The document discusses how a theology and religion degree develops skills relevant for a career in public policy research. It analyzes the degree's development of the four components of employability identified by Knight and Yorke's USEM model: understanding, skills, efficacy beliefs, and meta-cognition. It argues that through developing critical thinking, communication skills, independence, self-reflection, and an appreciation for complexity, a theology degree cultivates transferable skills well-suited to public policy research careers. The author's placement experience reinforced how their degree strengthened their research abilities.

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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
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