School of Religions, Theology and Ecumenics

• Head of School: Prof. Iain Atack
• Director of Teaching & Learning (Postgraduate): Prof. Andrew Pierce
• Telephone: +353-1- 8964771
• Fax: +353-1-6725024
• Url:www.tcd.ie/Religions_Theology; www.tcd.ie/ise
• How to apply: Please see links below
  

School Description:

The Department of Religions and Theology has longstanding research strengths in Biblical Studies, Theology and Ethics. It offers postgraduate research seminars in these areas, which regularly host high profile guests with diverse areas of expertise. Within Biblical Studies, fields of research reach from Hebrew Bible to Early Judaism, New Testament, and Early Christianity. Within Theological Studies research areas include conditions of faith in modernity, F. Schleiermacher, foundations of ethics, critical social theory, P. Ricoeur’s hermeneutical ethics, public theology, and biomedical ethics.

The Department has also been engaging in collaborative seminars with the Department of Classics in Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies (PRTLI funded) and with the Irish School of Ecumenics in the areas of social, political, and intercultural ethics.

Speakers of international standing also contribute regularly to public lectures and provide an important public face to innovative research taking place in the Department. Under the auspices of the Long Room Hub and of the Institute of International Integration Studies (IIIS), it has contributed to collaborative research projects in religions, cultural encounters, globalisation and foundations of democracy.

In each of its fields of strength the Department offers the supervision of postgraduate research leading to the degrees of Masters of Letters (M.Litt.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Neither of these degrees has formal course requirements, however it is standard practice for supervisors to tailor the course to include taught components. Separately from PG research seminars, taught PG seminars are also available; recently Classical Ethiopic and readings in Post-biblical Hebrew have been offered exclusively to postgraduate students. Additionally research students may audit Honors modules (i.e. Senior Sophister) as well as UG language modules in Koine Greek and Classical Hebrew. Every possible every effort is made to provide advanced graduate students with the opportunity to gain some teaching experience. PG students regularly contribute to international conferences and are successful in publishing their work in well-known peer reviewed journal and series.

The School does not currently offer taught Masters programmes, although the development of such programmes is under consideration.

The School of Religions and Theology enjoys research strengths in Biblical Studies, Jewish Studies, Theology, and Ethics. It engages in a number of collaborative research projects including a joint research seminar with the School of Classics in Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies (PRTLI funded). This joint seminar provides students who are engaged in research in Biblical Studies and Early Judaism with the opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary discussions with their peers in Classics and with visiting speakers of international standing. Some recent guest speakers have included J.J. Collins, Philip Alexander, Erich Gruen, Diana Edelman and Loren Stuckenbruck. In addition the Department engages in collaborative research projects in Religions, Ethics, Globalisation and in Religion and Political Liberalism.

In each of its fields of strength the School offers the supervision of postgraduate research leading to the degrees of Masters of Letters (M.Litt.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Neither of these degrees has course requirements, although research students are normally welcome to audit or take third or fourth year (Senior Sophister) undergraduate courses – and on occasions they may be advised or required to do so. Graduate students working in the fields of Biblical and Jewish Studies may attend Greek and Hebrew classes if they wish. At present there are 16 research students School. Where possible every effort is made to provide advanced graduate students with the opportunity to gain some teaching experience. Over the past few years Graduate students of the Department have organised an annual conference which has attracted visitors from the UK, USA and Europe. (Graduate Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Biblical World: www.gia-conference.com. The proceedings of these conferences have been published.

Applicants wishing to apply for retrospective admission to the previous March or September register should contact the Graduate Studies Office by emailing research.admissions

March 2014 Entry

September 2014 Entry

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