Religious Studies
Religious Studies
Embedded Files
Philosophy, Ethics and Islam
Philosophy, Ethics and Islam
Aims and Objectives
Aims and Objectives
The WJEC GCE AS and A level specification in Religious Studies studied at Archbishop McGrath will enable learners to:
• develop their interest in a rigorous study of religion and belief and relate it to the wider world
• develop knowledge and understanding appropriate to a specialist study of religion
• develop an understanding and appreciation of religious thought and its contribution to individuals, communities and societies
• adopt an enquiring, critical and reflective approach to the study of religion
• reflect on and develop their own values, opinions and attitudes in the light of their study.
GCE AS and A level Religious Studies are designed to enable learners to develop their interest in, and enthusiasm for, a study of religion and its place in the wider world. The AS specification contains two units which include a wide range of topics for consideration, including an in-depth and broad study of Islam as one of the six major world religions, religion and ethics and philosophy of religion.
The A level specification allows learners to continue their systematic study of a world religion, religion and ethics, philosophy of religion or textual studies.
The specification is presented in a clear and concise way to ensure that the specification content is accessible, relevant and engaging for both teachers and learners.
Year 11 Options RE (1).mp4Testimonials
Testimonials
I chose RE because of how much I thoroughly enjoyed the GCSE course, and I was very interested in the topics that are included in the course including philosophy, ethics, and Islam. Currently, I am enjoying Islam because it is interesting to learn about the different cultures and ways of life and the reasoning behind what people think and the way they practice their religion. Knowing is understanding and helps us to make informed judgements and to treat everyone equally and fairly.
Philosophy and Ethics at A Level is interesting and excellent preparation for any University course because of the essay writing and evaluation and analytical skills you develop.
It is also great for a wide range of courses at University. The theories we study are the foundation and structure for our world today and so are the basis for, and valuable to many careers in the field of: politics, law, medicine, education, psychology, history, human rights, journalism, equal opportunities, science, and religion.
Philosophy has encouraged me to explore and challenge my assumptions about what we are, how we think, and the nature of the world around us. It puts religion and belief on trial and questions the consequences of certain religious ideas around moral and ethical behaviour. God’s very existence is put on trial with some of the greatest philosophers acting in defence and prosecution – and we get to playing the role of judge and jury!
The other thing I really enjoy is that it encourages me to be sceptical of experts as well as to challenge my own beliefs and really consider how we and others KNOW what we think we know, and how we or others know when we are right or wrong. We learn how to evaluate different scientific and religious theories and analyse and evaluate them critically – skills you need for any course or career!
Throughout the course many of my skills are developing including how to take notes during lesson. Again, this skill is very important of you would like to go to university.
If you are hardworking and ambitious and are looking for an A level that is really interesting, is well respected and seen as valuable by many employers and for many University courses, THIS IS IT!
Daniel - Year 13 Religious Studies
I have always been interested in the various philosophies and beliefs that underlie popular religions and understanding the perspectives and motivations of believers. For this reason, I chose to take religious studies as one of my A Level options.
Personally, I have found A levels to be more demanding than GCSEs, however, I would also say that they are far more rewarding. The number of topics covered is greater, details more complex and I have to commit to more independent study. This allows you to gain far more insight into your subject, gain a huge amount of knowledge and develop skills that are transferable between other subjects such as history and law. For example, I have found that RS has allowed for my essay writing skills to be improved, which has also been useful for my other essay based subjects.
One of my favourite parts of studying religious studies at A level has been the opportunity to learn about a new religion. My study of Islam has been very interesting and has allowed me to learn a whole new host of information. I also believe that the study of Islam is vital to current society as it is the world’s fastest growing religion and is often misrepresented in the media. Furthermore, studying philosophy and ethics has allowed me to become far more insightful as you discuss morality, the problem of evil and the existence of God. I have particularly found that within these topics, the opportunity to engage in wider reading is vast, meaning that you can explore the components that you find interesting at an even deeper level.
Additionally, I have found that both of my RS teachers are very knowledgeable and supportive. This has been particularly emphasised to me throughout the process of digital learning. I have attended live lessons, watched other lesson recordings, and been provided with a range of resources in order to aid my learning. Both teachers have given the opportunity and resources to complete wider reading and widen our knowledge and understanding. It is clear that they want each individual to achieve the best grade possible and provide the support they need in order to do this.
Although I have not decided what I want to study at university, I know that it will be humanities based. Therefore, religious studies will be relevant and useful to my future studies due to the skills that it has provided me with.
In conclusion, I would recommend studying Religious Studies at A Level for anyone that enjoyed it at GCSE. Although it is more demanding than what you will have studied previously, the content is fascinating, and the subject allows you to improve your skills which are applicable to a range of other subjects.
Good luck choosing your A Level subjects!
Personally, I chose Religious Studies (RS) as I have always enjoyed learning about different religions and their point of view, but I was also intrigued by the new aspect of philosophy and ethics, which we only touched on briefly in GCSE. I also chose it to balance out my options, as I chose biology and maths, and RS can be a nice essay subject for your UCAS application.
I have to say that enjoy all aspects of RS for different reasons, for instance, I think it’s great that we learn about Islam as there are many terrible misconceptions about this religion, while it being one of the easier topics to remember.
On the other hand, philosophy is definitely more challenging to understand, but that is counterbalanced by how fascinating it is. Outside of lessons, I catch myself thinking about the different arguments and if I think they still work in modern times.
Lastly, I would say ethics is the middle ground RS; it is easier to understand than philosophy, but it definitely gets you to think about how you live your life, and how to be your best self.
This is essay-based A-Level, which means that you will need analytical and literacy skills as you will be required to write a couple of essays throughout the year. However, I highly recommend you take RS as you will have a chance to develop many transferable skills, from essay writing to developing the ability to appreciate other viewpoints.
I think that’s something that can be easily forgotten, but RS can be incredibly helpful in a range of University degrees involving critical thinking and discussion e.g. Humanities, English, Psychology, PPE.
Paulina - Year 13 Religious Studies
Why did I choose RE?
I chose RE A-level because the course was different to what I expected, and I had little knowledge about the topics we were going to study. Also, like maybe some of you, I wasn’t sure about what career I wanted to pursue or what I wanted to study at university. RE is a great subject to take because it has lots of different and interesting topics such as learning about a new religion Islam, learning about the cosmological argument in philosophy or meta ethics. Moreover, RE is a versatile subject that can fit in with any career choice as you learn about a variety of topics including modern issues, all of which I hadn’t really looked at before.
What have I enjoyed studying?
I have enjoyed learning about the religion of Islam and how it can be misinterpreted in the media. It was interesting to learn about having known little to nothing about it. In addition to this I enjoyed learning about ethics.
What skills have I developed or acquired through studying RE?
Through studying RE I have enhanced my essay writing skills, research and most importantly for me, my thinking skills. In philosophy lessons we go into depth about different arguments from scholars such as whether religious language is meaningful or meaningless, and questioning what is religious language. Overall, RE encourages you to widen your imagination, focus and think carefully. It is such an interesting subject, especially when we have class discussions or debates.
How will this subject help with my university choices and future career options?
Personally, I think that RE is a helpful subject for any career and for me that is law. Whilst studying RE I feel that I have been able to form clear judgements and understand the world around me a bit better. It gives you a new perspective and it enables you to think in a more reflective way.
Enjoy!
Careers using religious studies (Click on the links to find out more!)
Careers using religious studies (Click on the links to find out more!)
Aid workers provide support, food, resources, and infrastructure to people in need.
Air cabin crew look after and keep airplane passengers safe.
Construction project managers deal with the day-to-day running of a construction project.
General practitioners (GPs) are doctors who provide medical services to people in their practice.
A hospital doctor diagnoses and treats illness and disease in patients admitted to hospital.
Human resources managers deal with recruitment, training and retention of staff.
Hypnotherapists use hypnotism to help clients achieve positive changes in their lives.
Librarians are responsible for the day-to-day running of library services.
Museum curators look after and manage exhibitions.
Newspaper journalists research and report the news, publishing their work in newspapers and online.
Nursery workers look after small children.
Police officers investigate and prevent crime.
Primary school teachers teach children from the ages of four to 11
Religious leaders offer support to followers of their religion through spiritual and moral guidance.
Secondary school teachers teach children from the ages of 11 to 18.
Wedding planners help organise weddings.
Youth and community workers provide support for young people.
Philosophy teaches you how to think for yourself and how to analyse and communicate ideas clearly and logically. Find out where these versatile skills can lead you
Philosophy teaches you how to think for yourself and how to analyse and communicate ideas clearly and logically. Find out where these versatile skills can lead you
Job options - Click on the links to find out more!
Job options - Click on the links to find out more!
Jobs directly related to a degree in Philosophy include:
Jobs where your degree would be useful include:
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