Religionswissenschaft: Weltreligionen in Geschichte und Gegenwart

Tracks and specialisations

• Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · 120 ECTS

From the evaluated documents we could not derive a semester plan that matches the programme’s duration and ECTS – so the modules are listed without semesters. The university’s study plan is authoritative.

• Required modules3 modules

  Depending on track: Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach

  • Bachelor thesisSummary by OWWZ: Students independently investigate a religious-studies question, evaluate and critically interpret their findings, and present them in an academic thesis.Thesis · Religionswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Bachelorarbeit mit 9.500–10.500 Wörtern (100 %)10 ECTS
  • Introduction to Religious StudiesSummary by OWWZ: Introduces religious history and the development of religious studies, with academic research skills and methods for analysing religious traditions and worldviews.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester only10 ECTS
  • Practice ModuleSummary by OWWZ: A placement of at least six weeks introduces potential career fields. Students reflect on their experience in a suitable organisation through a report or portfolio.Religionswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Praktikumsnachweis und Praktikumsbericht oder Portfolio (unbenotet)10 ECTS
• Required elective from Religionsgeschichtliche Modulechoose 40 ECTS · 6 modules

  Depending on track: Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach

  • Special History of Religions I: JudaismSummary by OWWZ: Examines Judaism since the beginning of the Common Era through central sources, beliefs, religious life and rituals, including Reform and Orthodox traditions.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester onlyExam (in German): Seminararbeit (100 %)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Special History of Religions II: ChristianitySummary by OWWZ: Traces Christianity’s emergence and development, beliefs, biblical interpretation, denominations and rituals, and its role in contemporary society.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester onlyExam (in German): Seminararbeit (100 %)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Special History of Religions III: IslamSummary by OWWZ: Studies Islamic history, beliefs, schools and duties through the Quran, alongside contemporary developments and relations with Judaism and Christianity.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester onlyExam (in German): Seminararbeit (100 %)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Special History of Religions IV: Regionoriented history of religion and inter-religious relationsSummary by OWWZ: Uses selected regions to investigate religious history and interactions between traditions, including boundaries, appropriation and mutual influence.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester onlyExam (in German): Seminararbeit (100 %)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Special History of Religions V: HinduismSummary by OWWZ: Introduces Vedic foundations, ascetic movements, philosophy, rituals and sources of Hinduism, alongside modern developments and its social significance.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester onlyExam (in German): Seminararbeit (100 %)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Special History of Religions VI: BuddhismSummary by OWWZ: Studies the Buddha’s life and teachings, Buddhist schools, monastic life, rituals and scriptures, alongside Buddhism’s spread and contemporary developments.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester onlyExam (in German): Seminararbeit (100 %)10 ECTSRequired elective
• Required elective from Systematische Religionswissenschaftchoose 20 ECTS · 6 modules

  Depending on track: Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach

  • Teaching concepts of religions and philosophySummary by OWWZ: Compares religious and philosophical doctrines, views of history and their transformations, examining cultural contexts and relations between religious worldviews.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester only10 ECTSRequired elective
  • People and communitySummary by OWWZ: Examines religious ideas of individuals and communities, religious roles, caste, gender, family and life stages, including death and the afterlife.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester only10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Start (Beginning) and goal orientations of religionsSummary by OWWZ: Analyses religions’ origins, founder traditions, salvation and end-time beliefs, and their significance for religious teachings and communities.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester only10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Environment, Nature and EthicsSummary by OWWZ: Compares religious views of nature, the environment and ethics, including animals and plants, sacred places and relationships with the natural sciences.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester only10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Expression and mediation as the theme of World ReligionsSummary by OWWZ: Explores rituals, religious objects and symbols, and ways of communicating religious content. Students develop and discuss their own scholarly interpretations.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester only10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Written basics of world religionsSummary by OWWZ: Develops work with sacred writings across religions, applying approaches to canon formation, textual criticism and interpretation to selected central texts.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester only10 ECTSRequired elective
• Required elective from Ergänzender Wahlbereichchoose 30 ECTS · 12 modules

  Depending on track: Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach

  • Basics of the Islamic religionSummary by OWWZ: Examines the Quran and prophetic tradition as foundations of Islamic duties and legal norms, including interpretation and classical and modern fields of law.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester onlyExam (in German): Klausur (90 Min.)5 ECTSRequired elective
  • Early Arabic history in Islamic times: From Muhammad until the fall of Mamluk ruleSummary by OWWZ: Explores Arab-Islamic history from the seventh to the early sixteenth century through political dynasties and religious legitimation of rule.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester onlyExam (in German): Hausarbeit5 ECTSRequired elective
  • Later Arabic history: Ottoman rule, colonialism, independence and IslamismSummary by OWWZ: Studies Arab history since Ottoman expansion, including colonial rule, independence and the development of Islamist movements.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester onlyExam (in German): Hausarbeit5 ECTSRequired elective
  • Religiosity, spirituality and piety versus secularization - practice religious community or individualizationSummary by OWWZ: Compares religious practice, spirituality and piety across history and the present, using interdisciplinary approaches to communities and individualisation in secular contexts.Religionswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Portfolio zu drei Lehrveranstaltungen (unbenotet)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Language and LiteratureSummary by OWWZ: Teaches Biblical Hebrew phonology, morphology and syntax, practising textual analysis and independent translation with narrative passages from the Old Testament.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Ancient Christianity (I): Methodology and Religion of Early Christian WritingsSummary by OWWZ: Introduces New Testament exegetical methods and examines selected writings for their religious concepts and early Christian meaning-making.Religionswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Proseminararbeit (100 %)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Ancient Christianity (II): Jesus and the Jesus-Movement in the first Century C.E.Summary by OWWZ: Explores historical Jesus research or early Christian history and literature, with a lecture examining individual New Testament writings or broader historical and religious themes.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Ancient Christianity (III): Literature and history of the early Jesus movementSummary by OWWZ: Combines historical Jesus research or an introduction to early Christianity with detailed study of New Testament texts and their religious concepts.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Introduction to the History and Literature of Ancient Israel in the Context of the Ancient Near EastSummary by OWWZ: Introduces ancient Israel and early Judaism in their Near Eastern context, Old Testament literary history and basic methods of biblical exegesis.Religionswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Proseminararbeit oder mündliche Prüfung zur Vorlesung im Fachgebiet Altes Testament10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Introduction to the Religious History of Ancient Israel and Early JudaismSummary by OWWZ: Studies ancient Israelite religion and early Judaism in relation to Near Eastern traditions, exploring sources and themes such as creation, wisdom or law in greater depth.Religionswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Mündliche Prüfung im Fachgebiet Altes Testament (100 %)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Introduction to the Classical Greek Language and LiteratureSummary by OWWZ: Teaches Ancient Greek grammar, vocabulary and reading methods through narrative prose translation and its historical, literary and philosophical contexts.Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester only10 ECTSRequired elective
  • History of ChristianitySummary by OWWZ: Develops church-historical research through selected sources and questions, practising source interpretation and independent judgements on Christian history in interdisciplinary contexts.Religionswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Schriftlicher Leistungsnachweis in Kirchengeschichte10 ECTSRequired elective

Topic profile · Track Religionswissenschaft als Kernfach

ECTS by topic from the curriculum’s modules; together at most the programme’s ECTS.RequiredElective

• Religious studies70 ECTS: 10 required, 60 elective70 ECTS
• Theology13 ECTS: 0 required, 13 elective13 ECTS
• History8 ECTS: 0 required, 8 elective8 ECTS
• Translation and interpreting3 ECTS: 0 required, 3 elective3 ECTS
• Ethics2 ECTS: 0 required, 2 elective2 ECTS
• Philosophy2 ECTS: 0 required, 2 elective2 ECTS

Curriculum sources

• Modulkatalog zum Studiengang – Religionswissenschaft: Weltreligionen in Geschichte und GegenwartModule handbook · Version PO-Version 2016; Stand (Druck) 28.06.2022 · checked 15 October 2026
• Musterstudienplan – Religionswissenschaft: Weltreligionen in Geschichte und GegenwartStudy plan · checked 15 October 2026