Specification at a glance

This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the course.

There are two assessed components. Students must take assessments in both Component 1 and Component 2 in the same exam series.

Subject content

Assessments

Component 1: Philosophy of religion and ethics

What's assessed

Section A: Philosophy of religion
  • Arguments for the existence of God
  • Evil and suffering
  • Religious experience
  • Religious language
  • Miracles
  • Self and life after death.
Section B: Ethics and religion
  • Ethical theories
  • Issues of human life and death
  • Issues of animal life and death
  • Introduction to meta ethics
  • Free will and moral responsibility
  • Conscience
  • Bentham and Kant.

How it's assessed

  • Written exam: 3 hours
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of A-level

Questions

  • Section A: Philosophy of religion – two compulsory two-part questions, each worth 10 marks and 15 marks.
  • Section B: Ethics and religion – two compulsory two-part questions, each worth 10 marks and 15 marks.

In both sections, questions may span more than one topic. In each two-part question, the first part tests AO1 and the second part tests AO2.

Component 2: Study of religion and dialogues

What's assessed

Section A: Study of religion – for each faith option (2A–2E) the following topics are covered:

  • Sources of wisdom and authority
  • God/gods/ultimate reality
  • Self, death and the afterlife
  • Good conduct and key moral principles
  • Expression of religious identity
  • Religion, gender and sexuality
  • Religion and science
  • Religion and secularisation
  • Religion and religious pluralism.

Section B: The dialogue between philosophy of religion and religion.

How religion is influenced by, and has an influence on philosophy of religion in relation to the issues studied.

Section C: The dialogue between ethical studies and religion.

How religion is influenced by, and has an influence on ethical studies in relation to the issues studied.

How it's assessed

  • Written exam: 3 hours
  • 100 marks
  • 50% of A-level

Questions

Section A: Study of religion – two compulsory two-part questions, each worth 10 marks and 15 marks relating to the religion chosen. Questions may be set that span more than one topic. In each two-part question, the first part tests AO1 and the second part tests AO2.

Section B: The dialogue between philosophy of religion and religion – one unstructured synoptic question from a choice of two (25 marks).

Section C: The dialogue between ethical studies and religion – one unstructured synoptic question from a choice of two (25 marks).