I’m Grace, a third year student at the University of Manchester studying Religion, Theology and Ethics. I chose to study religion at Manchester because they offer such a diverse range of modules covering a broad selection of topics, which made it easy to learn and discover my personal interests and broaden my knowledge; the topics cover anything from the role of women within Judaism to E.T being a Christlike figure. For the first two years of the course, you complete three modules in each semester, some modules will be mandatory for the course and others will be optional. For my studies, I would have a lecture and a seminar each week for each module and outside of this I would be working on set work such as essays, presentations and exam revision set by the lecturers. In your third year you complete a dissertation and four modules. The staff support in the Religions, Theology and ethics department has been excellent throughout my experience. The lecturers offer useful office hours which are super important to attend and this is an opportunity to ask questions you have, receive essay advice and book recommendations.

Some of my favourite modules I have taken in my two years so far have been Bible in Ancient and Modern Worlds, Religion in Japan, All about Eve: Encountering the First Woman from Antiquity to Today and God at the Movies. The range of different modules the University provides is perfect for exploring different aspects of religion and theology you might have never explored or studied; this has been useful for finding preferred topics which is important when deciding on dissertation topics in third year.

Student life at the University of Manchester is lively and active. The university offers the opportunity to complete the Stellify award which consists of two online courses, 25 hours of volunteer work and two leadership roles. I have found this very rewarding to complete and definitely worth participating in as you gain good independence skills and an extra achievement to graduate with. They also offer the opportunity to study abroad, career support and a huge range of societies to join.

Overall, the University of Manchester is an excellent place to learn, gain independence and learn to be proactive in your own education. A piece of advice I would offer to any offer holders is to not be afraid to ask questions and to take advantage of extra resources and lecturers offering extra help as it will benefit your overall achievements.

Written by Grace Skinner, a 3rd year BA Religions, Theology and Ethics student

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