| Unit name | Introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THRS10067 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Toby Matthiesen |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Religion and Theology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
Religious traditions represent significant expressions of cultural values: understanding the past and present states of the world is not possible without some knowledge of these traditions. This unit introduces the history, ideas and practices of the three religious traditions whose history is connected, and which together have informed the religious understanding of Europe and the West, namely Judaism, Christianity and Islam. With reference to matters of ethics, thought, politics and law, the unit considers how the diverse ways these religions answer questions about the world and the place of human beings within it have shaped and continue to inform the way people, both individually and collectively, live their lives and seek to find meaning and purpose.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
First-year mandatory units are a required component of your degree. They are designed to prepare you for the rest of your degree by equipping you with the basic knowledge and key study skills that you will then develop throughout your course.
An overview of content
This unit offers an introduction to the history, ideas, and practices relevant to the academic study of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It will familiarise students with the origin stories, core texts, and beliefs of the Abrahamic religions. The unit content will mainly focus on the study of each religion in their own right and may cover themes and topics from antiquity to contemporary periods. This may include the texts and ideas of ancient Judaism in its own right, not merely as an antecedent to early Christianity, and the history and data of internal Jewish responses to the Holocaust. The course is also structured to highlight the interaction and cross-fertilisation between the three faiths, and the ways in which they have interacted in the Near and Middle East and beyond. This includes the influence of Judaism on Christianity, and the two on Islam, but also the ways in which Islam spread throughout the Middle East and beyond, leading to mass conversions of Christians in particular to Islam.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will experience new insights into religious traditions that all have had a profound and complex impact on the world we presently experience. You will be presented with a comprehensive survey of each religious tradition on its own terms which will give you a solid framework within which to understand both new information and what you already know. Moreover, you will see how none of these three faiths can be fully understood without reference to the other two, and how a grasp of the various ways in which these three faiths have influenced each other will give you a deeper understanding of each.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Classes will involve a combination of long- and short-form lectures, class discussion, investigative activities, and practical activities. Students will be expected to engage with readings and participate on a weekly basis. This will be further supported with drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises with tutor and peer feedback.
Tasks which do not count towards your unit mark but are required for credit (zero-weighted):
Response piece, 250 words (0%, required for Credit) [ILOs 1-3]
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Contribution mark (10%) [ILO 5]
3x class tests each worth 30% (90% total) [ILOs 1-4]
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. THRS10067).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
