This course will seek to deliver a basic but clear understanding of different religious and secular worldviews that exist in present Western societies, and that affect the ways in which people think and act and relate to each other. They shape who they are, including their attitudes, values and behaviour. Thus, the course will start by defining a worldview, explain what it is constituted of and how it is formed, and how it could be modified due to the impact of several factors on it. Then, several world views will be explored through their beliefs, values, morality, and perspective on life.

The religious world views are those associated with:

·       Christianity
·       Islam
·       Judaism
·       Hinduism
·       Buddhism
·       Confucianism
·       Taoism

The secular world views that will be covered are:

·       Atheism
·       Agnosticism
·       Naturalism
·       Moral Relativism
·       Monism (Self-actualization)
·       Neo-Darwinian Evolution
·       Liberalism and Progressivism
·       Interventionism
·       Positive Law
·       Historical Evolution

The last part of this module will reflect on how all these worldviews, and more, can co-exist peacefully and be a source of enrichment for each other through constructive and respectful dialogue.

The self-paced course will commence from October 2023 onwards and once the required number of learners have enrolled. It offers 100 hours of self-paced learning, including instructional materials, online resources, lesson explanations, discussion forums, assignments, and recommended readings. Registration is open until 15 March 2024. Upon reaching the minimum number of participants, you will be notified. You will have until 31 May 2024 to complete the course at your own pace regardless of the commencement date.