UNISA Religious Studies Course Module 2025-2026
Major combinations:
NQF Level: 5: RST1501, RST1502
NQF Level: 6: RST2603, RST2604 and ONE of APY2601 or HSY2602
NQF Level: 7: RST3705, RST3706, RST3707, RST3708, RST3709
| Theory/Philosophy of Religion – HRS4802 |
| Honours |
|
NQF level: 8 |
Credits: 24 |
| Module presented in English |
Module presented online |
| Purpose: This module will be useful to students in a wide range of fields where critical and creative thinking skills are required. On completion of this module, students will know and understand the great questions asked in contemporary philosophy of religion, i.e. questions such as the following: How do we as humans “fit” into the greater scheme of things?; How can a final or ultimate, that is, transcendent, reality be envisaged?; What happened to the age-old metaphysical-religious search for wholeness within a world characterized by fragmentation and conflicting interests?; and What is the status of transcendent reality in contemporary global, postmodern society? |
| Research Methodology and Religious Hermeneutics – HRS4803 |
| Honours |
Year module |
NQF level: 8 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
Module presented online |
| Purpose: This paper consists of three parts, of which one must be chosen: (1) research methodology for religious studies, (2) hermeneutics, and (3) methodology in Arabic and Islamic studies. Students in Arabic and Islamic studies will choose the third option on methodology in Arabic and Islamic studies. |
| Religion in Private and Public Life – HRS4804 |
| Honours |
|
NQF level: 8 |
Credits: 24 |
| Module presented in English |
Module presented online |
| Purpose: The purpose of this module is to equip students with: (a) the capacity to critically engage with sociological, anthropological and psychoanalytical theories of religion; (b) the capacity to critically discuss the relationship between religion, human rights and constitutional law. |
| Research Report – HRS4805 |
| Honours |
|
NQF level: 8 |
Credits: 36 |
| Module presented in English |
Module presented online |
| Purpose: To provide students with an opportunity to engage in the research process and write up a research project of approximately 7000 words or twenty-five pages. The student will put into practice the cumulative process of `learning by doing?, that is carrying out a research project that reinforces critical thinking, scientific evaluation and/or critical appraisal, linguistic skills or other data collection skills, demonstrating competence in the scientific methods of enquiry, interpretation, analysis of relevant data and appropriate techniques. The research report will only be accepted in English. |
| Introduction to History of Religions – RST1501 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 5 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To gain insight into the religions of the world, with the possibility of concentrating on at least four of the following: African religion, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, contemporary and alternative religious movements; and to apply these insights in public and professional life. |
| Introduction to Theory of Religion – RST1502 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 5 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to demonstrate understanding of religion as an important factor in individual and public life, with reference to the following dimensions: religion and society, religion and experience, myth and ritual, religious thought, and interreligious dynamics. |
| Religious Education – EDT303Q |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 6 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English,Afrikaans |
|
|
Co-requisite: PST201F, PST202G, PST210G & PST204J |
| Purpose: To gain insight into defining concepts, points of departure, overview of the field; study of African Traditional Religion; study of the following world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam; study of contemporary. |
| New Religious Movements: Cults, New Age and Related Phenomenona – RST2603 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 6 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to demonstrate their understanding of the emergence and significance of cults and new religious movements (NRMs) in modern society (including definitions, incidence and significance, typology, factors that determine the success or failure of NRMs, and NRMs with respect to violence and the media). |
| Meditation and Mysticism – RST2604 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 6 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to demonstrate an understanding of meditation as the experiential dimension of ‘mysticism’/’spirituality’ with reference to some individual mystics, classical writings and schools’ both traditionally religious and secular, past and present. |
| FET Subject Didactics Religion Studies – SDRELSD |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Year module |
NQF level: 6 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Pre-requisite: Religion studies 2 or Biblical studies 2 or Hindu studies 2 or Islamic studies 2 or Jewish studies 2 |
Co-requisite: PTEAC1X |
| Purpose: to enable students to teach Religion studies as a school subject |
| Divinity and Nature in Religious History – RST3705 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 7 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to demonstrate an understanding of the history of God with reference to integral philosophy, pantheism, panentheism and process thought, and cosmic ecology. |
| World Religions – RST3706 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 7 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: Students are given a choice between two clusters: Semitic or Asian. In the Semitic cluster (Judaism, Christianity and Islam: a comparative study) the purpose is to gain insight into three Abrahamic faiths, with emphasis on both their unique and related elements, and with reference to Scripture and tradition, monotheism, authority, worship and ritual, ethics, the material culture, political order, and dialogue. In the Asian option (Asian faiths: culture, religion and philosophy) the purpose is to gain understanding of the classical teachings and philosophies in various historical schools and contemporary societies of Hinduism and Buddhism. |
| Africa’s Religious Heritage – RST3707 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 7 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to demonstrate insight into African religion, giving attention to Christianity and Islam on the African continent, including the contemporary dynamics of African religion, African Christianity, African Islam and the coexistence of these religions in Africa. |
| Postmodern Philosophy of Religion – RST3708 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 7 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To gain insight into the implications of postmodernism with respect to religious thought, including postmodern critiques of past religiometaphysical systems, the postmodern and deconstructive renewal of the search for transcendence, and the religious dimensions of deconstructive thought. |
| Religion and Social Issues – RST3709 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 7 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: The module comprisies Religion and public life and Religion and gender. In Religion and public life the purpose is to gain insight into the role of religion in society and politics, religion-state relationships, religious freedom, religious conflict, religious nationalism, and religious pluralism in South Africa. In the Gender option the purpose is to demonstrate an understanding of the shaping of the lives of women and men and the promotion of androcentrism and male dominance through religious beliefs, practices and symbols, with reference to a variety of religions. |
| Interhistory of Religions – HRS4801 |
| Honours |
|
NQF level: 8 |
Credits: 24 |
| Module presented in English |
Module presented online |
| Purpose: On completion of this module, students will know and understand the religious and philosophical encounter between various religious traditions. Students will be able to determine the extent of convergence and difference between these religio-philosophical systems. They will also be prepared to answer the question to what extent the respective ethical views and practices following from them might lead to cooperation as far contemporary questions (ecological crisis, etc) is concerned. Within this framework it will be possible to concentrate on one or more clusters of religions, such as: Religions in Africa; Buddhism and Christianity; Judaism, Christianity, Islam & Baha’i, Greco-Roman religion, Judaism and Christianity; Hinduism as a diasporic tradition; The pagan revival as a New Religious Movement. |
