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With reference to your placement experience, evaluate how your degree in Theology and Religion might develop transferable skills required for your chosen career. My placement experience was spent at Cathedral Innovation Centre, a perpetually developing enterprise hub that supports business, social and religious innovation across the nation, through Creative Industry channels and Thought Leadership. Through my role as an assistant Research Officer I sought contact with faith-based organisations across London, Southampton and Portsmouth to investigate the ‘role of faith-based innovation, in the context of creating a just society’. Following this, I have come to consider a career as a Public Policy Research Officer. It became apparent during this placement that ‘employability’ transcends the over-simplified notion of ‘skills’, but rather is reliant on a combination of skills, understanding and personal qualities (Yorke, 2006, p.13). With this in mind, it seems more fitting to evaluate how a Theology and Religion (T&R) degree develops all four of Knight and Yorke’s (2006) interrelated components of the ‘USEM’ model (Understanding, Skills, Efficacy beliefs and Meta-cognition). The placement module experience within this particular T&R degree I think is an opportunity for these components to be trialled and tested, in order to fully assess both the utility and transferability of the degree to any future career, or in this instance to Public Policy Research. The central objective of a T&R degree, as outlined in the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Benchmark statement, is for students to acquire “an appreciation of the complexity of world views, mentalities, social behaviours… and the ways they have been shaped by beliefs and values” (QAA, 2014, p.13). Since T&R incorporates both historical and contemporary understandings of Religion, often students find themselves informed of current issues. For example, the ‘Religion in Contemporary Society’ module looks at current media coverage of Religion, addressing conflict, social taboos, migration and religious education. All of these of which enlighten students on current policy developments. For T&R students ‘Understanding’ such things requires more than the acquisition of facts and knowledge; it also involves thorough questioning and making meaning of concepts. A greater sense of understanding of people arguably stems from the ability to empathise. For example, understanding the complexity of a concept such as religious radicalism demands the ability to engage with the thoughts and feelings of an individual or groups of people, not only from a religious standpoint but also from a political, sociological and psychological one. The multi-disciplinary approach that is encouraged to better understand themes and concepts within Religion equips students with both scope and depth of understanding. As identified by Knight and Yorke (2006), ‘understanding’ of a subject area, for obvious reasons, is important for ‘Employability’. It can be argued that, the subject-specific knowledge and understanding gathered from a T&R degree is transferable, if not indispensible “for anyone functioning in a multi-cultural, contemporary society” (University of Birmingham, 2015), since as highlighted, many of the “insights, themes and debates can be applied to broader social disciplinary contexts” (QAA Benchmark, 2014). A predominant focus within my research was the impact of Christian organisations on social engagement and transformation within communities. Some themes from the ‘History of

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Christianity’ and ‘Religion in Contemporary Society’ modules, such as Ecumenism, Evangelism, Missionary and Secularisation were pertinent to my investigation. Equipped with a scholarly understanding of these, I was able to engage in richer and more rigorous conversation with people, which undoubtedly improved the standard of research. Despite this being an investigation primarily interested in religious organisations, this could not have been studied without the consideration of the wider contextual themes. In this instance, themes included current government policy on ‘Poverty’ and government attitudes towards religious communities addressing social problems. In order to ask questions that alluded to this wider context, an awareness and understanding of the intersection of Religion in other subject matters was demanded. A British Academy Report recognises that students who study Humanities, can “contribute to the knowledge and understanding of some of the ‘Big Strategic Questions’ facing society today” (British Academy Report, 2008, p.13). Therefore Humanities students are a significant resource to the Public Policy Service in Government. This is arguably due to not just the subject relevance of T&R to Public Policy but also the empathetic yet critical approach of T&R to understanding these issues, which offers further insight. A degree in ‘Religious studies’ is even specifically cited as one of the key disciplines that influences Research and Policy in the Home Office and Foreign Policy and Common Wealth Department dealing with matters such as reduction of crime, extremism and radicalisation, countering terrorism, developing international relations and preventing war and conflict (British Academy Report, 2008, pp.5-6). Whilst this citation is not exclusive to T&R, it is recognised that research towards Public Policy requires, “a more sophisticated understanding of the cultural, social and religious factors that are shaping todays complex global society” (British Academy Report, 2008, p.7); arguably this criterion is representative of a T&R degree. Although it can be argued that the notion of transferable ‘skills’ alone is over-simplified, this does not suggest that they should be by any means overlooked. As Knight and Yorke’s model recognises, it is the interrelation of core ‘skills’ with the other three components that is significant. Two of the main skills that are developed in T&R, ‘Critical Thinking’ and ‘Written and Verbal Communication’, also recur in Government Competency Frameworks. The QAA description (2014) makes reference to the development of a student’s capacity to ‘critically’ analyse material within their course of study. ‘Critical Thinking’ involves trained, objective, rational and reflective thought processes that demonstrate, “the commitment to entertain all view points sympathetically and to assess them with the same intellectual standards, without references to one’s own feelings or vested interests” (R.Paul, 1987, p.378) Amongst the infinite definitions of ‘Critical Thinking’, arguably this is the most suitable in the context of a T&R degree. As the definition suggests, it is a cultivated and disciplined skill, developed through practise. Arguably a T&R degree encourages one to deliberate in a certain way; i.e. to question assumptions, recognise bias and draw comparisons. Through small-scale research projects, open discussions and presentations, students exercise the skills to “give a clear accurate account of a subject, marshal arguments and engage in a debate” (The Higher Education Academy, 2009, p.6) The contentious and perhaps personal nature of the subject calls for rigorous questioning and often the reconstruction of beliefs in the light of new evidence; both of these skills are indicative of ‘Critical Thinking’.

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Also, in accordance with Knight and Yorke’s interrelated model, Critical Thinking aids understanding. As mentioned, a T&R degree is not about obtaining masses of knowledge and information, rather its emphasis lies on the development of the ability to capitalise on existing knowledge and seek relevant sources to acquire more if necessary. An additional branch of ‘Critical Thinking’ is “the capacity to bring a degree of self-reflectiveness to the study” (QAA Benchmark, 2014, p.14). This is both in terms of evaluating one’s own process of learning and also values and decisions. This will be discussed further with reference to Knight and Yorke’s ‘metacognition’. A T&R degree arguably forces these skills to become habit. This established approach to thinking influenced both my questioning and my reflections, enabling me to conduct more effective and thorough research during my placement. Whilst it was important to gain a clear understanding about the objectives, the issues the organisation faced and its initiatives to overcome these issues, I also asked more analytical and evaluative questions. For example, when I was meeting with the organisation, Church Urban Fund, I had to compose a question proforma to initiate and develop the informal interview I conducted. This included questions such as: how the success of the organisation is measured; how (if at all) the projects of an organisation fit into government schemes; and if there were any plans to expand the organisation from local to national level. The types of questions I asked informed the interviewee not only that I had prior understanding but that I was also open to learning more. This reassurance built a rapport between the interviewee and myself, creating a positive environment in which we both had the confidence to be open. In my reflections, with the relevant information I had marshalled, I took a comparative approach, evaluating what was successful and what required improvement within each organisation, and also considering any opportunities for organisations to work together in order to provide better solutions to social problems, the main one being Poverty. Whilst I used various methods of research, for example, online and hard copy publications, I found that interviews in particular offered an alternative context for developing Critical Thinking skills. This experience demonstrated that through responsive communication it was possible to deduce ‘unstated’ assumptions, i.e. what someone does not explicitly communicate can still be inferred, offering further insight into the investigation. The responsibility of doing this alone disciplined my ability to remain objective and rational, whilst still being able to deduce more than what was actually stated.

The placement experience demonstrated that ‘Critical Thinking’ could be continually developed, although of course some subjects or positions of employment may choose to actively develop this skill more than others. With reference to the Government Social Research (GSR) Criteria, the Civil Service anticipates employees that can, “evaluate and integrate research information from variety of sources, coming to logical conclusions and communicating this effectively”(GSR, p.11). Essentially, a T&R degree prepares students for this role or similar ones, through setting an expectation for these skills to be emulated on a smaller scale.

In addition to ‘Critical Thinking’ students should also be able to “communicate information, ideas, arguments, principles and theories and develop an argument effectively by essays of various lengths and dissertations” or by “appropriate oral and visual means” (QAA, 2014, p.22) Arguably T&R focuses more on written communication, since this is the main form of

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assessment within the degree. The higher marks are awarded to those who write with a “compelling communicative style” (College of Arts and Law, Undergraduate Marking Criteria, 2015), which is clear and concise. A marker is also looking for ideas that are, “thoroughly convincing and elegant, with excellent choice of evidence [and] lead to well-founded conclusions” (CAL, UG Marking Criteria, 2015). The emphasis on communication skills within the degree shows that it is important to be able to not only have creative and critical ideas but also commit these to paper in a formal and intelligible way. This is a arguably a skill T&R students ultimately come to excel in, due to the complex nature of themes and concepts that they are required to write about.

In terms of developing verbal communication skills, the opportunity to do this within a T&R degree does exist. However, perhaps it is the case that this is more dependent on the individual; i.e. their willingness to contribute to open discussion and volunteer to lead group presentations. The willingness to communicate is conceivably dependent on self-efficacy; a quality, which I think, T&R uniquely develops. This being the case, communication skills may be developed through secondary means.

Some of the basic verbal communication skills obtained from my degree were highlighted during my placement. For example, reporting to my Supervisor and my first interview with the Diocese of Portsmouth. It was important to consider ‘who’ I was talking to, since this determined the level of formality and other inter-personal gestures I used, to set the tone of the discussion. The communication skills I used were indicative of the type of relationship I wanted to build with the recipient. The ability to articulate my own thoughts and apply active listening techniques such as: maintaining eye contact with the speaker, taking notes and responding with relevant questions and ideas was reflective of that which I had developed in lectures and seminars. However, additional and perhaps more advanced verbal communication skills required for a career in Public Policy research, such as public speaking to deliver policy, are not as centrally important to a T&R degree and hence are less explicitly developed.

The reference to personal qualities as an important factor for employment and distinguishes Knight and Yorke’s model for employability from others. The main emphasis surrounds ‘Self-efficacy beliefs’: beliefs about one’s own ability to produce a desired or intended result or as Knight and Yorke elaborate, “the extent in which students feel that they might be able to make a difference” (2006, p.5). It is thought that strong positive self-efficacy beliefs correlate with strong independence. Although personal development skills are indeed harder to assess (and of course studying a degree is not at all imperative for developing this quality), nonetheless it can be argued that both self-efficacy and independence are developed through a Theology and Religion degree.

Certainly, it provides tasks and learning environments such as independent study and group work with the aim to improve, “self-theories, self-motivation, reflection and a range of social practises” (Scales, 2013, p.1), preparing its students for autonomous roles in employment. According to one of the learning outcomes, the purpose of this degree is to, “enhance capacity of student to independently evaluate information and engage in critical analysis and argument for themselves” (QAA, 2014, p.21). This statement recognises that students should be responsible for their own learning. Arguably there is a greater demand for autonomy of learning in a humanities degree, due to the fact that there are fewer hours occupied by contact

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time. The lectures within a T&R degree are viewed as a stimulus for further study into a topic creating an implicit expectation for students to seek out new sources of information of their own volition. Since essays and presentations are the main form of assessment within this degree and they require supplementary research, knowing how to work independently and doing so productively is absolutely vital. This is intended to be challenging; however success in these situations creates a strong sense of self-efficacy. Hence, building on this cycle of positive reinforcement throughout the degree, T&R students arguably graduate with a high degree of independence and confidence in their own proficiency when approaching new situations. Knight and Yorke’s last component for employability ‘meta-cognitive’ abilities - are arguably the most important, yet overlooked in some degrees. ‘Meta-cognitive’ refers to, “encompassing self-awareness regarding [ones] learning, and [having] the capacity to reflect on, in and for action” (Knight and Yorke, 2006, p.5). This ability to think about one’s thinking is important because it helps one evaluate progress and learn from experience; this is vital within employment because it implies continuous development. The QAA acknowledges that students should be able to bring “a degree of self-reflectiveness” (2008, p.16) to the study of T&R. Naturally, it does this through encouraging students to challenge their own bias and that of others; the QAA describes this as, “[showing] critical self-awareness, about one’s own outlook, commitment and prejudices” (2008, p.22). Through studying T&R, students develop a consciousness of this; reflecting on their own beliefs and being exposed to others, encourages the development of a ‘malleable’ rather than ‘fixed’ mind-set. In addition to this, T&R has arguably created a culture whereby not understanding something immediately is accepted as part of the learning process. Hence it is the responsibility of the student to seek the resources they need (whether support from a lecturer or wider reading) to further understanding. In common with some other degrees, the most obvious example is the opportunity to reflect on submitted work and progress, through feedback from lecturers. However unless a student fully takes advantage of this opportunity, this skill is unlikely to be developed. The challenging nature of my placement experience undoubtedly tested and extended my developing self-efficacy beliefs, independence and meta-cognitive processing skills. Despite deficient knowledge and skills for some of the situations I was confronted with, for example conducting an interview with a local Liberal Democrat councillor, where I was not familiar with his profession or subject-area, I viewed this as an opportunity to learn rather than an impossible obstacle. Furthermore, I was equipped with the critical thinking skills to evaluate my own learning, enabling me to evaluate what went well, what could have gone better and what actions I needed to take to improve for the next day. With reference to a career in Public Policy, the Research Development Framework recognises the value of these skills, seeking those that are “self reflective [and] seek ways to improve performance” and are also “independent, self-reliant and take responsibility for self and others” (Vitae Researcher Development Statement, 2010). Nonetheless, Independence, positive efficacy beliefs and meta-cognitive processes are ‘domain-general’ and arguably lay the foundations for effective and efficient learning and productivity in the workplace but also in life. These skills imply that a person is flexible, adaptable and has the potential to grow. Hence, these qualities are just as important if not more than ‘subject specific’ skills, since they say more about a person’s character.

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To summarise, the experience of my placement has allowed me to reflect upon a career opportunity that may be open to me on graduation. It has helped me explore my own interpretation of the skills, attributes and dispositions that it requires. The analysis considered above suggests that T&R equips students with the interpersonal and thinking skills to better appreciate, understand and interact with a range of ethnic, religious, cultural and socially diverse people. Its unique approach encourages student's critical and caring thinking about the beliefs and behaviors of others and their own. Unlike some degrees T&R is forced to place the value of, ‘self-efficacy’ and ‘self-reflection’, at the center of learning and goes further than this to apply it in their work. Whilst this essay is focused on a career in Public Policy Research and provides substantial evidence to suggest that the skills developed in Theology and Religion are applicable if not favorable for this role, conclusively I would assert that these skills are transferable beyond a career but also to skills needed in life itself; i.e. knowing your role and understanding how you can contribute in society. Ultimately, this degree strengthens the skills, personal qualities, values and an approach to thinking and learning that contributes to preparing graduates for life in an ever changing and challenging world. Word count: 3000 Bibliography

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BASR, Russell.M.A (2011) Why study Theology and Religious Studies? [Online] http://www.basr.ac.uk/trs_resources/pubs_and_resources/documents/557.htm [Accessed: 11th October 2015] Bridges.D (2006 version), Transferable Skills: A philosophical perspective. Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 18. (pp. 43-51) [Accessed: 16th October 2015]

British Academy Report. (2008) Punching our weight: The Humanities and Social Sciences in Public Policy Making. [Online PDF] http://www.britac.ac.uk/policy/pol-res-policy-making.cfm [Accessed: 31st October 2015] Government Social Research (GSR) Competency Framework [Online PDF} http://resources.civilservice.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/GSR-professional-competency-framework.pdf [Accessed: 26th September 2015] Government Social Research Profession Page. [Online] https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-service-government-social-research-profession/about [Accessed on: 26h September 2015] Knight and Yorke, (2006) Embedding Employability into the Curriculum. Learning and Employability. Series 1, The Higher Education Academy [online] http://www.employability.ed.ac.uk/documents/Staff/HEABriefings/ESECT-3-Embedding_employability_into_curriculum.pdf [Accessed: 31st October 2015] Paul, R. et al. (1987) Critical Thinking Handbook: 4th-6th Grades. Chapter 14: Regarding a definition of Critical Thinking. (pp. 377-386) Foundation for Critical Thinking. [Online] http://www.criticalthinking.org/data/pages/33/e8a5ca76b05a25d7925937c00a5b9edf519d08bb71dff.pdf [Accessed: 12th October 2015] QAA (2014), Subject Benchmark Statement, Theology and Religious Studies. [Online] http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/SBS-theology-religious-studies.pdf [Accessed: 12th October 2015] Scales, Peter. (2013 version) Employability: A process of learning. [Online PDF] [Accessed: 4th November 2015] The Higher Education Academy. (2005) Discourse: Learning and Teaching in Philosophical and Religious Studies. Journal of the Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies. The Higher Education Academy. (2009 Revised ed.) Employability: Where next? Unlocking the potential of a Theology or Religious Studies degree. Journal of the Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies. [Online] https://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/religious-studies/docs/trs_emp_for_web.pdf [Accessed: 5th October 2015]

University of Birmingham. BA Theology and Religion. [Online] http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/thr/theology.aspx [Accessed: 4th October 2015]

University of Birmingham. College of Arts and Law, Undergraduate-Marking Criteria. (2015)

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Yorke, Mantze. (2006) Employability in higher education: what it is-what it is not. Learning and Employability, Series 1. The Higher Education Academy [Online] http://www.employability.ed.ac.uk/documents/Staff/HEA-Employability_in_HE(Is,IsNot).pdf [Accessed: 15th October 2015]