簡介：The table for theology and religious studies shows its third change of leadership in three years. Durham’s lead over Cambridge could not be slimmer and Oxford is also less than a point behind in third place. Durham produced the best results in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, when two thirds of its work was considered world-leading or internationally excellent. Cambridge is a mere two points ahead of Oxford on entry standards, but the best scores on other measures come from outside the top three. More than 1,300 students began degrees in theology or religious studies in 2011, but applications were down by 15 per cent in March 2012, as higher fees came in. It was already one of the least competitive subjects in the arts and social sciences: there were little more than four applications to the place in 2010. This is not fully reflected in the entry grades, however. Although only a dozen institutions average more than 400 points, none has an average of less than 250. There is particularly keen competition north of the border, where Edinburgh and St Andrews have overtaken Aberdeen, but cannot be separated in the new table. Scottish universities occupied three of the top six places last year and still have four of the top 12. Exeter ties with St Andrews for the most satisfied students. Cardiff is the leader in Wales, while Leeds Trinity University College has the best employment record, but had been overtaken by Chichester and Chester as the highest-placed institution outside the old universities. Surprisingly, theology and religious studies are close to the top 20 in the graduate destinations table, with an unemployment rate of only 6 per cent. By no means all graduates go into the church, but the vocation helps to maintain this record, as does the fact that four out of ten graduates continue studying.以下是2013年Times神學和宗教研究的排名。