The Graduate School is led by some of the UK’s most respected and high-profile scholars of theology and religion, and has an international reputation as a research centre. We offer students the chance to engage with cutting-edge research in a wide range of areas, and we attract a diverse community of staff and students from around the world.

Why study with us?

• Our size and breadth of specialisms:
  The School of Divinity is one of the largest centres for the study of Theology and Religion in the UK. We currently have 35 full-time academic staff, including internationally respected scholars in a wide range of specialisms.
• Top-rated-research/world-class rankings
  The UK 's Research Excellence Framework (2014) ranked the School of Divinity first in Scotland, and fourth in the UK on the quality and volume of our research.
• A supportive environment
  A recent review commended us for the excellent support we provide to students; for our responsiveness to student feedback; our proactive approach to helping students to integrate into life at the School and the University, and for our practical support for career development.

We offer Masters by research and PhD programmes in the following research areas:

Ethics & Practical Theology
Explore theoretical and practical approaches in areas such as environmental ethics, peace-building, and pastoral theology

Hebrew & Old Testament Studies
Investigate the Hebrew Bible and its context: poetry and prophecy, theology and ethics, the Dead Sea Scrolls.

History of Christianity
Engage deeply with the Christian past - whether your interests lie in centuries long ago, or the near present.

Islamic Studies & Christian –Muslim Relations
Pursue interdisciplinary study of Islamic thought and practice, and of encounters between Christianity and Islam.

New Testament and Christian Origins
Undertake research in exegesis, historical-critical issues, textual and literary criticism, the relation between Christianity and its religious and historical setting, the history of interpretation, and hermeneutical questions.

Religious Studies
Specialise in contemporary, historical or thematic research, in areas such as Asian Studies, History of Religions/New Religions, and Jewish Studies.

Science & Religion
Bring together the two great truth-seeking disciplines and explore how they challenge and inform each other

Systematic Theology
Undertake a critical and creative engagement with Christian thought, in a context of intellectual diversity

World Christianity
Focus on Christianity in and from all parts of the majority world, and on African and Asian churches in the northern hemisphere.

Scholarships and funding

On average around 50% of Divinity postgraduate students are awarded some level of scholarship funding

• Scholarships are awarded on academic merit. Most are open to all, but some are ring-fenced for applicants from certain parts of the world.
• Typically, awards are for full or partial fee costs. Fully funded awards are exceptional and highly competitive.
• Offer-holders will be considered automatically for School of Divinity scholarships, but for other awards you should check specific application requirements and deadlines.

Search our scholarship opportunities.

Contact us

School of Divinity
New College
Mound Place
Edinburgh EH1 2LX
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 131 650 7227
Email: Divinity.PG@ed.ac.uk

Or visit our website.