RS in the OU context Located in the Faculty of Arts 8 full-time staff with 3 fixed-term 3 members of staff work in varying degrees on S Asian religions RS courses are designed as 60 points courses, equivalent to a full academic year’s part-time study (approx 16 hrs per week)

Courses in Religious Studies. Undergraduate Courses Introducing ReligionsIntroducing Religions (A217) Religion in History: Conflict, Conversion and Co-existenceReligion in History: Conflict, Conversion and Co-existence (AA307) Religion Today: Tradition, Modernity and ChangeReligion Today: Tradition, Modernity and Change (AD317) Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Courses with Religious Studies Components The arts past and presentThe arts past and present (AA100) Voices and textsVoices and texts (A150) From Enlightenment to Romanticism c From Enlightenment to Romanticism c (A207) Postgraduate Courses MA Religious StudiesMA Religious Studies parts 1 and 2 (A880 and A881) Professional Development Respecting religious diversity at workRespecting religious diversity at work (GA063)

Looking for Hinduism in Calcutta Enter OpenLearn study unit ‘Studying Religion’ via Go to Section 8 ‘Religion in Context: Hinduism in Calcutta’ Access film ‘Looking for Hinduism in Calcutta’ under 8.5

AD317 Religion Today: Tradition, Modernity and Change Religion is far from a spent force in today’s world, as almost any newspaper or news broadcast will make clear. Inextricably linked with nationalism, popular culture, social norms and the lives of individuals, it touches almost every area of public and private life. This course will be of interest to those who are curious about the role of religion in today’s world and who wonder whether increasing secularisation means the eventual death of faith. It studies examples of religious ideas, practices and teachings from around the world, and sets religion in wider context of the societies in which it is embedded. DVD Films ‘In the presence of gods and gurus’ ISKCON (Bhaktivedanta Manor), Swaminarayan Mandir (Neasden), Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre (Bourne End) ‘Buddhism in Britain’

AA307 Religion in History: Conflict, Conversion and Co-existence This course expands interests in religious studies and/or history. Why has religion led to conflict? Does conversion matter? When is peaceful coexistence possible? In exploring these questions you will move in time from the Roman Empire to September 11, 2001, and in space between Britain, Europe, India, the Middle East, Africa and the United States. Audio-discussion: The Hindu Renaissance and Notions of Universal Religion (William Radice and Gwilym Beckerlegge)

A217 Introducing Religions This course offers an introduction to the study of religions, and to six living religious traditions that have had – and continue to have – a major influence on world affairs: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. It will enable you to develop your knowledge and understanding of different practices and beliefs, and of the religious dimension in current affairs, while developing skills of analysis and evaluation that will benefit future studies in religion and other academic disciplines. It will also help you to understand the concepts and principles underpinning a wide range of worldviews and lifestyles, past and present. DVD films on Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism, with sections on India and UK Audio discussion of Very Short Introduction to Hinduism (Kim Knott and Gwilym Beckerlegge)

Implications of ‘openness’ Relatively large student numbers, enhancing viability for RS But expectations of recruitment consequently much higher ‘Openness’ applies to entry to levels and to ‘picking and mixing’ across disciplinary and Faculty programmes, not simply to initial entry

Achievements and pitfalls Size of student body Open entry The 60 points module The published course materials