Course Essentials
Welcome to the Foundation Year of the BA Theology, Philosophy and Religion. This is the beginning of your exciting four-year degree journey and over the next 12 months you will learn the core skills that will allow you to confidently begin the main Theology, Philosophy and Religion degree next year. I’m Ralph Norman, your Course Director, and together with my colleagues I look forward to helping you take your first steps in Higher Education, starting this September!
Ralph Norman
Course Director
Your Teaching Timetable
Teaching for your course will begin w.c 21 September 2026.
To help you plan your first few weeks, you can view an overview of the teaching activities for your course.
View your first semester teaching timetable.
On a mobile device, click the arrow next to “Search” at the top right of the page to view your timetable.
If your course is taught in groups, the overview will show activities for all groups. You will only need to attend sessions for your allocated group.
Once teaching begins, your individual timetable and group allocation will be available in MyTimetable provided you have completed online registration and created your computing account.
|
Your Semester 1 Modules |
|
The Fearless Learner |
|
The Big Picture* |
*All Foundation Year students take The Big Picture during Semester 1. The module includes shared lectures and smaller seminar and pastoral groups.
Seminar groups are arranged broadly by subject area so that discussions, examples, and activities can connect to your intended degree course.
The Unitimetables page shows an overview of all scheduled teaching for the module. You will not be expected to attend every seminar shown there.
Your confirmed lecture, seminar, and pastoral group will be available in MyTimetable once course registration and group allocations have been completed.
Key dates
Academic Calendar: Semesters
View key dates for this Academic Calendar for 2026-27 including when teaching starts and finishes and when you break for holidays.
Welcome
Your Welcome Week is an essential introduction to your course and the wider University, helping you to feel confident and prepared for your studies right from the very start.
There will be two Welcome Week sessions for you to attend. The first will be open to all Foundation Year students in the University. The second will be specifically for Foundation Year students studying the Humanities. This will involve a general induction, course specific information, a social activity and a chance to meet your Personal Academic Tutor.
It is important to check your Course Welcome Week for all the activities you are required to attend as part of your course induction.
In addition, check the Student Events Hub for a range of fun activities. including the Students’ Union Welcome Fair, to help you make friends and live your best CCCU student life.
Getting started
Your studies will be made up of lectures (taught in large groups) and seminars/workshops (smaller groups) alongside tutorials where you can meet your tutor on a one-to-one basis. All of your studies will take place on campus, except for organised field trips. Module Blackboards provide detailed information on your modules, assessments, reading lists and other learning resources.
In Semester 1 you will study:
The Fearless Learner
This module is designed to settle you into university study and to understand what academic work looks like in your subject area. Early sessions will focus on confidence, curiosity and the idea that not-knowing is a normal and productive part of learning. Students will begin to think about what makes a strong answer in different disciplines, using simple frameworks such as standards, evidence, reasoning and limits, before applying these ideas in seminars and group activities.
The Big Picture
The Big Picture helps you find your place in university and the wider world. Through lectures, seminars, and guided online learning, you’ll see how university differs from school and workplace training, and how your subject and other ones, too, connect to real issues. The aim is disciplined curiosity and growing confidence across university disciplines.
In Semester 2 you will study:
The Power of Arts, Humanities and Education
Teaching on this module will consist of a series of lectures built around three themes (identity, internationalism, and information) which you will study in-depth over the course of the semester. These seminars will be supported by a series of seminars where you will develop your own research project.
Canterbury in the World
Canterbury is a city of global significance in faith, literature, and culture. In this module, you will explore the sacred places, historical archives, and archaeological sites that tell the story of Canterbury’s global connections. Through field trips and class discussions, you will delve into the lives of the people who have shaped both Canterbury and the world. As active participants in the Canterbury story, you will uncover how this city continues to matter and how your perspective adds to this unfinished narrative.
Student Success Modules
These bite-sized modules are designed to help you settle in and develop core skills such as critical thinking and digital literacy, and you'll explore ways you can take an active role in creating a more sustainable future.
Your Must Do Tasks
Once you have been invited to register for your course, there are some key tasks you'll need to complete to make sure you are ready to become a CCCU student.
Registration invitations are sent towards the end of August. We'll send yours to the email address you used when you applied, so please check this inbox regularly to make sure you don't miss any important information.
Pre-course reading
In line with many other universities, we recommend that you use a New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible with Apocrypha to support your studies. It is a reliable scholarly translation.
In addition, you will find the following titles useful across a range of different modules you will be studying. They are illustrative of some of the general themes covered in your course and are written at an accessible and introductory level.
Chilton, B. and Good, D. (2011). Studying the New Testament. Fortress Press.
Ward, K. (2014). The Evidence for God: The Case for the Existence of the Spiritual Dimension. Darton, Longman and Todd.
Solomon, N. (2014). Judaism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
International student success programme
International students: don't miss out! Make sure you register for our international student success programme which provides practical advice on preparing to live and study in the UK.
Contact details
Have a question?