Cultural Astronomy and Astrology (Full-time) (PGCert)
The Postgraduate Certificate in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology is a distance learning course that explores how people have understood and connected with the sky, stars, and planets throughout history. This course is run by the Sophia Centre for the ÃÜÌÒ´«Ã½ of Cosmology in Culture and provides a chance to learn how these connections have shaped human culture and beliefs.
This programme introduces the idea that the cosmos has been a central part of human life for thousands of years, influencing everything from religion and art to politics and architecture. Cultural Astronomy and Astrology looks at the ways people across time and place have made sense of the universe and their place within it. You will study both astronomy, the scientific study of the stars, and astrology, the practice of linking the movements of celestial bodies to human experience. The course takes a broad humanities approach, using disciplines like history, anthropology, and archaeology to help students understand the rich connections between the cosmos and human culture.
A key focus of the course is the difference between astronomy and astrology and how these two areas have been understood and used by different cultures. You will also study how the sky has been important in religion, the arts, and ideas about the mind. Archeoastronomy, the study of how astronomical symbols and alignments appear in ancient and modern architecture, is an important part of the programme. By examining the skies from both a scientific and cultural perspective, you will learn how different societies have related to the stars.
This PG Cert allows students to engage with a wide range of topics, from ancient cosmologies to modern beliefs about the stars. As part of the programme, you will keep a journal of your observations of the sky and explore how people today interpret the cosmos. By the end of the course, you will have gained a deeper understanding of how our connection to the stars has shaped culture throughout history.
This unique is a perfect choice for anyone looking to explore how human life and culture have been influenced by the cosmos, offering a flexible and accessible way to study these fascinating subjects.
From the PG Cert, you can progress onto the PG Dip or MA Programmes.
Course details
- Distance Learning
- Full-time
- English
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
This Cultural Astronomy and Astrology programme is designed with a student-centred philosophy, encouraging independent learning and critical engagement. Our teaching combines a rich blend of academic guidance and practical exploration, allowing you to delve into complex subjects while gaining valuable insights from expert tutors and fellow students.
You will build a foundational understanding of cultural astronomy and astrology. Through the core module, ‘Foundations in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology,’ you will explore how these disciplines have influenced human thought and society. You will engage with essential concepts such as cosmology, mythology, and the spiritual significance of celestial bodies, setting the stage for deeper inquiry in the following years.
You will then choose from various optional modules, such as “Sacred Geography†and “Cosmology, Magic and Divination,†which allow you to specialise in areas of personal interest. You can also develop your own independent research project, gaining expertise in critical analysis and the ability to construct evidence-based arguments.
Compulsory
(30 credits)
Optional
(30 credits)
(30 credits)
(30 credits)
(30 credits)
(10 / 20 credits)
(30 credits)
Disclaimer
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The modules outlined above provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent academic teaching. We continuously review our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
You’ll typically complete 120 credits per year of study on a full-time course. For more information visit our Student Agreement.
Ratings and Rankings
Staff
Our People
You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for Teaching, Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support (NSS 2024) meaning that the support and feedback you get will help you learn and develop strong academic skills. Our students have placed us 1st in Wales for Learning Opportunities and Student Voice (NSS 2024) meaning that there are a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your studies and that students play an active role in shaping their learning experiences. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students place us as 1st in Wales and joint 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction (Times Higher Education, 2024, ‘Overall Positivity’ measure). Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses.
Further information
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or UWTSD recognised equivalent. 
Admissions Advice and Support â¶Ä¯
For specific advice and support you can contact our enquiries team for more information about entry requirements. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
English language requirements â¶Ä¯If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Visit the International Applications section of our website to find out more about our English Language Requirements and pre-sessional English Language Courses. 
Visa and funding requirements â¶Ä¯
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
For courses of more than six months’ duration you will require a Student visa. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. â¶Ä¯â€¯
For full information read our visa application and guides. â¶Ä¯â¶Ä¯â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.
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Some modules in this course are available to study through the medium of Welsh either fully or partially. In all cases students will be able to submit written assessments through the medium of Welsh. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
If you choose to study your course either fully or partially through the medium of Welsh, you may be eligible to apply for scholarships and bursaries to support you with your studies. 
We are continuously reviewing our Welsh medium provision, the precise availability of modules will vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course offers modules available through the medium of Welsh this may vary from year to year, and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific Welsh medium modules cannot be guaranteed. â¶Ä¯
Extracurricular Welsh Opportunities There are many ways to engage with Welsh culture and life at UWTSD, including joining clubs and societies for Welsh speakers and becoming a member of our vibrant Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol branch. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Opportunities to Learn Welsh 
We also provide a variety of opportunities to learn and develop your Welsh language skills. â¶Ä¯â€¯
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Each module is assessed by 7,500 words of written work. For example, some modules require one short essay of 1,500 words and a longer one of 6,000 words, normally due in week 10 to 12. In other modules, the first essay may be 3,000 words and the second 4,500 words, for example.
Assessment requirements, lengths and due dates can vary from module to module. The shorter essays may be a critical review of a piece of writing or be picked from a choice of two titles. For longer essays, there is a wider choice of titles. In some modules, the title and subject is negotiated with the course tutor.
Each is then returned with comments from either one or two tutors, and students are offered the chance to have a tutorial via Skype in order to discuss the comments.
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There are no formal additional costs. However, participation in online classes will require a webcam — about ten pounds sterling or ten US dollars. Some students will wish to purchase extra books (some are required), even though most course materials will be online.
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You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Bursaries and Scholarships section.
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Most of our students take the MA as an end in itself because they love the subject. Some go on to study for PhDs, either with us or at other universities.
The relationship between all academic work and non-academic employment is always based on potential employers’ appreciation of the generic skills acquired in MA study. Typically, these include critical thinking, communication skills, time-management and the ability to take on and complete independent projects.
The latter quality is particularly prized by many employers. Some of our graduates stay in education either as research students or as teachers: one graduate is teaching at undergraduate level while another, a school teacher, was awarded a promotion and pay rise on her graduation.