THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION FOR
MSc in Asian Religions
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Awarding Institution: University of Edinburgh
Teaching Institution: University of Edinburgh, School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures
Programme accredited by: LLC PG Board of Studies
Final Award: MSc
Programme Title: MSc in Asian Religions
UCAS Code: n/a
Relevant QAA Subject Benchmarking Group(s): n/a
Postholder with overall responsibility for QA: LLC QA Director.
Date of production/revision: 03. Nov. 2011
External Summary (200-250 words)
At the end of the 20th century religions all over the world have returned as major players in social and
political life in the West, the Near East and Asia. With China, India and Japan rising to major global
powers, an understanding of the dynamic forces of their religious cultures (the broad revival of
Confucianism in China, the religious tensions in India, the hundreds of New Religions in Japan) that
shape not only daily life but have a great impact on society and politics is of the utmost importance
for anyone dealing with Asia. The programme provides students with methodological, historical and
philological expertise for an analysis and discussion of complex intercultural and interdisciplinary
issues in the field of Asian Religions and enables them to transfer or compare knowledge acquired
from one region with other related countries. It will equip them with knowledge and skills that will
increases their employability in a variety of regions and a broad range of professional areas.
The unique combination of staff expertise on diverse Asian religions and their different
cultural, social and political functions enables students to gain both in-depth understanding and
diversified knowledge about the interrelatedness of socio-political, cultural and religious factors
shaping dynamics of action and power relations in the area and beyond. Prospective students will
achieve a good understanding of historical and contemporary events, processes and actors involved in
creating the dynamics of Asian religions and states; obtain a thorough understanding of different
academic approaches to Asian religions; acquire social sciences and cultural studies tools to analyse
and understand the complexities of Asian religions in a local and global context.
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Educational aims of programme:
This programme offers students with a first university degree the opportunity to undertake intensive
graduate study focused on the area of Asian Religions. The students will study under academic staff
whose research specialties coincide with the subjects taught, and thereby become familiar with the
character of research and discussion in the field of Asian Religions at a professional academic level.
Upon successful completion, the student should attain competence of a professional academic
standard in Asian Religions, and be fully qualified to undertake research for a Ph.D.
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Programme outcomes:
11a) Knowledge and understanding
By the end of the course the students should have
 A thorough knowledge and understanding of the main lines of Asian Religions from a
Religious Studies, a historical and a philological perspective;
 Learned to apply Western reflection and methodology to texts on Asian Religions and also to
use Asian contexts to inform and further develop Western theoretical understandings;
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Understood the difficulties of bridging Western and Asian perspectives on religious thought
and practice;
Knowledge of the main solutions to these complex problems;
A sound understanding of major events, actors and issues in Asian religions;
Acquired a strong understanding of theoretical and conceptual tools required to understand
Asian Religions;
A sound grasp of the global impact of Asian religions;
A thorough knowledge of the scholarship in chosen subject areas;
A good knowledge of sources in Asian religions and an ability to apply this knowledge in
independent research.
11b) Graduate attributes: Skills and abilities in Research and Enquiry
The students will be able to assess critically and to compare profitably principal contemporary stances
on the above issues and the underlying arguments; and to demonstrate this in formal examinations,
essays, oral presentations and a dissertation.
Through the training in specific hermeneutical and philological techniques, the students will improve
their ability to analyse complex arguments and concepts and to dissect arguments critically; they will
be in a position to apply these abilities to the specific topics listed above.
The students will enhance their ability to recognize and apply a variety of methods and approaches
available in the field, and to choose and justify a particular approach. They will develop strong
interdisciplinary skills.
Students with diverse backgrounds will greatly improve their ability to use material from the fields of
Asian Religions, to identify complex relations in that material, and to develop complex arguments on
that basis. They will be able to locate relevant information and material through library and IT
resources and be able to use relevant databases and to evaluate and critique scholarly material.
11c) Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal and Intellectual Autonomy
Analysis of Texts on Asian Religions – both formally and in terms of normative content.
Ability to reflect critically on methodological, intercultural, and interdisciplinary issues.
Apply Western theory to Asian material and use Asian contexts to inform and further develop
Western theoretical understandings.
Heightened awareness of cultural similarities and differences.
11d) Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Communication
The principles and abilities detailed above will be applicable to religious, philosophic, analytical and
theoretical problems more generally. The student will improve his or her general conceptual facility.
The student will attain a high level of clarity, rigour and structural transparency in his or her writing,
especially on complex inter-disciplinary and inter-cultural issues. The student will gain skills of
clarity and relevance in discussion. The student will be able to undertake scholarly research efficiently
and with a significant degree of independence. The student will participate effectively in seminars,
workshops and discussions, learn to present research, scholarly work and language skills to others, be
able to articulate, evidence and sustain a line of argument and summarise and communicate
information and ideas effectively in written and oral form.
11e) Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal Effectiveness
The student will work under pressure and produce written work according to deadlines, manage their
time and prioritise tasks and assignments and organise their work according to tasks given.
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Technical/practical skills
The student will become familiar with the leading journals relevant to the subjects studied. The
student will gain thorough familiarity and competence with electronic research resources in Asian
Religions, including indexes, databases and on-line journals. The student will gain advanced skills in
the use of electronic aids in written and oral presentation, such as writing, bibliographic and
presentation software, and be able to utilise a variety of IT and e-communications resources.
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Programme structure and features
12 a) SQFC
The programme is SQCF level 11, and will have a taught and research component which are both at
SQCF level 11.
12 b) Entry requirements
 Good BA honours degree at upper second class, or equivalent, or GPA of 3.4 from students
whose degree follows the American system, out of 4.0
 Candidates are not expected to have previous experience of studying Chinese/Japanese/Indian
language or culture, but candidates without such experience will be considered on a case-bycase basis.
Students whose first language is not English are required to take one of the recognised English tests.
The School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures accepts the following three tests only: the British
Council IELTS test, the TOEFL, or the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency.
 IELTS - total of 7.0 with not less than 6.0 in any one section.
 TOEFL - total of 600 with 5.0 in the test of written English (250 in the computer based test),
100 in the Internet based test.
Exemptions for entry
In the absence of the formal entry requirements employment or other educational experience that
evidences intellectual ability of an equivalent standard may be given consideration.
12c) Progression requirements
Progression to the Masters Dissertation or the Diploma
 The decision on progression to the Masters Dissertation will be made on the basis of marks
awarded for Year 1 courses work at the interim Board of Examiners in May/June.
 Progression to the dissertation will require a mark of 50% or over in 80 credits and an
average of 50% overall.
 Students who progress to the Dissertation and receive a mark of 50% or over for the
Dissertation will be awarded the degree of MSc in Asian Religions.
12d) Learning Outcomes and Assessment
Course work will be assessed by essays of 4000 words length.
After having successfully completed the course work, students proceed to work on their dissertation,
with a supervisor allocated according to their topics. The dissertation should be of 15,000 words and
submitted by mid/end August.
12e) Modes of Study
 The programme will be for both full time and part time study.
 Length: 12 months, starting in September
 The programme is a combination of taught courses and research work (dissertation).
 Students will take 2 compulsory courses and choose 2 additional option courses from a range
of options offered by LLC, Divinity, SSPS and History.
12f) Exit Awards
 Students who receive a mark of 40% or over in 80 credits and an average mark of 40% or
above overall at the point of progression will be awarded a Diploma.
 Students who receive a mark below 50% in the dissertation will exit with a Diploma.
12g) Fees : LLC Standard Fees:
Home/EU
Overseas
Additional Programme Costs
Full time
Part time
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£5,750
£2,875
£13,050
£6,525
£100
£50
Other Items
Contacts
Academic
Dr. Joachim Gentz
Asian Studies
8 Buccleuch Place
Edinburgh EH8 9LW
Tel 0131 650 3681
Administrative
Olivia Scarlett Little
Postgraduate Administrative Assistant
School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
Room 12.16 DHT
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9JX
Tel: 0131 650 4465