Religious Studies at Lancaster gives you the opportunity to study the world's major religious traditions and to debate about the role of religion in the modern world. You will develop skills in critical thinking and in examining controversial issues from multiple perspectives. You will graduate from our degree programme with a deeper awareness of cultural diversity and an informed understanding of the conflicts and challenges of the contemporary world.We offer modules on the world’s major religious traditions, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Throughout our modules, we train students to do research using the methods appropriate to their study: historical, textual, philosophical, theological, sociological, anthropological and psychological. Some of the topics covered in our wide range of courses include: religion and violence; religion and gender; philosophy and religious thought; religion in relation to secularism and multiculturalism; interpretations of sacred texts; and new age spiritualities.You will have the opportunity to spend Year 3 on placement with a public, private or voluntary organisation in the UK or overseas. This experience will boost your employment prospects and will help you to decide on your career direction and the kind of organisation in which you want to work once you graduate. You will be doing a real, responsible job – with all the satisfaction that brings. Our Placements Team will support you in finding and applying for a suitable placement that will support your professional development. Applying for a placement is a competitive process and the preparatory modules you will complete in years one and two are designed to give you the best chance of success in your placement applications. You will also be provided with dedicated workshops, 1:1 appointments with careers professionals as well as opportunities to speak with employers here on campus.During the placement year you will remain a Lancaster University student which means that you will still be eligible for a student loan, have access to facilities such as the library and receive discounts on transport and council tax. Your tuition fee will be reduced to 20% during the placement year. The placement will enhance your understanding of the connections between theory and practice and this will benefit your final year of study. This is an exciting opportunity to build up experience and transferable skills, as well as to make contacts with potential employers which will place you a step ahead in the graduate recruitment market.