Theology and Oriental Studies

The course in Theology and Oriental Studies enables you to learn in depth about a number of the world’s great religious traditions, including Christianity (taught primarily in the Theology Faculty) and Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism(taught primarily in the Oriental Studies Faculty). To engage with all the different aspects of the course, you have to be something of a historian and a philosopher, a textual and literary critic, and a linguist. All these disciplines together not only enable students to appreciate the qualities of religions that in some cases are radically different from those in western societies but, like the other arts subjects, equip graduates to embark on a wide range of careers.

The Theology and Oriental Studies Faculties have between them more than 270 members, ranging from experts in the ancient languages and literature of the world’s religions to church historians and systematic theologians. Our library facilities are excellent. Besides the Bodleian Library and the Theology Faculty library, most college libraries have a theology section, and the Oriental Institute Library and the Sackler Library offer loan collections in fields important for the study of oriental religions. The Theology Faculty Centre and the Oriental Institute provide access to a vast range of networked resources in Humanities including electronic journals, library catalogues, language learning programmes, and digitised texts for different parts of the course.

Oxford graduates in Theology and Oriental Studies can expect to go on to careers as diverse as law, social work, the media, journalism, publishing, banking, management consultancy, accountancy, personnel management, teaching, the police force and the arts. Employers look very favourably on applicants who have learned oriental languages, and Oxford graduates with such skills are among the most successful each year in finding employment. The Theology Faculty's website has information about careers for theologians.