- Introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam - THRS10067
- Reading Religions - THRS1NEW. This is a new unit for 2026/27. The Unit Catalogue entry will be published by late spring.
Teaching Block 2
- Introduction to the Religions and Philosophies of Asia - THRS10068
- Religions, Ethics and Society - THRS1NEW. This is a new unit for 2026/27. The Unit Catalogue entry will be published by late spring.
Year 2
Pre-requisites: some university study in the discipline.
Teaching Block 1
- Critical Perspectives on Asian Religions - THRS20229
- Religion in History - THRS2NEW. This is a new unit for 2026/27. The Unit Catalogue entry will be published by late spring.
Teaching Block 2
- Challenges in Abrahamic Religions - THRS20228
- Religions in Bristol - THRS2NEW. This is a new unit for 2026/27. The Unit Catalogue entry will be published by late spring.
- The Philosophy of Religion - THRS20102
Year 3
Pre-requisites: general background of study in the discipline.
Teaching Block 1
- Political Islam - THRS30184. The Unit Catalogue entry will be published by late spring.
- Religions in the Public Sphere - THRS3NEW. This is a new unit for 2026/27. The Unit Catalogue entry will be published by late spring.
- Sex, Humour, and Piety: Life in the Ancient and Medieval Buddhist Monastery - THRS30185
Teaching Block 2
Application queries
Contact the Centre for Study Abroad inbound team if you have any queries about the application process for the study abroad programmes:
Phone: +44 117 39 40207
Email: cfsa-inbound@bristol.ac.uk