SEARCH
Bereichsbild
Home > Courses >

Christianity and Culture

Degree: Master of Arts
Application required: access-restricted
Course commences: winter semester / summer semester
Standard course duration: 4 semesters
Format options: full-time / part-time
Language requirements:

certified proficiency of Hebrew, Ancient Greek or Latin (at end of course);
further language requirements depending on the focus (at end of course)

  • Biblical Studies, Old Testament: Hebrew
  • Biblical Studies, New Testament: Ancient Greek
  • Biblical Studies, Old and New Testament: Hebrew and Ancient Greek
  • History of Christianity: Latin and Ancient Greek
  • Religious Studies / Intercultural Theology: Latin
Language of instruction: German
Other features: postgraduate / consecutive

Faculty of Theology

 

Course outline

Students choose one of five options:

  1. Biblical Studies [100 CP]
  2. History of Christianity [100 CP]
  3. Dogmatics [100 CP]
  4. Ethics and Social Action [100 CP]
  5. Religious Studies / Intercultural Theology [100 CP]

They also study a subsidiary (minor) subject [20 CP].

Biblical Studies focuses on the two exegetic disciplines Old Testament and/or New Testament.

History of Christianity is concerned with the history of the Christian churches.

Dogmatics imparts knowledge on Biblical, historical and present-day topics and indicates ways of integrating these topics into theological doctrines. Students are also trained in the argumentative representation of the tenets of the Christian faith.

In Ethics and Social Action, students acquire knowledge of, and insight into, the problems of Christian action in the past and present and the ability to arrive at ethical judgments of their own.

Religious Studies / Intercultural Theology centres on theoretical approaches to Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as to new religious movements and esoteric beliefs. Intercultural Theology focuses on the history of theology and Christianity in Asia, Africa and Latin America alongside fundamental issues in intercultural theology (interreligious dialogue, religious theologies, missiology, contextual theologies, etc.).

Course structure

The M.A. course on Christianity and Culture as a main subject is made up of a compulsory module (6 CP), the obligatory modules of the option selected (48 CP) and further elective modules (16 CP). A subsidiary subject accounts for 20 CP, the M.A. thesis for 30 CP.

I. Compulsory Module

Whichever option they choose, students must attend a module on the Philosophy of Science (6 CP) in which the theoretical foundations of the subject are reflected on.

Biblical Studies

II. Compulsory modules in Biblical Studies

The core subject matter in Biblical Studies is covered by the following five modules (48 CP) focusing on exegesis (Old Testament and/or New Testament), the reading of texts from the Old Testament and/or the New Testament (Hebrew and/or Greek) and an essay in line with academic standards:

These modules extend and deepen the basic knowledge of the Old Testament and/or New Testament acquired in the B.A. course Christianity and Culture.

III. Elective modules in Biblical Studies

Students are required to choose two modules (16 CP) from the following offerings. They impart specialist knowledge of the selected option from a variety of perspectives and/or supplementary knowledge from neighbouring disciplines.

Students admitted to the M.A. course on the basis of completion of a B.A. degree course the content of which is not largely identical with that of the Heidelberg B.A. course on Christianity and Culture are required to substitute the Biblical Studies foundation module for one of the elective modules.

History of Christianity

II. Compulsory modules in History of Christianity

The core subject matter in History of Christianity is covered by the following five modules (48 CP):

These modules extend and deepen the basic knowledge of the Old Testament and New      Testament acquired in the B.A. course Christianity and Culture.

III. Elective modules in History of Christianity

Students are required to choose two modules (16 CP) from the following offerings. They impart specialist knowledge of the selected option from a variety of perspectives and/or supplementary knowledge from neighbouring disciplines.

Students admitted to the M.A. course Christianity and Culture on the basis of completion of a B.A. degree course the content of which is not largely identical with that of the Heidelberg B.A. course Christianity and Culture are required to substitute the History of Christianity foundation module for one of the elective modules.

Dogmatics

II. Pflichtbereich Dogmatik

The core subject matter in Dogmatics is covered by the following five modules (48 CP):

These modules extend and deepen the basic knowledge of dogmatics acquired in the B.A. course Christianity and Culture.

III. Elective modules in Dogmatics

Students are required to choose two modules (16 CP) from the following offerings. They impart specialist knowledge of the selected option from a variety of perspectives and/or supplementary knowledge from neighbouring disciplines.

Students admitted to the M.A. course Christianity and Culture on the basis of completion of a B.A. degree course the content of which is not largely identical with that of the Heidelberg B.A. course Christianity and Culture are required to substitute the Dogmatics foundation module for one of the elective modules.

Ethics and Social Action

II. Compulsory modules in Ethics and Social Action

The core subject matter in Ethics and Social Action is covered by the following five modules (48 CP):

These modules extend and deepen the basic knowledge of Ethics and Diaconal Studies acquired in the B.A. course Christianity and Culture.

III. Elective modules in Ethics and Social Action

Students are required to choose two modules (16 CP) from the following offerings. They impart specialist knowledge of the selected option from a variety of perspectives and/or supplementary knowledge from neighbouring disciplines.

 

Students admitted to the M.A. course Christianity and Culture on the basis of completion of a B.A. degree course the content of which is not largely identical with that of the Heidelberg B.A. course Christianity and Culture are required to substitute the Ethics and Social Action foundation module for one of the elective modules.

Religious Studies / Intercultural Theology

II. Compulsory modules in Religious Studies / Intercultural Theology

The core subject matter in Religious Studies / Intercultural Theology is covered by the following five modules (48 CP):

These modules extend and deepen the basic knowledge of Religious Studies / Intercultural Theology acquired in the B.A. course Christianity and Culture.

III. Elective modules in Religious Studies / Intercultural Theology

Students are required to choose two modules (16 CP) from the following offerings. They impart specialist knowledge of the selected option from a variety of perspectives and/or supplementary knowledge from neighbouring disciplines.

Students admitted to the M.A. course Christianity and Culture on the basis of completion of a B.A. degree course the content of which is not largely identical with that of the Heidelberg B.A. course Christianity and Culture are required to substitute the Religious Studies / Intercultural Theology foundation module for one of the elective modules.

Subsidiary (minor) subject

In this course 20 CP are acquired in a subsidiary (minor) subject. Here is a list of all subsidiary subjects on offer.

The M.A. course Christianity and Culture can also be taken as a subsidiary (minor) subject accounting for 20 CP.

Formal requirements

Access

Access to the course is restricted. You will find the Admission Regulations here.

Prospective students from Germany

Prospective students from Germany can enrol without prior application at the Central University Administration building by the beginning of the lecture period. To matriculate, they are required to show a written statement of admission issued by the representative of the Master’s programme they wish to attend, confirming that the requirements set out in the Admission Regulations have been met. Please apply to the Faculty of Theology for further information on how to proceed.

International prospective students

 

Prospective students from other countries must apply in writing, so that their previous academic record can be verified. The deadline for international applicants is 15 June for the winter semester and 15 November for the summer semester. Applications must be addressed directly to the International Relations Office. Please use the M.A. application form here and enclose the necessary documents.

Further information

Current information on procedure

Study and examination regulations

Examination regulations M.A. (16 July 2009, last updated: 07 February 2013)
Examination regulations M.A. (16 July 2009, last updated: 25 March 2015)

Module Handbook

Please click here to find the latest Module Handbook.

Examinations board

Issues arising in connection with examinations, credit transfer and academic credential recognition are dealt with by the relevant examinations board/office. For more information, consult the academic advisor(s) indicated below.

Fees

Tuition fees at Heidelberg University are payable at the beginning of each semester.

Academic advisor

Dr. Dirk Schwiderski
Kisselgasse 1, Office 123
Office hours in term time: Mondays and Tuesdays 11.00 am-11.30 am
phone: +49 (0)6221 543394
e-mail: dirk.schwiderski@wts.uni-heidelberg.de

Contact

Dean of the Faculty of Theology
Hauptstraße 231
D-69117 Heidelberg

Administration

Franziska Röthig
phone.: +49 (0)6221-54-3334
fax: +49 (0)6221-54-3372
e-mail: dekanat@theologie.uni-heidelberg.de
Internet: www.uni-heidelberg.de/fakultaeten/theologie/fakultaet/

Location

Student representation

Internet: /www.uni-heidelberg.de/fakultaeten/theologie/fachschaft/

Editor: e-mail
Latest Revision: 2019-02-26
zum Seitenanfang/up