Course Catalogue

Biblical Manuscripts Directed Study TRS5125

  • Academic Session: 2026-27
  • School: School of Critical Studies
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course enables students to work closely with key primary sources in our discipline, manuscripts of biblical works in various languages (including Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic) in various media and writing supports produced from the second century BCE to the nineteenth century CE. Students will learn to engage handmade text objects using several critical approaches, including textual criticism, critical editing, and textual collation, engaging the Bible as it was for specific communities and readers at various locations. The main object of this directed study is to produce an edition (using digital and classical tools) of a particular manuscript and to contextualise this object in the broader trajectory of biblical scholarship.

Timetable

1x2hr tutorial weekly over 10 weeks

Requirements of Entry

Standard entry to Masters at College level.

Evidence of language proficiency (including concurrent introductory courses)

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Set exercise on a manuscript (digital edition project) - 2500 words (50%) 

■ Research essay - 2500 words (50%) 

 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ There are no alternatives to the assessments, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

 

Course Aims

This course aims to:

■ Inculcate key disciplinary skills relevant to each student's interests, enabling innovative research at the PGT level

■ Increase competencies for engaging central primary sources and develop expertise in manuscript literacy

■ Create the toolkit necessary for manuscript engagement (palaeography, codicology, paratext identification, transcription, collation), research, and the acquisition of other disciplinary and transferable skills

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Read biblical manuscripts in various scripts, styles, and formats

■ Use key disciplinary tools (e.g. collation, transcription, close reading, critical editing) to develop innovative research

■ Conduct independent research

■ Create basic editions of manuscripts

■ Understand the place of edition making in critical praxis

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

No exceptions