Theology & Religious Studies BD/MA
Wisdom Literature TRS4074
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Critical Studies
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
- Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This course will introduce students to the Wisdom Literature of the Hebrew Bible: principally Proverbs, Job and Qohelet (Ecclesiastes) but with some attention to non-canonical and supplementary texts such as Sirach, Song of Songs, and biblical folktales.
Timetable
1x2hr seminar per week over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.
This is one of the Honours options in TRS and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.
Excluded Courses
TRS3015 Wisdom Literature In The Old Testament
TRS4038 Wisdom Literature In The Old Testament Honours
TRS3030 Wisdom Literature Level 3
TRS4075 Wisdom Literature with Hebrew
Co-requisites
None
Assessment
The standard assessments for this course are:
■ Essay (2000 words) - 50%
■ Essay (1500 words) - 40%
■ Presentation of 5 minutes - 10%
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 Essays, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions).
■ A recording of presentation as alternative to the presentation.
Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor. 
Main Assessment In: April/May
Course Aims
This course will provide the opportunity to:
■ explore the definition of wisdom as a literary genre;
■ discuss its significance for the interpretation of canonical and related traditions and texts identified as Wisdom Literature;
■ engage in close reading of selected biblical and extra-biblical wisdom texts;
■ become familiar with a range of theoretical interpretive approaches to texts.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
■ evaluate the usefulness of the term "wisdom" as a genre description, and to identify its representative texts in the Hebrew Bible;
■ offer a rigorous analysis of a range of approaches to key texts in the biblical wisdom tradition;
■ present a clearly argued analysis of the role of folk tale and related traditions in the formation of biblical literature;
■ analyse the theoretical and interpretive problems involved in interpreting ancient texts of uncertain provenance;
■ present complex arguments in written and oral form.