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Religious Studies A Level

Empowering minds for today and tomorrow!

Benefits of doing RS A Level:

Prepare for university:

  • Gain an edge in humanities and social science subjects.
  • Build textual analysis and critical thinking skills.
  • Develop academic essay writing skills.

Unlock diverse career paths:

  • Open doors to teaching, charity, and equality, diversity and inclusion jobs.
  • Find opportunities in a variety of other careers from law to business.
  • Understand people from diverse backgrounds and handle respectful disagreements.

Empower your journey

  • Develop essential life skills for the workplace and beyond.
  • Deepen empathy and adaptability for personal growth.
  • Justify your views and challenge assumptions effectively.

Course Content

  • Exam board: OCR
  • Exams: Three, two hour exams (100% exam)
  • Course content: Three “Papers”:

Philosophy of Religion

  • Ancient philosophical influences (Y12)
  • The nature of the soul, mind, and body
  • The nature of God (Y13)
  • Arguments for God’s existence (Y12)
    – Arguments based on observation
    – Arguments based on reason (Y13)
  • The problem of evil (Y12)
    – St. Augustine: Free will and the Fall
    – Hick: Soul-making
  • Religious experience (Y12)
    Religious, Psychological and Physiological explanations
  • Religious language (Y13)
    20th Century perspectives

Religion and Ethics

  • Religious approaches to ethics (Y12)
    Aquinas: Natural law
    Fletcher: Situation ethics
  • Normative ethical theories (Y12)
    Kant: Deontological ethics
    Utilitarianism
  • Ethical issues
    Euthanasia (Y12)
    Business ethics (Y13)
    Sexual ethics (Y13)
  • Metaethics (Y13)
  • Conscience (Y13)
    Aquinas’ theological approach
    Freud’s psychological approach

Development in Christian Thought (DCT)

  • Augustine’s teachings on human nature (Y12)
  • Death and the afterlife (Y12)
  • Knowledge of God’s existence and character (Y13)
  • The person of Jesus Christ (Y12)
  • Christian ethics and practices (Y13)
  • Christian views of other religions (Y13)
  • Christian views on gender (Y13)
  • The challenge of secularism (Y13)
    Freud, Dawkins and Humanism
    Marxism
    Liberation theology

Assessment

Component Marks Duration Weighting
Philosophy of religion (01) 120 2 hours 33⅓%
Religion and ethics (02) 120 2 hours 33⅓%
Developments in religious thought (03-07) 120 2 hours 33⅓%

Looking Further Ahead

Prepare for university:

  • Develop soft skills like communication, teamwork and problem-solving.
  • Build textual analysis and critical thinking skills.
  • Develop academic essay-writing skills.
  • Gain an edge in humanities and social science subjects.

Unlock diverse career paths:

  • Understand people from diverse backgrounds and handle respectful dialogue.
  • Open doors to teaching, charity, equality, diversity and inclusion jobs.
  • Find opportunities in a variety of careers—from law, journalism, education, social work, counselling, politics, international relations, to business.

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