Course summary
Based on our current staff research, we welcome proposals from those with an interest in the following broad areas: Buddhism; Christianity; Islam; Hinduism; the social and cultural transformations of contemporary religion and spirituality; sociology of religion; religion and popular culture; modern religious thought and history; religion and politics; occult and esoteric thought; and religion and gender. We enjoy good working relationships with related departments and centres, and joint supervision arrangements are sometimes possible. Our MPhil variant culminates in the writing of a 40,000 word thesis, whereas our PhD programme culminates in an 80,000 word thesis. The PhD programme is formed of two parts:
- During the initial or ‘probationary’ period we encourage you to dedicate your time to research training and general preparation for the thesis. We offer you the opportunity to take research training modules covering research skills and key concepts, theories and approaches in the sub-field in which you intend to write your thesis. During this period you would also be expected to write a literature review and begin the process of writing your thesis.
- During the final phase, which is subject to confirmation by an Upgrade Panel, you will complete your research, write the remainder of your thesis, and prepare for submission and examination.
Assessment method
Assessment is by original research and thesis.
Entry requirements
Bachelor's degree : 2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in a relevant social science subject. Master's degree: a good Masters degree in a social science background. We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information. As part of your application you will also need to provide a viable research proposal. Guidance can be found on our writing a research proposal webpage. We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously. We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 5.5 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
For information about fees and funding please visit our website: www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding.
Provider information
Lancaster University
Bailrigg
Lancaster
LA1 4YW