Course 2

Religion, Society & Public Policy

Next course: Multiculturalism & Islamophobia

Religion, Society & Public Policy

A study of religion's changing place in public institutions — from chaplaincy and faith schools to community organising and service delivery. The module considers what secular policy frameworks assume, and where those assumptions break down in practice.

  • Citizenship
  • Migration
  • Civil society
  • Fieldwork
  • Policy
University building seen across the lawn

Each block builds from concept to fieldwork, so students finish able to design their own study

We follow a four-stage
teaching structure

  1. Concepts
    & Definitions

    Weeks 1–3 establish the vocabulary: nationality, rights, recognition and the difference between formal status and everyday belonging.

  2. Case Studies
    & Context

    Weeks 4–7 work through British and comparative material, from citizenship testing to the civic role of faith institutions.

  3. Methods
    & Evidence

    Weeks 8–10 turn to how belonging is researched: interview design, positionality, and reading policy evidence critically.

  4. Application
    & Assessment

    Weeks 11–12 are given to the assessed research proposal, workshopped in seminars before submission.

  • Seminar
    led teaching

    Two hours of seminar each week, capped at eighteen students so discussion stays open and every voice gets airtime.

  • Assessment
    by proposal

    One 3,000-word research proposal, developed across the term with formative feedback at weeks six and ten.

  • Evidence
    based reading

    A curated reading list drawn from current research, refreshed each year so the material stays close to live policy debate.

Module at a glance

Credits
20
A standard 20-credit module running across the autumn semester, with twelve teaching weeks and one reading week.
Contact hours
36
One lecture and one seminar each week, plus scheduled office hours for proposal supervision.
Cohort size
18
Seminars are capped so that discussion remains genuinely participatory rather than lecture by another name.
Assessment
100%
Coursework only. A single research proposal, with formative feedback provided twice before final submission.

FAQ

Learn any
question

Is there any prerequisite reading?

No prior reading is required. A short introductory list is circulated two weeks before term for anyone who wants to arrive prepared.

The full reading list is released in week one, with core and optional texts marked separately so you can plan your term.

Can the module be audited?

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How is the research proposal assessed?

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What support is available for the proposal?

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How are seminars structured?

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Is attendance compulsory?

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Who should I contact about access needs?

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Can I take this alongside other modules?

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