Religious Studies

Research Degrees (MA, MPhil, PhD)

The Department aims to be a nationally excellent site for the training of research students in the study of religion, and holds both AHRC studentship awards and the first AHRC collaborative research training grant to support methodological training for doctoral students in this field at a national level. It takes seriously the need for professional training for its doctoral students, and wherever possible provides them with opportunities for teaching work and planning research activities, as well as financial support for conference attendance. Research students are also helped to think about how to develop their writing skills for publication, and where possible to submit work for publication in peer-reviewed journals during their period of registration. In addition to its regular theory reading seminar and annual research workshop (involving a leading researcher from outside the Department), a range of research activities are also available through the Centre for Religion and Contemporary Society enabling research students to engage with the leading edge of research in this field.

Staff in the Department are nationally and internationally recognised for their research expertise and are able to offer supervision across a range of disciplinary perspectives including philosophy, theology, sociology, politics, economics, anthropology, and media and cultural studies. Key areas of research supervision include:

  • philosophy of religion (especially Michel Foucault, William James, or Eastern philosophical traditions)
  • the critical psychology of religion
  • social and critical theory of religion
  • religious experience and religious subjectivity
  • religion, gender and sexuality
  • Christian ethics (including health-care ethics and the normative critique of contemporary culture)
  • the cultural sociology of the sacred
  • religion and film
  • religion, media and cultural institutions
  • material religion
  • ethnographic studies of religion

The Department welcomes applications for its M Phil/PhD research degrees from applicants with strong previous academic track records (e.g. 1st class honours at undergraduate level and/or distinction at Masters level). Each year, the University of Kent and the School of European Culture and Languages make available a range of studentship and bursary awards, and strong applicants are encouraged to apply for these.

The Department also offers the opportunity for students to undertake an MA degree by research. Whilst primarily a research degree, students undertaking the MA by research will also have the opportunity to attend modules relevant to their area of interest and to participate in methodology training available more generally in the Department.

Religious Studies, School of European Culture and Languages, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NF

Enquiries: +44 (0)1227 827159 or email Religious Studies

Last Updated: 31/10/2011