Programme
Judaism, Christianity and Islam, studied together
Two years · Full-time · 120 ECTS · Taught in English
Your two years at RRE
The Religious Roots of Europe explores Judaism, Christianity and Islam in their formative periods, studying their development and interactions across the ancient Mediterranean and the first millennium CE. You will work with historical sources, develop your language skills and investigate questions about scripture, ritual, authority and religious identity.
From your first seminar in Rome to your master’s thesis, the programme takes you from a shared foundation in ancient religion towards specialist study and independent research.
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Year 1 · Semester 1
Begin in Rome, exploring ancient religion
Your studies begin with a seminar in Rome, meeting fellow students and teachers while exploring ancient religion in its historical setting. During the semester, you examine the emergence of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and learn the methods scholars use to study them.
Courses in this semester
Year 1 · Semester 2
Get closer to the sources
Develop your language skills and examine the scriptures of the three traditions. Courses on religious interaction bring particular questions into focus: how communities practised rituals, understood law or expressed their identities through art and religious space.
Courses in this semester
Year 2 · Semester 3
Find the question you want to pursue
Work closely with texts from a particular tradition and explore interreligious relations across historical and contemporary settings. In the thesis colloquium, discuss your ideas with teachers and fellow students as you develop your own research question.
Courses in this semester
- Interreligious Relations: Defining Moments, Current Encounters.
- Specialist text: Jewish tradition or Islamic tradition.
- Thesis colloquium and research preparation.
Year 2 · Semester 4
Make a contribution of your own
Bring your interests and training together in an independent master’s thesis. With guidance from a supervisor, investigate a question within the programme’s field, assess the evidence and develop your argument.
Your final research project
The thesis is an independent research project developed with supervision. The credit allocation for the thesis and preparatory colloquium depends on your home university.
Where could RRE take you after?
Explore the paths RRE graduates have taken and discover where the programme could lead you.