Ethics, Philosophy and Religion (A-level)

The Ethics, Philosophy and Religion course follows the Eduqas Religious Studies A-level programme. Students will engage with the big questions of our existence, the nature and existence of God and whether ethical language is absolutist or relativist. In addition to this, they will cover a range of scholars within the Western philosophical tradition such as Plato, Aristotle, Fletcher, Bentham, Mill, Wittgenstein, Hume, Kant, Moore and Ayer.

During the first two weeks of lessons, students will be asked by their teacher to state their preference on whether they want to study Christianity or Islam as the ‘Religion Component,’ with the majority decision being taken forward. Regardless of which religion is selected, students will not be expected to have prior knowledge, and will be taught everything they need to know. However, if students do have prior knowledge, that is an added bonus.

Students who successfully complete Ethics, Philosophy and Religion are highly regarded when it comes to applying for places at Oxbridge and Russell Group universities.  Previous students have progressed to a wide range of courses including those within the arts and humanities, languages, the social sciences, biomedical sciences and medicine.

You will need at least five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English Language at grade 5 and Maths at grade 4.

A recent school report will be required which demonstrates a committed attitude to learning.

It is assumed that students will enrol on a two-year A-level programme of study consisting of three or more subjects. However, students will be expected to demonstrate a committed attitude to learning and to make positive progress in their first year of study.

The Ethics, Philosophy and Religion course follows the Eduqas Religious Studies A-level, which culminates in three x 2-hour exams at the end of the two-year course.

The Ethics part of the course focuses on areas such as:

• Is morality absolute and fixed for all?
• Should moral actions be decided with reference to an end goal, or are some actions just wrong?
• To what extent should moral dilemmas such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, immigration, animal experimentation, and possessing a nuclear deterrent be seen as either right or wrong?

The Philosophy part of the course focuses on areas such as:

• Are arguments for the existence of God convincing?
• Do people have religious experiences?
• Is religion a mental illness?
• Does the existence of evil disprove the existence of a powerful and/or loving God?
• Is it possible to meaningfully speak about the existence of a God/Supreme Being?

The Religion part of the course focuses on areas such as:

• How do followers of the religion being studied view God?
• What do religious believers think about diversity of beliefs and modernity?
• Are religious festivals a vital part of a believer’s identity?
• Is religious scripture divinely inspired, the word of God, or man-made?

Comments from past and current students include:

• ‘Studying Ethics and Philosophy has challenged my opinions about the world and how I view good and bad.‘
• ‘Religious Studies interests me as it goes beyond just learning about religion. We get to learn about the history of belief, the role of philosophy and how morality is seen differently by people.‘
• ‘My favourite part of the course is ethics because we are able to discuss controversial topics, and everyone is respectful. Even though we do not all agree with each other, we are able take on board each other’s views.‘

This course will be delivered on-site at the Joseph Wright Centre.

N/A

Throughout the course you will benefit from regular key terms assessments, end of topic knowledge checks, and in class/home learning essays to develop your essay writing technique.

The examination will happen at the end of the two-year course and will take the form of three 2-hour exams: 

• 1. Christianity
• 2. Philosophy
• 3. Ethics

A-level Religious Studies (RS) is a highly transferable A-level, complementing subjects such as Psychology, Sociology, Law, Sciences, History, Art and English Language and Literature. Additionally, its emphasis on reasoning, analysis, evaluation and forming/presenting a coherent argument provides an excellent foundation for undergraduate studies.

Jobs and careers where knowledge of Religious Studies could be useful include:

• Barrister
• Civil Service fast streamer
• Diplomacy
• Health service manager
• Journalism
• Local government officer
• Marketing executive
• Newspaper journalist
• Psychotherapist
• Recruitment consultant
• Solicitor
• Stockbroker
• Teaching

For more information, contact Derby College Group on 0800 0280289 or enquiries@derby-college.ac.uk