Please note this webpage is currently undergoing changes ready for the 2026/27 academic year.

Ethics, religion and law: three societal pillars on the basis of which cultures are built, wars fought and lives lived.

The benefits of enrolling on an Ethics, Society and Law Discovery module

Develop your skills and understanding of moral standards, faith and religion, politics and public policy, the law, crime and punishment, human nature and society – today and in times past.

This Theme engages with the big questions in life, in death – and beyond. Explore questions of belief, prejudice, crime and punishment, equality and discrimination, diversity and inclusion. These questions resonate through history but are we any closer to ‘solving’ them; indeed – how can they be solved? Are we always destined to live in a world where difference breeds conflict, where crime and deviance are rife, and where moral, ethical and religious debates divide nations and trigger wars?

How do our societal institutions respond to these challenges? And what is the impact on individuals, families, specific genders or societal groups? How can we legislate or plan for a better, fairer world? Will we ever agree on what that world looks like or how it is run? Explore all of this and more in this diverse theme.

For general guidance about Discovery modules, contact your parent school. For information about to a specific Discovery module, contact the teaching school for the module.

Explore Ethics, Society and Law Discovery modules

If you are in incoming year one student, you should only choose level 1 modules. 

Level 1 Ethics, Society and Law modules for the 2026/27 academic year

Early and Medieval Islamic History

  • Module code: ARAB1150

Read more about the Early and Medieval Islamic History module in the module catalogue.

Islamic Theology

  • Module code: ARAB1220

Read more about the Islamic Theology module in the module catalogue.

The Greek World: An Introduction

  • Module code: CLAS1300

Read more about the The Greek World: An Introduction module in the module catalogue.

The Roman World: An Introduction

  • Module code: CLAS1400

Read more about the The Roman World: An Introduction module in the module catalogue.

Premodern East Asia

  • Module code: EAST2141

Read more about the Premodern East Asia module in the module catalogue.

Introduction to East Asian Religions and Philosophies

  • Module code: EAST1510

Read more about the Introduction to East Asian Religions and Philosophies module in the module catalogue.

Creative Africas: Culture and the Arts in Modern Africa

  • Module code: FOAH1100

Read more about the Creative Africas: Culture and the Arts in Modern Africa module in the module catalogue.

Magic, Science and Religion

  • Module code: HPSC1015

Read more about the Magic, Science and Religion module in the module catalogue.

Professional Ethics: Challenges and Crises

  • Module code:IDEA1000

Read more about the Professional Ethics: Challenges and Crises module in the module catalogue.

An Introduction to Law: What is Law?

  • Module Code: LAW1076

Read more about An Introduction to Law: What is Law? in the module catalogue.

Women, Culture and Islam

  • Module code: LLLC1321

Read more about the Women, Culture and Islam module in the module catalogue.

Understanding Social Enterprises

  • Module code: LUBS1010

Read more about the Understanding Social Enterprises module in the module catalogue.

Economic Institutions (Labour)

  • Module code: LUBS1125

Read more about Economic Institutions (Labour) in the module catalogue.

Economic Perspectives and Controversies

  • Module code: LUBS1291

Read more about the Economic Perspectives and Controversies module in the module catalogue.

Business and Society (Combined)

  • Module code: LUBS1755

Read more about the Business and Society (Combined) module in the module catalogue.

Business and Society (Organisation Theory)

  • Module code: LUBS1760

Read more about the Business and Society (Organisation Theory) module in the module catalogue.

Business and Society (Social Theory)

  • Module code: LUBS1765

Read more about the Business and Society (Social Theory) module in the module catalogue.

Religion and Culture: Medieval Christianity, Judaism and Islam

  • Module code: MEDV1081

Read more about the Religion and Culture: Medieval Christianity, Judaism and Islam module in the module catalogue.

Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion

  • Module code: PHIL1007

Read more about the Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion module in the module catalogue.

The Good, the Bad, the Right, the Wrong

  • Module code: PHIL1080

Read more about the The Good, the Bad, the Right, the Wrong module in the module catalogue.

British Politics

  • Module code: PIED1100

Read more about the British Politics module in the module catalogue.

Global Development Challenges

  • Module code: PIED1201

Read more about the Global Development Challenges module in the module catalogue.

Making of the Modern World

  • Module code: PIED1212

Read more about the Making of the Modern World module in the module catalogue.

International Politics

  • Module code: PIED1511

Read more about the International Politics module in the module catalogue.

Power and Conflict - an Introduction

  • Module Code: PIED1551

Read more about Power and Conflict - an Introduction in the module catalogue.

Freedom, Power and Resistance: An Introduction to Political Ideas

  • Module Code: PIED1601

Read more about Freedom, Power and Resistance: An Introduction to Political Ideas in the module catalogue.

Contemporary Africas: Politics, Society and the Environment

  • Module Code: PIED1806

Read more about Contemporary Africas: Politics, Society and the Environment in the module catalogue.

Forensic Psychology

  • Module code: PSYC1610

Read more about the Forensic Psychology module in the module catalogue.

Crime and Society

  • Module code: SLSP1181

Read more about the Crime and Society module in the module catalogue.

Identities and Inequalities

  • Module code: SLSP1191

Read more about Identities and Inequalities in the module catalogue.

Debating Welfare States

  • Module code: SLSP1221

Read more about Debating Welfare States in the module catalogue.

Introduction to the Study of Religions

  • Module code: THEO1122

Read more about the Introduction to the Study of Religions module in the module catalogue.

Religion, Politics and Society in the Modern World

  • Module code: THEO1177

Read more about the Religion, Politics and Society in the Modern World module in the module catalogue.

 

Level 2 Ethics, Society and Law modules for the 2026/27 academic year

Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict

  • Module code: ARAB2066

Read more about the Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict module in the module catalogue.

Global Media: Discourse, Representation and Society

  • Module code: ARAB2095

Read more about the Global Media: Discourse, Representation and Society module in the module catalogue.

Cultures of the Arab Middle East and North Africa

  • Module code: ARAB2181

Read more about the Cultures of the Arab Middle East and North Africa module in the module catalogue.

Global Jihad: From the Taliban to ISIS

  • Module code: ARAB2190

Read more about the Global Jihad: From the Taliban to ISIS module in the module catalogue.

Modern Middle Eastern History

  • Module code: ARAB2310

Read more about the Modern Middle Eastern History module in the module catalogue.

Islamic Law: Authority, Continuity and Change

  • Module code: ARAB2312

Read more about the Islamic Law: Authority, Continuity and Change module in the module catalogue.

Bodies of Difference: Gender, Power and the Visual Arts

  • Module code: ARTF2111

Read more about Bodies of Difference: Gender, Power and the Visual Arts in the module catalogue.

Buddhism: a Lived Tradition

  • Module code: EAST2713

Read more about the Buddhism: a Lived Tradition module in the module catalogue.

Managing Classroom Behaviour

  • Module code: EDUC2108

Read more about the Managing Classroom Behaviour module in the module catalogue.

Transformations of the Roman World

  • Module code: HIST2045

Read more about the Transformations of the Roman World module in the module catalogue.

Most Christian Kings: France, 1515-1715

  • Module code: HIST2073

Read more about the Most Christian Kings: France, 1515-1715 module in the module catalogue.

Voices of the People: Language and Speech in the Early Modern World

  • Module code: HIST2083

Read more about Voices of the People: Language and Speech in the Early Modern World in the module catalogue.

Later Victorian England: Politics, Society and Culture

  • Module code: HIST2103

Read more about the Later Victorian England: Politics, Society and Culture module in the module catalogue.

Sacred Figures and Social Power: The Saints of Medieval Europe

  • Module code: HIST2111

Read more about the Sacred Figures and Social Power: The Saints of Medieval Europe module in the module catalogue.

The History of Africa since 1900

  • Module code: HIST2430

Read more about The History of Africa since 1900 in the module catalogue.

History of Psychiatry and Mental Illness

  • Module code: HPSC2400

Read more about the History of Psychiatry and Mental Illness module in the module catalogue.

Leadership Ethics

  • Module code: IDEA2000

Read more about the Leadership Ethics module in the module catalogue.

Love: Ethical, Social and Political Issues

  • Module code: IDEA2001

Read more about the Love: Ethical, Social and Political Issues module in the module catalogue.

Should Scientists be Activists?: Values, Science and Society

  • Module code: IDEA2002

Read more about the Should Scientists be Activists?: Values, Science and Society module in the module catalogue.

Violent and Sexually Offending Young People

  • Module code: LLLC2222

Read more about the Violent and Sexually Offending Young People module in the module catalogue.

Contemporary Industrial Relations

  • Module code: LUBS2060

Read more about the Contemporary Industrial Relations module in the module catalogue.

Principles of Marketing

  • Module code: LUBS2160

Read more about the Principles of Marketing module in the module catalogue.

Contemporary Human Resource Management

  • Module code: LUBS2580

Read more about Contemporary Human Resource Management in the module catalogue.

Politics, Identity and Performance

  • Module code: PECI2714

Read more about the Politics, Identity and Performance module in the module catalogue.

The Labour Party Since 1945

  • Module Code: PIED2139

Read more about The Labour Party Since 1945 in the module catalogue.

Theories of International Relations

  • Module code: PIED2501

Read more about the Theories of International Relations module in the module catalogue.

Justice, Community and Conflict

  • Module code: PIED2602

Read more about the Justice, Community and Conflict module in the module catalogue.

Human Rights and Religion

  • Module code: PRHS2000

Read more about the Human Rights and Religion module in the module catalogue.

Disability Studies: An Introduction

  • Module Code: SLSP2041

Read more about Disability Studies: An Introduction in the module catalogue.

Crime, Race and Ethnicity

  • Module code: SLSP2146

Read more about the Crime, Race and Ethnicity module in the module catalogue.

Key Debates in Social Policy

  • Module Code: SLSP2651

Read more about Key Debates in Social Policy in the module catalogue.

Central Problems in Sociology

  • Module Code: SLSP2731

Read more about Central Problems in Sociology in the module catalogue.

Sociology of Religion

  • Module code: THEO2251

Read more about the Sociology of Religion module in the module catalogue.

Religion, Gender and Society

  • Module Code: THEO2720

Read more about Religion, Gender and Society in the module catalogue.

Transport, Energy and Environment

  • Module code: TRAN2041

Read more about the Transport, Energy and Environment module in the module catalogue.

Level 3 Ethics, Society and Law modules for the 2026/27 academic year

Islam and Modernity

  • Module code: ARAB3072

Read more about the Islam and Modernity module in the module catalogue.

The Qur’an and the Hadith: Muslim Scriptural Sources

  • Module code: ARAB3090

Read more about the The Qur’an and the Hadith: Muslim Scriptural Sources module in the module catalogue.

Buddhism: A Lived Tradition

  • Module code: EAST3707

Read more about the Buddhism: A Lived Tradition module in the module catalogue.

Children, Families and Cultural Diversity: Philosophical Perspectives

  • Module code: EDUC3903

Read more about the Children, Families and Cultural Diversity: Philosophical Perspectives module in the module catalogue.

Religion and Violence

  • Module code: FOAH3150

Read more about the Religion and Violence module in the module catalogue.

Nazism, Stalinism and the Rise of the Total State

  • Module code: HIST3710

Read more about the Nazism, Stalinism and the Rise of the Total State module in the module catalogue.

Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

  • Module code: IDEA3000

Read more about the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence module in the module catalogue.

Media Law

  • Module code: LAW3280

Read more about the Media Law module in the module catalogue.

Gender and Equality at Work in Comparative Perspective

  • Module code: LUBS3001

Read more about the Gender and Equality at Work in Comparative Perspective module in the module catalogue.

Diversity Management

  • Module code: LUBS3002

Read more about the Diversity Management module in the module catalogue.

Public Enterprise and Regulation

  • Module code: LUBS3435

Read more about Public Enterprise and Regulation in the module catalogue.

Employment Law

  • Module code: LUBS3915

Read more about the Employment Law module in the module catalogue.

Global Development and Social Protection

  • Module code: PIED3208

Read more about the Global Development and Social Protection module in the module catalogue.

Rethinking Resistance

  • Module code: PIED3612

Read more about the Rethinking Resistance module in the module catalogue.

Ethics and Politics of Human Rights

  • Module code: PIED3640

Read more about the Ethics and Politics of Human Rights module in the module catalogue.

Crimes of States and Powerful Elites

  • Module code: SLSP3212

Read more about the Crimes of States and Powerful Elites module in the module catalogue.

Children, Young People and Life Course Perspectives

  • Module code: SLSP3221

Read more about the Children, Young People and Life Course Perspectives module in the module catalogue.

Gender, Technologies and the Body

  • Module code: SLSP3501

Read more about Gender, Technologies and the Body in the module catalogue.

Strategic Energy Issues

  • Module code: SOEE3630

Read more about the Strategic Energy Issues module in the module catalogue.

Religions and Global Development

  • Module code: THEO3190

Read more about the Religions and Global Development module in the module catalogue.

Public Transport Policy and Practice

  • Module Code: TRAN3031

Read more about Public Transport Policy and Practice in the module catalogue.

Travel Activity Analysis

  • Module Code: TRAN3061

Read more about Travel Activity Analysis in the module catalogue.

Social Analysis and Social Psychology for Transport

  • Module Code: TRAN3062

Read more about Social Analysis and Social Psychology for Transport in the module catalogue.

 

Studies