Interreligious Studies - Philosophy of Religions
At the heart of this interdisciplinary degree program lies a religious philosophy that is understood as the philosophy of certain religiously determined ways of life. In this light, students examine religious lifestyles and rites as well as the claims to truth raised by religions and atheism alike. The concept of religion developed in this manner is an indication of how connections could be drawn between different religions to facilitate rational communication.
The interdisciplinary focus of the degree program is also reflected in its curriculum, which integrates teaching staff from various fields of specialization: Old Catholic/ Protestant/ Catholic theology, educational sciences, Indian studies, Islamic studies, philosophy, law and religious studies.
The aim of the degree program is for students to acquire subject-specific, scientific and generic key competences in the context of interreligious, intercultural and interdisciplinary questions. Students develop the ability to understand religious convictions from various perspectives and thus to think from a perspective outside of their own world view, solve problems independently and work in a team.
Possible lines of work:
Management/participation in organizations for interreligious dialog (churches, Alevi communities); dialog representatives of regional churches/dioceses; work on municipal/state level (integration representative), work for ministries/local government and groups with migrant backgrounds; continuing education at public/private funding institutions (presentations and education and dialog for ministries, teachers, political parties); intercultural communication
Examination Regulations (German versions are legally binding)
University degree (German or non-German) in philosophy, theology, religious studies, Islamic studies, Judaic studies, Indian studies or a related field
German language proficiency (DSH level 2, CEFR level C1, as per DSH exam. regulations)
Specific modules: Religious Philosophy | Fundamental Theology | Theology of the Religions | Intercultural Studies| Comparative Religious Studies (24 ECTS credits total)
At the University of Bonn, multilingualism and cultural diversity are considered to be valuable resources that complement subject-specific qualifications. This is why, in addition to curricular language modules, students have access to a diverse range of language-learning offers, including the independent-study offers at the Center for Language Learning (Sprachlernzentrum, SLZ) in which they can autonomously learn a foreign language or enhance existing language skills. Furthermore, students can apply for the “Certificate of Intercultural Competence” free of charge, which promotes extra-curricular and interdisciplinary activities of international or intercultural nature.