What’s it like studying Theology and Religion?

Dylan Brooks

Maybe the highest compliment I can pay to studying Theology and Religion at Durham is that I genuinely love doing it. I think one of my fears before coming to university was that I’d have to spend three years doing something that I was only partially interested in which would make the work a bit of a drag. But thankfully I’ve found the opposite at Durham. I’ve found an enriching, lively, and fascinating degree.

What do you study?

The exploration on offer when studying theology and religion at Durham excels in both breadth and depth. I have been able to study history, sociology, languages and of course theology and the study of religion. Theology and religion is such a broad degree which I feel has given me a really good education in a number of areas. Within this breadth as well there is also a rich depth. The range of modules on offer has given me the opportunity to go into some really deep study of important and pervasive ideas. I’ve gained a detailed and intricate understanding of a number of topics in theology and religion.

Lecturers and Professors

I think a lot of the quality comes down to the lecturers and professors in the theology and religion department here. They are at the forefront of research and involve students in their work. They talk to us about current debates, show us their work and discuss these present issues with us. Coupling this with their genuine expertise and real drive to engage us academically makes for such an endowed learning experience with our lecturers and professors.

Me outside of Abbey House, Durham’s Theology and Religion department (located right next to the Cathedral!)

The Department

The lecturers and professors make up part of the department, along with staff, PhD Students, and of course other students. The theology and religion department at Durham is a close-knit department. Because of the department’s size I’ve been able to develop really good relationships with the professors in the department and been able to get to know the people on my degree pretty well over time. This creates a great environment for study and for growth. Getting to know my professors has really helped when I was struggling with work or had extra questions. Plus, being able to engage with world leading scholars in theology and religion is something quite special.

So, what is it like overall?

I think studying theology and religion at Durham is a really special experience because of the way all these factors come together. Having a close-knit department with superb professors engaging you on a broad range of topics that you explore to a really good depth is something I’ve loved. It comes together in moments where I find myself quite excited for the next lecture, or to get into the next text we will look at. Of course, it gets challenging at times and there’s a lot of work involved, but all in all, I’ve always found the reward to be there. I get to study something which I think is really compelling which allows me to grow in a number of different ways, all while doing so in a great department, and in a beautiful city.

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Dylan Brooks

Hello! I am a second year Theology and Religion student in St Cuthbert’s Society (Cuth’s for short) and I come from Manchester

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