Department of religious education

Consultancy initiatives in spirituality, education and community ethics

The Department of Religious Education is one of the largest, most innovative and exciting teaching and research departments of its kind in Britain. Its work embraces Religious and Moral Education in both religious and secular schools as well as the study of religion, ethics, politics, education, philosophy, theology and culture. There is wide staff expertise in the fields of anthropology, ethnography and sociology as well as philosophy of religion, philosophy of education, moral philosophy, theology and cultural studies.  The department is currently leading a major funded project supported by the Religion and Society Programme of the AHRC and the ESRC, investigating the question Does Religious Education Work?

Qualifications on offer include undergraduate and initial teacher education degrees and diplomas, Postgraduate Certificates, Masters, PhD and EdD.

In an era of global movements of peoples, and the encounter in local contexts of varied and disparate communities, the expertise of the department is increasingly focused on the strengthening of the institutions of community life through consultancy to a range of public and private sector agencies.  Accessing the rich and diverse deposits of faith, moral reflection and personal spiritual development as sources of social renewal, the department now offers consultancy support in areas such as;

• spiritual development and mentoring in the person-centred professions
• moral decision-making and corporate ethics
• interfaith and intercultural communication and dialogue
• anti-sectarianism and conflict-resolution
• education for participatory citizenship and global responsibility
• education for moral enquiry, values formation and democratic deliberation
• education in grief, loss and the emotional literacy of children and young  people.