Course summary

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2024). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas. The Postgraduate Diploma in Theology and Religion (PGDip) is aimed for those wishing to pursue graduate study in theology and religion but whose first degree is not in theology or religious studies. The course may also be suitable for those wishing to enhance their knowledge of theology and religion for the sake of professional development. Please note, this course should not be confused with the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Theology, which has a separate focus and distinct entry requirements. You will choose three papers from the Course Options for the Final Honour School and Postgraduate Diploma; a fourth paper may also be chosen if you wish to extend your studies. There is a wide range of paper options available, but not all options are available every year. The Course Options webpage indicates which papers the faculty expects to run each year and which may not be available every year. Although PG Diploma students attend undergraduate-level lectures and classes, they are full members of the graduate community and are expected to draw on all the graduate resources of the faculty and the University. Students are at liberty in their choice of paper topics from across different areas of interest or to take papers which focus on a single area. Applicants planning to progress to one of the master’s courses offered by the Faculty of Theology and Religion would normally be expected to take at least one paper in the subject in which they would like to specialise. For example, someone intending to apply for a master’s (MPhil or MSt) in theology specialising in the New Testament should take at least one New Testament paper in the Postgraduate Diploma in Theology and Religion. If studying part-time, students will enrol on two papers in their first year of study, and the third paper (and fourth, if this option is chosen) in their second year. Please note that there is no graduation ceremony for the PGDip.