Religious Studies

Please note:
This subject is offered in mixed classes jointly with Ermysted’s Grammar School.   

Is this course for me?

This course will suit anyone with a keen interest and understanding of diverse philosophical and ethical viewpoints. Those of you who like to analyse and evaluate strengths and weaknesses of ideas will find the course suits you well.

Opportunities

Students gain critical and evaluative skills sought by higher education and employers – particularly in law, education, social work, politics, medicine, administration and the media. 

I find Religious Studies a fun and enjoyable subject, what we learn helps us to understand different people’s views and opinions.

Qualification Structure

A Level Religious Studies is a linear qualification so students will take examinations at the end of the two year course assessing all units of study.

There are three examination papers in the following components:

Philosophy and Religion

This includes: ancient philosophical influences, the nature of the soul, mind and body, arguments about the existence or non-existence of God, religious experience, the problem of evil, the nature of God and issues in religious language.

Religion and Ethics

This includes: normative ethical theories, the application of these theories to euthanasia and business ethics, ethical language and thought, the conscience and sexual ethics.

Developments in Christian Thought

This includes: Christian beliefs, values and teachings, sources of wisdom and authority and practices, social and historical developments, and key themes related to the relationship between religion and society e.g. gender, pluralism and secularism.
These areas of study will be assessed as follows:

Paper 1    
Philosophy of Religion    
33.3% of total A Level - 2 hour exam

Paper 2    
Religion and Ethics  
33.3% of total A Level - 2 hour exam

Paper 3
Developments in Christian Thought
33.3% of total A Level - 2 hour exam