Religious Studies
Religious Studies at St Bart’s is designed to be engaging, analytical and challenging.
This is to enable students to leave school as maturing young adults who are religiously literate; able to hold balanced and well informed conversations about religion, belief and worldviews; who are tolerant and open minded; who understand and embrace diversity; who are confident and resilient; who have a strong sense of identity; who learn to value others and treat them with sensitivity; who know how to take effective action for change; who have a sense of spiritual, moral and cultural awareness; and who understand and respect other people’s religious and cultural backgrounds.
Examination Board: OCR
Course Description
A Level Religious Studies (Philosophy and Ethics) introduces you to a variety of new, interesting, thought provoking and academically rigorous topics from Plato’s cave to Aristotle’s prime mover, Nietzsche’s ‘God is dead’ to Aquinas ‘necessary being’, Aristotle’s virtue ethics to Bentham’s ‘greatest happiness for the greatest number’. The course gives an insight of ideas that have shaped thinking in politics, business, law and medical ethics, among other fields.
Students study philosophical issues and questions raised by religion and belief. The course considers arguments regarding the existence or nonexistence of God, the nature and influence of religious experience and the problems of evil and suffering. Students explore the beliefs, values, teachings and practices that shape religious identity, as well as sources of wisdom and authority. Lessons look into the ways in which religious traditions have developed over time, and the religious responses to challenges and significant contemporary social issues.
The course explores philosophical language and thought, through significant concepts and the works of key thinkers. Students will study how ethical theory can be applied to issues of importance; such as euthanasia, business ethics, and sexual ethics.
Assessment
This is a linear course. This means that students opting for an A Level in this subject will be committing to a two-year linear course with all units examined at the end of Year 13.
- Paper 1: Philosophy of religion (2 hours, worth 33.3% of qualification)
- Paper 2: Religion and ethics (2 hours, worth 33.3% of qualification)
- Paper 3: Developments in religious thought (2 hours, worth 33.3% of qualification)
Entry Requirements
GCSE Religious Studies is not a requirement but where students have completed the course, a Grade 5 is required.
Where might it lead?
A Level Religious Studies (Philosophy and Ethics) can help open doors to careers in/as:
- Advice Worker
- Archivist
- Archaeologist
- Charity Worker
- Civil Service
- Community Development
- Diplomatic Service
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer
- International Aid & Development
- Journalist
- Lawyer
- Mediator
- Police Officer
- Policy Officer
- Politician
- Solicitor
- Teacher
- Theologist
- Youth Worker
Student Destinations
Kiana John
2024 Offers from
- University of Bristol – Philosophy and Theology
- University of Exeter – Philosophy and Theology
- University of Nottingham – Philosophy and Theology
- Royal Holloway, University of London – Modern Languages and Philosophy
- UCL (University College London) – German and Philosophy
Daisy Herne
2024 Offers from
- University of Birmingham – Social Anthropology
- University of Bristol – Anthropology
- University of Exeter – Anthropology
- Goldsmiths, University of London – Anthropology
- University of Southampton – Archaeology and Anthropology
