MA / PG Dip / PG Cert (Religious Education and Social Justice)

Course Overview

St Angela’s College, Sligo is currently inviting applications for a Master of Arts/Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in Religious Education and Social Justice (online) for an intake in September 2021. Over the course of the programme, students will analyse the provision of religious education in schools as a social justice issue in its own right, thereby developing their awareness of, and responses to, the impact of social justice issues on religion, education, and religious education. Additionally, this programme will equip students with the skills needed to critique and investigate the challenges and opportunities presented for the provision of high quality religious education in contemporary schools.

This online MA aims to equip students with the skills needed to investigate the challenges and opportunities for the provision of high quality religious education in schools. 

The MA is aimed at graduates from a wide range of disciplines including, but not limited to: Initial Teacher Education (primary and post-primary), philosophy, theology, religious studies, politics, equality studies, anthropology, psychology, sociology, and legal studies. The programme may also appeal to those working in areas such as advocacy, the charity sector, youth and community work, pastoral care, parish workers, or those with a keen interest in the relationship between religion, education, and social justice.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Additional Requirements

Course Outline

Students successfully completing 45 ECTS of modules (3 core modules) in Stage 1 of the programme continue to Stage 2 where they undertake the Advanced Research Module (core module) and the Dissertation Module (core module) and exit with a Master of Arts (Religious Education and Social Justice).

Alternatively, students may exit with a Postgraduate Certificate on successfully completing 30 ECTS (2 core modules) or with a Postgraduate Diploma on successfully completing 60 ECTS (4 modules, including the 3 core  modules).  Students can also opt to complete the Advanced Research module as the 4th module for the Diploma instead of choosing one of the optional modules listed.

Students may also study standalone modules and exit with 15 ECTS (NFQ, Level 9) upon successful completion of a module.

Module Options Stage 1: All modules = 15 ECTS (NFQ, Level 9)
•  Readings in Social Justice and the Common Good (Core Module)
•  Religion, Education and Society (Core Module)
•  The Site of Justice? The Religious Education Teacher and the Classroom (Core Module)

Fourth Optional Module for Postgraduate Diploma:
•  Inclusion for Learning
•  Issues and Skills in Pastoral Care/Chaplaincy Studies
•  Theory/Practice of Counselling: Adolescent and Young Adult Development and Pastoral Skills

Modules Stage 2: Both modules are core modules
•  Advanced Research module (Core 15 ECTS Module))
•  Dissertation module (Core 30 ECTS Module)

Each module will include student contact time, directed study, independent and e-learning study giving a total participant effort of at least 300 hours for each module. Students will also be expected to participate in online discussions of programme content. Module delivery may overlap depending on the choice of modules. Modules will normally be assessed by continuous assessment/written coursework (up to a maximum of 5,000 words per module) based on assignment, e-tivities and discussion boards, where appropriate.

Further Education

Graduates from the programme may proceed to doctoral research in related areas.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

Fees: Tuition

Fees: Student levy

Fees: Non EU

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