Our BA programmes

Level 2 programme

In the second year, students take two core modules and then select remaining modules based on personal interest and future goals. While Level 2 and 3 modules are offered on a rotational basis and so not all will be available in a given year, tutors will work with you to plan a satisfying, three-year programme of study.

Core modules

The core modules focus on a discrete collection of texts from the Old Testament in the first semester and from the New Testament in the second semester.

For the Old Testament, these include the prophetic texts, the first five books known collectively as the Pentateuch or Torah, or the so-called historical narratives from Joshua to 2 Kings, known collectively as the Deuteronomistic History. For the New Testament, students study gospels or the letters of Paul.

Optional modules

Hannah Welch: 'reading biblical texts in the original languages allows you to make your own decisions about how to translate words...'

A range of other modules are offered each year, looking at areas such as post-colonialism, archaeology, gender, theology, historical approaches, literary approaches, the Bible in the Arts, sacred space, and the impact of the Bible in the modern world.

Students are also given the opportunity to develop their language skills in more detail at this stage, examining close readings of specific Hebrew or Greek texts, their complexities and ambiguities. There is the opportunity to begin study of a second biblical language as well, for those who choose.

Progress and development

By the end of level 2, students should understand theories of biblical authorship and the impact this collection of books continues to have today on various aspects of cultures around the world and on other academic disciplines, particularly history, English, archaeology, sociology, geography, and journalism.

For those who continue studying a biblical language, it will be possible to read selected texts in the original Hebrew or Greek, with a stronger knowledge of grammar and vocabulary.

Language students also learn to use critical methods to explore and weigh up significant variations between different biblical manuscripts.

Core modules:

Core modules are rotated annually. These may include:

Semester 1 (will be one of the three below, on a three-year rotation)

BIB245 Creation to the Sinai Revelation: Torah (Genesis –Deuteronomy)

BIB246 From Settlement to Exile: Constructing the Story of Israel (Joshua-2 Kings)

BIB247 Prophecy and Prophetic Literature

Semester 2 (on a two-year rotation)

BIB219 Fourfold Gospel

BIB248 The Letters of Paul

Optional modules:

BIB110 Biblical Hebrew A
BIB111 Biblical Hebrew B

BIB120 New Testament Greek A
BIB121 New Testament Greek B