Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion

Studying Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion at Cambridge

UCAS Code: V600
How many are admitted to Cambridge every year: 37
Typical offer: A*AA at A Level, 41-42 points at IB with 776 at Higher Level
Essential subjects: None, but some Colleges may require A*/7 in an essay-based subject
Useful subjects: Religious Studies, English Language or Literature, History, ancient or modern languages
Course length: BA (Hons) 3 years full-time; 2 years full-time for affiliate degrees

You do not need to be religious or come from a religious background to study this course. The Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion course is a three-year degree or ‘tripos’. Students on the course come from a wide range of backgrounds.

This course addresses fundamental questions and develops your understanding of the significance of religion and its cultural contexts.

You’ll be able to choose from a range of academic perspectives on the study of faith, including:

history
the careful reading of ancient scriptures
rigorous philosophical analysis
the latest insights of the social sciences

You will also explore connections between faith and literature, science, ethics and politics.

Religions that you will cover in depth during the course include:

Christianity
Judaism
Islam
Hinduism

What can I do with a degree in Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion?

The majority of employers that recruit Cambridge graduates do not require a certain degree. They are usually more interested in what you can do rather than what you have studied. That said, Cambridge TRPR graduates tend to go into certain sectors. The top three sectors are teaching (ca. 20%), welfare (20%), and business and public service (15%). However, the TRPR course equips its graduates with many transferable skills that are an asset in a wide range of professions.

Upon successful completion of the course, many of our graduates (38%) opt to continue their studies. The Faculty of Divinity offers postgraduate courses such as the Advanced Diploma in Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion, the MPhil in Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion, and the PhD in Theology and Religious Studies.

For more information, please visit the University Careers Service website.

What we look for

We have no specific subject requirements, although successful applicants have often studied essay-based subjects. It is not necessary to have taken Religious Studies at A Level. Crucially, we do not require nor expect applicants to have any religious affiliation; the TRPR course is open to anyone with a keen interest in exploring some of the most fundamental issues of our time. We accept applications from anyone regardless of their educational background. What we look for above all is enthusiasm for the subject, an ability to think critically (and flexibly), and a desire to take on new challenges.

Studying Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion at St Edmund’s College

St Edmund’s welcomes applications from mature and affiliated students for the BA in Theology, Religion, and Philosophy and Religion. There are also a number of postgraduates studying for an Advanced Diploma, MPhil, or PhD in the Faculty of Divinity.

We have a Theology Discussion Group that meets once a term. St Edmund’s also hosts the Von Hügel Institute for Critical Catholic Inquiry. The Von Hügel Institute undertakes interdisciplinary research with the aim of fostering dialogue. It also organises and hosts public lectures and events.

Marking it apart from other Cambridge colleges, St Edmund’s College Chapel is a Catholic foundation and a grade-II listed building.

St Edmund’s provides a close-knit and international community, and there is much to share and learn from each other. It is likely that you will end up continuing conversations based on your lectures in the college’s dining hall or the CR (Common Room). What better way to learn than to discuss with your peers!

Away from these scintillating conversations in the common areas, the college also offers several spaces where you can study and work on your essays as the Paul Luzio Library building, the Norfolk Building, study desks in the Mount Pleasant Halls Common Room, the comfortable couches of the CR, in Edspresso – our café – that serves excellent coffee and cakes, or the benches in our lovely apple orchards!

We also have six study rooms (2 in the Luzio Building, 2 in Norfolk Building, and 1 in Mount Pleasant Halls), where college supervisions typically take place, and which can also be booked by students for their private study time or group projects.

Our college also has an extremely supportive Welfare and Wellbeing Department, which is happy to lend an ear and provide support should a student feel anxious or overwhelmed during the

How to Apply

Applications for all courses are made through UCAS. You must apply by 15 October 2025 to be considered for entry in October 2026.

We accept applications for TRPR in both the October application round and the January application round. The January application round is specifically for candidates applying for certain subjects at the three mature Colleges at Cambridge (Hughes Hall, Wolfson, and St Edmund’s). The January round is particularly suited to those applicants taking one-year courses who may not have covered enough of the course content to apply in October, but are able to make a competitive application by January. The deadline for applications is 14 January 2026 for 2026 entry.

As a mature College, we recognise that our applicants come to us from a diverse range of educational backgrounds and may have studied a long time ago. However, we would expect evidence of formal study within the last two or three years as evidence of an ability to cope with the challenging academic nature of a Cambridge course.

Requirements

Tests

Written Work

Interviews

Interviews for selected candidates typically take place in early December and are carried out virtually.

You will be interviewed by the Director of Studies. Your interviewer(s) may ask about your written work and your personal statement as well as asking questions about your motivation to study TRPR. We are not looking to catch you out; we are keen to see how your mind works and are looking for evidence of an analytical, inquiring mind.

Your performance at interview will not be considered in isolation, but will be considered holistically alongside all other aspects of your application.

We inform all interviewed applicants of the outcome of their application in late January.

Deferred entry

Affiliated students

If you have already completed or are in the process of completing a first undergraduate degree, you can apply for this course as an affiliated student. This means that you will complete the course in two years instead of the standard three. (Please note that this does not mean that you can go directly into the second year of the course.)

To apply as an affiliate student, you need to have achieved or be on track to achieve a 2.1 or higher in your first undergraduate degree. International equivalents can be found on the University website.

What is a typical Term’s work?

The academic year for undergraduates is divided into three terms – Michaelmas, Lent, and Easter – of eight weeks each. The TRPR course or ‘tripos’ is divided into three parts: Part I (Year 1), Part IIA (Year 2), and Part IIB (Year 3). Teaching takes place at the Faculty of Divinity at the nearby Sidgwick Site where you will have access to the Faculty of Divinity Library. You will also have access to resources in our library at St Edmund’s as well as the University Library. Teaching takes place in the form of weekly lectures, classes, and supervisions. Your supervisions and academic progression are overseen by our Director of Studies, Dr Thomas Graff.

You will have up to 9 hours of classes and lectures each week, of which 3 are devoted to language papers and 6 to non-language papers. You will also have weekly supervisions; these are small-group teaching sessions of around 2 or 3 students with one of our Fellows, who will be an expert in their field. The TRPR course allows students to choose papers from a wide range of options.

Part I consists of two compulsory papers – one in a scriptural language and one in biblical studies – and three papers of your choice. In Part IIA, students choose four papers from a range of around 16 or 17. Scriptural languages are optional at this stage. Examples of Part IIA papers are Introduction to Islam, Life and Thought of Religious Hinduism and Buddhism, and The Letters of Paul. In Part IIB, you will also select four papers from a wide range. Examples of Part IIB papers include Truth, God, and Metaphysics, Theology and Natural Sciences, and Self and Salvation in Indian and Western Thought.

Assessment is typically by written examination at the end of each term. Each examination lasts for three hours.

People

Dr Thomas Graff, Director of Studies and Academic Officer of the Von Hügel Institute
Sr Dr Gemma Simmonds, Bye-Fellow, Director of the Religious Life Institute at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology