Psychology/Theology & Religious Studies
Psychology and theology and religious studies is a combination that addresses the human being from two very different but complementary angles. Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour, exploring how people think, act, react, and interact, and how this understanding can help address individual and societal challenges. Theology and religious studies examines the beliefs, texts, practices, and institutions through which human beings have understood their relationship to the divine and to questions of ultimate meaning.
The two disciplines share a fascination with what drives human behaviour, how communities are formed and sustained, and what it means to flourish as a person.
At the University of Glasgow this four-year, full-time Joint Honours programme develops your understanding of both disciplines within a university that has exceptional strengths in each. You will study psychology scientifically, developing knowledge of cognitive, social, developmental, and biological psychology alongside research methods and the critical evaluation of evidence. The theology and religious studies component introduces you to the traditions, texts, and ethical debates of major world religions, to the history of Christian thought, and to the philosophical and anthropological dimensions of religious life.
A year abroad is built into the programme, broadening your academic experience and giving you exposure to different intellectual and cultural traditions.
Graduates of this combination pursue careers in healthcare, counselling, pastoral care, chaplaincy, education, social work, community development, and the many organisations concerned with human wellbeing and meaning. The psychological training, particularly where it leads to British Psychological Society accreditation, provides the foundation for further professional training as a psychologist. The religious studies and theology component adds value in interfaith work, chaplaincy, education, and any role that requires sensitivity to the spiritual and cultural dimensions of human experience.
Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in psychology, theology, or a combined field such as psychology of religion or pastoral counselling.