Divinity

Online support

When you register, we will give you access to your Student Portal. You can then access your University of London email account and other key resources:

• The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Here, you can access videos, podcasts, electronic readings, reading notes, activities and discussion forums where you will be able to discuss your studies with your tutors and fellow students..
• The Online Library. As a student at the University of London, you will have access to a range of resources via the Online Library. It is staffed by a team of professional librarians who are available to assist you when needed.

Senate House Library

If you’re based in the United Kingdom, or are visiting London, make sure to visit Senate House Library. Students studying with the University of London can join the library free of charge. Membership includes a 10-book borrowing allowance, access to all reading rooms and study areas, and on-site access to Senate House Library digital resources.

Student Support

We are committed to delivering an exceptional student experience for all of our students.

You will have access to support through:

• The Student Advice Centre - provides support for application and Student Portal queries.
• An Online Tutor for every module - provides academic support through the VLE discussion forums and by email
• TalkCampus - a peer support service that offers a safe and confidential way to talk about whatever is on your mind at any time of day or night.

Assessment

Most modules are assessed by means of a combination of coursework (45 per cent) submitted in February and a two to four hour examination (50 per cent) taken in May. You can also be given credit for contributing to the discussion forums (5 per cent). The Dissertation module is assessed by means of an 8,000 - 10,000 word dissertation.

Programme Director

Dr Elizabeth Burns is Director of the University of London distance learning programmes in Divinity and Reader in Philosophy of Religion. Elizabeth has a BD (specialising in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics) from King’s College London, a PhD from Queens’ College, Cambridge, a PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education from Suffolk College, Ipswich, and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Elizabeth taught Philosophy of Religion at Heythrop College, formerly the University of London, from 2000-2017, where she was Dean of Undergraduate Studies from 2003-2008.

Read more about Dr Elizabeth Burns and our academic staff for this programme.

For direct access to the BD or DipHE, you will usually meet the following criteria:

• Age 17+ by 30 November in the year of registration.
• Satisfy our General Entrance Requirements.
• Meet our English language requirements

For direct access to the CertHE:

• Age 18+ by 1 September in the year of registration.
• Three GCSEs (Grade A*-C / 9-4) or equivalent.
• Meet our English language requirements.

For access by Performance based admission:

If you do not meet the academic requirements for direct entry, you can apply for the CertHE via the Performance based admission route.

To be eligible to register you must:

• normally be aged 18 or above by the registration deadline of the year in which you will be entering; and
• satisfy the English language requirements.

To be admitted onto the CertHE Divinity, you must pass the FHEQ Level four module Religion, meaning and value [DT1150].

What if I do not meet the above criteria?

Even if you do not meet the standard requirements, we will consider each application on its own merits. Our Admissions Panel will consider whether any alternative/incomplete qualifications or work experience you have are suitable for entry to the programme. If we are unable to issue you an offer for either the BD, DipHE, CertHE or performance based admission routes then, if available, we will advise on further alternatives such as our International Foundation Programme or on additional qualifications you need to take in order to meet our minimum entrance criteria.

English language requirements

You need to demonstrate a good level of English to be admitted to our programmes. We accept a range of evidence, including proficiency test scores. For a list of these, please see here. If you don’t have evidence but believe you can meet the standard, we may still consider your case.

Computer requirements

We set minimum basic computer requirements because your study resources are accessed via the Student Portal and it is vital that you can access this regularly. For this degree, you will also need Adobe Flash Player to view video material and a media player (such as VLC) to play video files.

More about computer requirements.

Can I transfer credits from other awards?

If you have studied material as part of a previous qualification that is comparable in content, level and standard to one or more of our Divinity modules, you might be exempted from the equivalent module/s for the University of London degree. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (APL), Credit Transfer or Exemption. For the Bachelor of Divinity, you can apply for up to four Level four modules.

Please note that, if you wish to be considered for discretionary recognition of prior learning for the 2023 intake, then you must formally apply and submit your request by: 1 September 2023.

More about Recognition of Prior Learning

To be considered for RPL you should make a formal request within your application when applying online. Alternatively, this can be done through an online enquiry, once you have submitted your application.

You may apply for RPL for up to four level 4 modules.

We do not normally recognise prior learning completed more than five years before your registration on this programme.

Note: that all discretionary RPL requests must be submitted by the dates specified for October intake, in the year that you apply. Once submitted, we must receive all required supporting evidence by the deadline stated.

Further information on rules regarding RPL is covered in the Recognition of Prior Learning section of the appropriate Programme Regulations and Section 3 of the General Regulations.

RPL and Performance based admission

If you wish to enter the CertHE programme via the Performance Based Admissions (PBA) route, you may apply for recognition of prior learning at the point of application. Any approved RPL will be formally applied to your record once you have been successfully admitted onto the full CertHE programme.

To enter the CertHE via the PBA route, you must first register for and pass the Level four module Religion, meaning and value [DT1150]. We will not recognise or accredit prior learning for this module as part of this entry route as it must be passed in order to progress onto the CertHE Divinity.

If you do not successfully pass the Religion, meaning and value [DT1150] module and therefore are not admitted onto the CertHE Divinity, any application fees paid for discretionary RPL are non-refundable.

The fees below relate to new students registering for the 2023-2024 session. On average, fees are subject to a five per cent year-on-year increase.

Students who registered earlier can view their fees on the Programme Fees page.

You may incur additional costs with parties which are external to the University of London. For example, examination centre charges and there may be locally imposed taxes. You should budget for these accordingly.

Disclaimer: Currency conversion tool.

*The indicative totals have been calculated assuming the programme is completed in the minimum time (i.e. three years) with no examination resits.

*The online examination administration fee is charged for each examination paper held online, including resits. This does not apply to any coursework submissions.

More about programme fees

The study materials for all modules except Texts in Hebrew are available online, either as scanned chapters or in the Online Library but if you wish to purchase hard copy textbooks you will need to budget for these.

Sales Tax

Please note: all student fees shown are net of any local VAT, Goods and Services Tax (GST) or any other sales tax payable by the student in their country of residence. Where the University is required to add VAT, GST or any other sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the fees shown during the payment process. For students resident in the UK, our fees are exempt from VAT.

Further information on Sales Tax

Your payment provider may apply additional transaction fees. (If in doubt, please check with them before making a payment.)

Without the cost of moving to London, studying for your University of London degree anywhere in the world represents excellent value for money. However, there are additional sources of support depending on where you live and how you choose to study.

More on funding your study.

You can pay your fees in a number of ways, including an online payment facility via the Student Portal and Western Union Quick Pay.

More on how to pay your fees

The degree can help to prepare you for a variety of career paths. For example, with further training, you could become a teacher, social worker, counsellor, police officer, journalist, or lawyer.

What do employers think of our graduates?

In some countries, qualifications earned by distance and flexible learning may not be recognised by certain authorities or regulators for the purposes of public sector employment or further study. We advise you to explore the local recognition status before you register, even if you plan to receive support from a local teaching institution.

You’ll have access to a wide range of careers and employability support through the University of London Careers Service, including live webinars and online drop-in sessions.

More on the University of London Careers Service

Tailored support for careers in the refugee and humanitarian fields is available through regular programme events, webinars and careers resources.