The four-semester master’s programme in Religious Literacy leads to an advanced degree (“Master of Arts”) and prepares students for an academic career.

The Religious Literacy MA programme is divided into a common core (30 ECTS), a specialisation area (60 ECTS) to be chosen from four elective areas, and the master’s thesis (30 ECTS).

According to the recommended programme completion scheme, students are to complete the core area in the first semester, their chosen specialisation area in the second and third semesters, and the master’s thesis in the fourth semester.

The chosen specialisation is shown on the degree certificate; for example: “MA Religious Literacy with a specialisation in Interreligious Studies”.

MA Religious Literacy: Module structure

(Structure chart)

Master’s thesis (30 ECTS)

Interreligious Studies (Sem. 2-3)

Distribution area: Free elective modules (15 ECTS)

Practical language training (10 ECTS)

Interreligious project (10 ECTS)

Theory and practice of interreligious dialogue (10 ECTS)

History of interreligious relations (10 ECTS)

Religious traditions: Specialisation (5 ECTS)

Public Theology (Sem. 2-3)

Distribution area: Free elective modules (10 ECTS)

Fields of action in public theology: Internship module (10 ECTS)

Distribution area: Modules on political theory (10 ECTS)

Interdisciplinary dialogue (10 ECTS)

Philosophical contextualisation of public theology B (5 ECTS)

Philosophical contextualisation of public theology A (5 ECTS)

Issues and methods in public theology B (5 ECTS)

Issues and methods in public theology A (5 ECTS)

Religion and Education

Distribution area: Modules from General Ed., Elementary/Family Ed., Adult/Continuing Ed., Social Ed. and Services (min. 20 ECTS)

Fields of action in religious education: Internship module (5 ECTS)

Religion in educational contexts (10 ECTS)

Religion and society A and Theory and practice of Christian ethics B OR

Theory and practice of Christian ethics A and Religion and society B (total 10 + 5 ECTS)

Sacred texts of Christianity: NT or alternative module (5 ECTS)

Sacred texts of Christianity: OT or alternative module (5 ECTS)

Theological Studies (Sem. 2-3)

Fields of action in practical theology: Internship module (5 ECTS)

Practical theology A OR Practical theology B (5 ECTS)

Theological ethics (10 ECTS)

Fundamental and dogmatic theology (10 ECTS)

Church history (10 ECTS)

Bible studies – NT (10 ECTS)

Bible studies – OT (10 ECTS)

Common core area (Semester 1)

Religious traditions: Judaism (5 ECTS)

Religious traditions: Christianity (5 ECTS)

Religious traditions: Islam (5 ECTS)

Religious studies and hermeneutics (5 ECTS)

Key texts in an academic foreign language OR source language instruction(5 ECTS)

Key concepts of philosophical and theological ethics: Master’s module (5 ECTS)

Core area [30 ECTS]

The common core consists of a basic foundation in religious studies and theology, including the study of at least two of the three religious traditions offered (15 ECTS), as well as a basic course on methods in religious studies and hermeneutics (5 ECTS), on working with an academic foreign language (5 ECTS), and on philosophical or theological ethics (5 ECTS).

Students may choose from the following specialisations [60 ECTS each]

Specialisation Interreligious Studies

Content

The Interreligious Studies specialisation focuses on the cultural and political relations of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and their respective social contexts in order to enable students to make constructive contributions to interreligious dialogue. Doing so requires knowledge of the cultural particularities and historical interdependencies of the religious traditions as well as an understanding of current challenges. Accordingly, the programme is designed in a broad and interdisciplinary manner, with perspectives and methods of theology and religious studies complementing each other. Additional courses from the social sciences, history, art history or literary studies complement the programme range or can be added as electives in the distribution area.

Structure

Specialisation Public Theology

Content

The Public Theology specialisation concentrates on theological, ethical, political and social issues. Related economic, socio-philosophical and sociological contexts are also considered. Furthermore, the degree programme is characterised by a strong reference to specific public discourses. The aim of this specialisation area is to demonstrate and enhance the public discourse competence of Protestant theology. Graduates of the master’s programme have in-depth knowledge of theological, ethical, religious, political, socio-philosophical and economic theories and sources of orientation, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the connections between these areas. This knowledge enables them to apply theological and ethical criteria in an interdisciplinary manner and therefore to arrive at well-founded judgements for public guidance. Furthermore, they can effectively communicate their knowledge and points of view.

Structure

Specialisation Religion and Education

Content

• Is the exploration of religion part of a comprehensive and fundamental human education?
• How should we think about Christianity and other religions in terms of their shaping influence on cultures and societies?
• What role does religion play in the current debates on education?

The specialisation in Religion and Education addresses these and many other questions and solutions. Religion is understood as an important factor in culture and society and analysed in terms of its relevance for education. In this context, perspectives from theology, religious studies and the sociology of religion play a central role, as do questions of religious education and pedagogy.

Structure

Specialisation Theological Studies

Content

• How can the question of God be communicated in a plural world? How can humans be interpreted in Christian-religious terms?
• What is the significance of the Bible for our culture? What does knowledge of church history contribute to cultural reassurance?
• What is the role of ethics in the age of biotechnology? To what extent is climate change a challenge for theology?
• Why does education need religion?

The specialisation in Theological Studies addresses these and many other theological questions, problems and solutions. Recent theological and interdisciplinary research has offered some provisional answers. Enabling students to know, analyse and communicate these answers is a key goal of the master’s degree programme. In addition, students are to acquire skills and abilities in dealing with theological content that enable the planning, structuring and implementation of independent theological research. The tensions between Christian faith, plural society and an increasingly secular or churchless perception of reality forms the basis on which theological work can and must take place.

Structure