Undergraduate Course: Studying Religions (REST08016)
Course Outline
| School | School of Divinity |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course introduces students to contemporary Religious Studies and invites them to rethink their preconceptions about studying the complex topic of 'religion'. |
| Course description |
Academic Description:
This course aims to introduce students to contemporary Religious Studies and invites them to rethink their preconceptions about studying the complex topic of religion. To this end the course introduces significant theories, themes and methods to studying religion/s, including historical, anthropological, and sociological approaches. It examines these using rich empirical examples that provide a formative understanding of the way religions are articulated by diverse people in multiple settings. The course will give prominence to people's everyday ideas and practices about 'religion', while also indicating broader debates in Religious Studies.
Syllabus/Outline Content:
The complexity and richness of the course is illustrated through three interrelated approaches - historical, anthropological and sociological. It begins by evaluating the problem of defining 'religion' in modern Religious Studies and exploring how the field has renewed its focus on the role of religion in everyday life: in "lived" beliefs and practices. Literature from key texts in Religious studies such as Ninian Smart's Seven Dimensions of Religion, alongside more recent material like Talal Asad's The Genealogies of Religion and Thomas Tweed's Crossings and Dwellings: A Theory of Religion, will be considered.
Student Learning Experience Information:
The course has a programme of three one-hour weekly lectures and video, and one-hour tutorial discussions. The meetings will be interactive and will allow students to engage with the topic through lecture/video and tutorial discussions. Each student will do a presentation based on the assigned reading and will be responsible for leading class discussion during the tutorial hour. Through their participation in lectures, tutorials, written work, final examination, and feedback offered, students will demonstrate their achievement of the intended learning outcomes.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 33,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
150 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
60 %,
Coursework
40 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Tutorial work counts for 15% of the overall course grade. This is based on weekly preparation and participation, plus one oral presentation given to class.
1. Tutorial preparation (5%): students should complete a weekly tutorial sheet to show preparation for the tutorial, with evidence of grasping three key analytical points from tutorial reading. Students are also asked to raise two questions for consideration in class. Sheets should be handed in to the tutor at the tutorial, and will be graded with brief feedback. In the case of unavoidable absence (and only in consultation with the tutor), tutorial sheets can be submitted to show evidence of preparation. However, this cannot be done retrospectively.
2. Tutorial participation (5%): The participation grade will be based on an assessment by the tutor of students' positive contributions to weekly tutorial discussions.
3. Tutorial presentation (5%): Each student will prepare one presentation of approximately 10 minutes, on a date and topic to be agreed with the tutor in week 2. It should be based on close analysis of issues in the tutorial reading for that week. The student will also be responsible for leading the ensuing class discussion.
Essay (25%): 2,000 words on a topic to be chosen.
Degree Examination (60%). |
| Feedback |
Weekly feedback and grading of tutorial sheets.
Sheets should be submitted in advance of the class, and will be graded with brief feedback. If a student is unable to attend the tutorial, for example, due to illness or an unavoidable appointment, any tutorial sheet which has been submitted may be taken as evidence of tutorial participation for that week. However, tutorial sheets may not be submitted after the tutorial has taken place. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of a range of interconnected and interdisciplinary approaches to defining and interpreting ¿religion¿.
- Identify the historical and cultural contexts in which these approaches emerged, and are continuing to develop.
- Demonstrate understanding of specific case studies of religion in everyday life: in ¿lived¿ beliefs and practices.
- Locate these approaches/case studies within the modern development of Religious Studies as an academic field.
- An ability to identify key terms and their meanings, and demonstrate good judgment about how to assess the relative importance of items on course bibliographies.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- Collect and synthesise evidence from a wide range of primary and secondary sources applicable to the study of religion;
- Evaluate and critique the work of scholars who have studied religions, both in the contemporary period and in the history of the discipline;
- Formulate questions emerging from the study of religions and structure an argument to express resolutions to the questions critically and analytically.
- Read and interpret a range of different sources for the study of religions within their historical, social and theoretical contexts and be able to differentiate primary from secondary sources.
- Formulate, investigate and discuss questions informed by Religious Studies methodologies (these include anthropology, cognitive studies, cultural history, ethnography, post-colonial studies and sociology);
- Engage and draw on an understanding of religious traditions and cultures to inform the approach taken when dealing with views different from one¿s own;
- Analyse and explain how cultural assumptions impact on the interpretation of religions;
- Express clearly ideas and arguments, both orally and in writing and in electronic media;
- Develop oral presentation and participation skills during seminars and group-work, and in written form through essays.
- Collaborate efficiently and productively with others in the process of learning and presenting conclusions - this includes those with a range of backgrounds and knowledge bases about religion, such as fellow-students, tutors and supervisors;
- Organise their own learning, manage workload and work to a timetable;
- Effectively plan, and possess the confidence to undertake and to present scholarly work that demonstrates an understanding of the aims, methods and theoretical considerations relevant to Religious Studies; and
- Work independently on the creation of essays using the standards current in the academic field of Religious Studies.
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| Additional Class Delivery Information |
3 lectures and a weekly tutorial |
| Keywords | Religion,theory,method,history |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Steven Sutcliffe
Tel: (0131 6)50 8947
Email: S.Sutcliffe@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Katrina Munro
Tel: (0131 6)50 8900
Email: Kate.Munro@ed.ac.uk |
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