Religions: Study of Religions Pathway – (M.A.)

Contents

Students take taught courses (half and/or full units) equivalent to three units in total from the list of MA-level courses listed below.

The 4th and final unit is a Dissertation in Religions.

Languages: Students in the MA Religions may substitute one of their taught courses for a language course (most are taught in the Faculty of Languages and Cultures).

Note: Students wishing to take other SOAS courses relevant to their studies but taught outside the department may do so only with the written approval of the Tutor of the relevant course, the Religions MA Convenor and the Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching.

MA Religions: Study of Religions Pathway options

For a full list of courses taught in the Department of the Study of Religions, see the Postgraduate Course Units list. Please note, in any given year only a selection of courses will run.

Buddhism

• Buddhism in Tibet - 15PSRH008 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Buddhism: Theravadin Traditions - 15PSRH003 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Buddhist Arts in Context - 15PSRH001 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Buddhist Legends: Readings in Avadana Literature (Masters) - 15PSRH040 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Buddhist Rituals - 15PSRH012 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Buddhist Scriptures: Mahayana and Vajrayana - 15PSRH011 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Central Concepts and Tenets of Indian Buddhism - 15PSRH010 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Chinese Buddhism in the Pre-Modern Period - 15PSRC160 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Conflict in Compliance: About Lives of Buddhist Monks in Ancient India (Masters) - 15PSRH039 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• East Asian Buddhist Thought - 15PSRH018 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Esoteric Buddhism in India and Tibet - 15PSRH007 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Features of Buddhist Monasticism - 15PSRH014 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• History and Doctrines of Indian Buddhism - 15PSRC059 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Independent Research Project On Buddhism - 15PSRH017 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Independent Translation of Buddhist Texts - 15PSRH016 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Pali: Intermediate Level - 15PSRC053 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Religious Practice in Japan: Texts, Rituals and Believers - 15PSRC071 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Samples of Buddhist Literature in Sanskrit and Tibetan - 15PSRC067 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Selected Texts From Mahayana Sutra Buddhism - 15PSRH006 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Studies in Buddhist Literature in Pali - 15PSRC038 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• The Buddhist Conquest of Central Asia - 15PSRH009 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• The Buddhism of South East Asia - 15PSRC040 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Theravada Buddhism Among the Shan - 15PSRH034 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Tibetan Buddhist Texts From Central Asia - 15PSRH004 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Topical Lectures and Seminars in Buddhist Studies - 15PSRH015 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Translation of Chinese Canonical Texts - 15PSRC064 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Women in Buddhism - 15PSRH022 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012

Chinese Religions

• Chinese Buddhism in the Pre-Modern Period - 15PSRC160 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Chinese Religious Texts: A Reading Seminar - 15PSRH038 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• East Asian Buddhist Thought - 15PSRH018 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• History of Religion in Imperial China - 15PSRC051 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Locating China I: China and Other Worldviews Before 'Westernization' - 15PSRH025 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Locating China II: Mission and Misfits in the British Construction of China - 15PSRH026 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• The Great Tradition of Taoism - 15PSRH036 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Translation of Chinese Canonical Texts - 15PSRC064 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012

Christianity

• Christianity and Social Change in Sub Saharan Africa - 15PSRC157 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Eastern and Orthodox Christianity - 15PSRC055 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Eastern Christian Texts On Martyrs and Monks - 15PSRC054 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Gender and Christianity - 15PSRH033 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Preaching, Prayer and Politics: Independent Christians in Southern Africa - (1/2 unit Unit)
• Themes in the Study of Christianity - 15PSRC012 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012

East Asian Religions

• The Buddhism of South East Asia - 15PSRC040 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• East Asian Buddhist Thought - 15PSRH018 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2

Gender and Religions

• Gender and Christianity - 15PSRH033 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Gender and Religions Seminar Project - 15PSRC060 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Gender, Post-Colonialism and the Study of Religions - 15PSRC037 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Goddesses and Constructions of Gender in Hinduism - 15PSRH031 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Judaism and Gender - 15PSRH029 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Orthodoxy and Gender in Indian Traditions - 15PSRC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Readings in Derrida On Religion - 15PSRH024 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Readings in French Feminism and Religion - 15PSRH023 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Women in Buddhism - 15PSRH022 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012

Indian Religions

• Ascetic and Non-Dualist Traditions of Classical and Modern Hinduism - 15PSRC159 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Classical Hindu Texts in Translation: Epics and Puranas - 15PSRC167 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Conflict in Compliance: About Lives of Buddhist Monks in Ancient India (Masters) - 15PSRH039 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Indian Mahayana Buddhism - 15PSRH005 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Islam in South Asia - 15PHIC042 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Jainism: History, Doctrine and the Contemporary World - 15PSRC024 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Non-Violence in Jain Scriptures, Philosophy and Law - 15PSRC062 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Please note that from September 2011 this course unit will be named "Non-Violence in Jain Scriptures, Philosophy and Law"
• Orthodoxy and Gender in Indian Traditions - 15PSRC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Reform, Politics and the Media: Hinduism in the Modern World - 15PSRH032 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Prakrit Language 1 (Postgraduate) - 15PSAC309 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Religious and Philosophical Ideas of Ancient and Medieval India - 15PSRC049 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Text and Context in Classical Hinduism - 15PSRC007 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Vedic Interpretations - 15PSRC050 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Zoroastrianism: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives - 15PSRC052 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Islam

• Origins and Development of Islam in the Middle East: Problems and Perspectives - 15PHIC040 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Indo-Muslim Thinkers of the Colonial Age - 15PSRC165 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Islam in South Asia - 15PHIC042 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Muslim Britain: Perspectives and Realities - 15PSRC158 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Japanese Religions

• East Asian Buddhist Thought - 15PSRH018 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
• Individual Research Project in Japanese Religions - 15PSRH020 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• Japanese New Religions - 15PSRH021 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Readings in Japanese religion - 15PSRH041 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Religious Practice in Japan: Texts, Rituals and Believers - 15PSRC071 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Judaism

• Family, Work and Leisure in Ancient Judaism - 15PSRH027 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Judaism and Gender - 15PSRH029 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Judaism in the Hellenistic and Roman Period - 15PSRC072 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Religion, Nationhood and Ethnicity in Judaism - 15PSRH030 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
• The Holocaust in Theology, Literature and Art - 15PSRH028 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012

Multi-religious/comparative courses

• Religion in Britain: Faith Communities and Civil Society - 15PSRC163 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
• Death and Religion - 15PSRC162 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Mystical Traditions - 15PSRC068 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Myth and Mythmaking - 15PSRC164 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Mysticism

• Mystical Traditions - 15PSRC068 (1 Unit) - Full Year

• Gender, Post-Colonialism and the Study of Religions - 15PSRC037 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Readings in Derrida On Religion - 15PSRH024 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Myth and Mythmaking - 15PSRC164 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Readings in French Feminism and Religion - 15PSRH023 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
• Theory and Method in the Study of Religion - 15PSRC010 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Zoroastrianism: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives - 15PSRC052 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Zoroastrianism

• Zoroastrianism: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives - 15PSRC052 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Avestan I - 15PSRC033 (1 Unit) - Full Year
• Text and Context in Zoroastrianism - 15PSRC036 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012

Funding details

There are some scholarships and bursaries available for postgraduate students. These are very competitive and early application is advised.

Loans

Another way to fund your studies is through educational loans. Some high street banks offer loans for education. The other option is a career development loan. Before taking out a loan ensure that you understand what the repayments will be and that you will be able to afford them.

A Professional and Career Development Loan is a bank loan for UK students designed to help you pay for your course. Repayments start one month after you complete your course. You can borrow between £300 and £8,000. The bank will approve your loan according to your credit rating.

Eligible US students can apply for Stafford Federal Loans, Federal Plus and private loans to cover their tuition and maintenance costs.

The Registry Fees and Scholarship section can also certify student registration for other loans, such as Canadian educational loans.

Please contact:

• Registry Fees Section if you have any queries on educational loans or fees for degree courses.
• Noel Connaughton for fees information for occasional courses, certificates and diplomas.
• CEFIMS for fees information for distance learning courses.

Other Sources of Funding

Useful funding information can also be found at:

• Hotcourses Scholarship Search
• HERO funding information for research students