About the Course:
This subject is offered as an A Level course. The beauty of Religious Studies is that it allows for personal reflection, discussion, the formation of argument and the debating of relevant ethical ideas. Your lessons will allow you to deepen your thoughts and ideas, challenge traditional concepts and arguments and articulate your reasoning and evaluation of moral issues.
Assessment:
Students will take a 1½ hour examination, comprising of two questions, for each module of the course. There are two modules at AS Level and a further two at A2 Level consisting of the Philosophy of Religion and Religious Ethics.
In AS Philosophy of Religion students will study the following areas:
- Early Greek Philosophy including the work of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle
- The Judaeo-Christian concept of God including why God is referred to as Creator, Lawgiver and Judge and looking in-depth at the attributes of God
- The classical arguments for the existence of God
- The challenges of evil and suffering for those who hold belief in God
In AS Religious Ethics students will study the following areas:
- Ethical theories such as Natural Law, Utilitarianism, Kantian Ethics, and other forms of Religious Ethics
- The main proponents of these ethical theories and their importance
- How these ethical theories might apply to areas of ethical debate such as abortion, euthanasia, genetic engineering, and war and peace
At A2 students will continue to add depth to these topics.
In A2 Philosophy of Religion students will study the following areas:
- How religious language, experience and miracles can expand on what we can know about God
- The nature of God, including his omnipotence, omniscience and eternity
- Life after death, including dualism of the soul
In A2 Religious Ethics students will study the following areas:
- Meta ethics
- Free will and determinism
- The nature and role of conscience in decision making
- Virtue ethics and applied ethics
Is there anything else I need to know?
There is no coursework in Religious Studies.
Progression Routes:
Religious Studies leads on to further pursuit of the subject at degree level. The skills developed in Religious Studies are seen as particularly useful for a whole variety of pathways in such careers as law, education, social work, politics, medicine and media.