The Religious Studies Department

Religious Studies @ Key Stage 5

Exam board: Edexcel

Why study RE?

If you like arguing, if you have strong opinions, if you like ideas that make you think, or if you are interested in a career in law, medicine, journalism, the prison service, counselling, human resources, or any role that works with people, then this course is for you.

What will you study?

Year 12 AS

Unit 1: Foundations
Philosophical arguments about the existence of God: the Design Argument; the Cosmological Argument
Selected problems in philosophy of religion: evil and suffering; miracles
Ethical concepts: the relationship between religion and morality; utilitarianism; situation ethics
Ethical dilemmas: war and peace; sexual ethics

Unit 2: Investigations
You will pursue independent guided study on one of the following six topics:
- religious experience; meditation;
- contrasting stand points on the relationship between mind & body
- a study of one or more philosophers of religion
- medical ethics
- the natural world
- equality in the modern world

Year 13 A2

Unit 3: Developments
Philosophical arguments about the existence of God: religious experience; the Ontological Argument; nonexistence of God and critiques of religious belief.
Selected problems in philosophy of religion: beliefs about life
after death; a study of religious language
Ethical concepts: critiques of the relationship between religion
and morality; deontology, natural law and virtue ethics
Ethical dilemmas: The meaning and definition of ethical terms;
objectivity, relativism, subjectivism; justice, lawand punishment

Unit 4: Implications
You will study three short set texts selected from either the philosophy of religion or ethics, and answer one exam question based on one of the three texts.

Method of assessment
Units 1 and 3 are each assessed by an exam lasting 1 hour 45 minutes; Units 2 and 4 are each assessed by an exam lasting 1 hour and 15 minutes. Each contributes equally to the final grade.

Future prospects
Religious Studies is a well regarded A level and an ideal course for students wishing to study any sort of humanities or social sciences degree at university. As stated above, it a good course for anyone interested in a career in law, medicine, journalism, the prison service, counselling or human resources.