A Level Philosophy, Ethics and Religion

A Level Philosophy, Ethics and Religion course offers students the opportunity to explore key ideas, concepts, themes and practices. The first strand of the course involves the in-depth study of one religion (either Buddhism or Christianity), covering religious figures, sacred texts, religious life, social and historical developments, and religious identity. The second strand, Philosophy of Religion, involves the study of arguments for the existence of God; challenges to religious belief; and religious experience. The third strand considers whether we really have free will, and covers theories relating to ethical decision making. The over-arching aim of this course is to help students to become knowledgeable and reflective, critical and creative thinkers - able to approach academic work and intellectual discourse confidently and effectively.

Students should be aged 16 to 18 years old. You will need grade 5 in GCSE Religious Studies (if studied) and grade 5 in either GCSE English Language or English Literature.

Philosophy, Ethics and Religion offers students an exciting opportunity to experience in-depth study of three branches of Religious Studies: Philosophy of Religion, Ethics and Buddhism. Philosophy of Religion covers arguments for the existence of God; challenges to religious belief; the nature and validity of religious experience; and analysing the meaning and function of religious language. In Ethics classes, we explore the nature of ethical language and thought; whether morally good actions involve following rules or considering consequences; and to what extent we possess free will.

Learning for this course will be a mixture of methods and classroom based exercises.

Pen, Note Pad

The essay is the major form of assessment and regular essays are set throughout the course. A major task for all students is to learn to develop the skill of expressing complex ideas in writing. There are three exams at the end of the second year. Each exam is designed to assess your investigation of, and response to, the many issues explored in the course. activities and tutorials. Synopic links are formed across the course ensuring that students have a range of knowledge and skills.

The A Level qualification you will gain has a long pedigree and is a highly respected subject so a better question might be: Employers and universities know that this subject teaches people to think clearly and to express themselves coherently; the skills that you will develop in analysis and argument are valuable in a range of careers. Former students are accountants, personnel officers, solicitors, criminal psychologists, speech therapists, nurses, teachers and too many more to mention!