Events
Although the Bible and Contemporary World programme is online, students are warmly encouraged to participate in a range of optional in-person events held throughout the year. These provide opportunities to engage with faculty, fellow students, alumni, and the wider research community while experiencing the unique academic and cultural life of St Andrews.
Events vary from year to year and may include postgraduate conferences, orientation sessions, research workshops, writing retreats, public lectures, cultural visits, and informal social gatherings. While attendance is not required, many students find these occasions to be among the highlights of their time on the programme.
Bible and Contemporary World Postgraduate Conference (31 August – 4 September 2026)
The principal in-person event for students beginning the programme in September 2026 is the Bible and Contemporary World Postgraduate Conference. The conference brings together current students, alumni, faculty, and postgraduate researchers for several days of academic discussion, research development, and community building. This is followed by optional orientation sessions and community activities designed especially for incoming students.
View the conference programme and further details – B&CW Postgradaute Conference
Advance Preparation
You will have access to a wide range of electronic resources via your St Andrews IT account. This will include scholarly journals, e-books and other digitised materials provided under license.
A core reading list will be made available. Digital extracts from the core list will be made available to participants once the module is underway. The further extensive list contains items that, in most instances, will be available as e-journals or e-books accessible using your St Andrews IT account. For new entrants this becomes fully active closer to the commencement of the module.
Some reading lists may be available a few weeks before the module commences – but you are not normally expected to do reading in advance.
Accommodation
Participants attending in-person events make their own arrangements for accommodation in local B&Bs or hotels.
Online lists include: https://standrewsbandbs.co.uk/ and there are hotels ranging from budget to five-star. Premier Inn is about 15-20 minutes walk from St Mary’s College. (We do not endorse any particular hotel so this information is solely for your convenience.)
Registration and Matriculation
If you are a new student you should complete as much of the registration processes as possible before arrival. Full instructions are emailed to you by the Registry shortly before you commence your first module. Although these instructions will ask you to arrange a meeting with your supervisor/tutor in order to finalize your selection of module this is not applicable to our online learning programme. This is handled on your behalf – as we offer only one module each semester – and, if necessary, we hold a matriculation clinic on the first day of the study week to iron out any last minute details.
Social Activities
We include a number of these during the study week. On the Tuesday and Thursday evenings we often go for a meal together – but this wholly voluntary (and at participants’ expense). Sometimes we have arranged a poetry evening. Much depends on the preferences of the group.
On the Sunday evening before the Bible and Contemporary World Postgraduate Conference commences, you will usually find a number of students gathering at The Saint Bar and Kitchen, a little along the road from the College at the east end of South Street (rather than the Cathedral end). Everyone is warmly welcome to join us.
Tutorial
We normally arrange an individual tutorial with each student during the course of the module. This provides an opportunity to ask questions about studying at postgraduate level, discuss your progress on the course, and raise any other academic or practical matters. Tutorials are normally conducted online via Microsoft Teams during the semester.