A2 Religious Studies

AS/A2 RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Edexcel (1-2 years)

Course Content

At AS level, the following topics will be covered:

Philosophy of Religion

·Ancient Greek influences on the Philosophy of religion.

·The Attributes of God.

·The Ontological Argument.

·The Cosmological Argument.

·The Moral Argument.

·The Problem of Evil.

·Religion and Science.

Buddhism

·The Origins of Buddhism/Life & Background of the Buddha.

·Origins of the Sangha

·The Early Spread of Buddhism

·Key Buddhist Themes: Karma, Nirvana, The Three Fires, The Three Refuges, The Four Noble Truths.

·Mahayana Buddhism and the Bodhisattva

Assessment

The course is assessed by examination; candidates are required to sit two papers, one on Buddhism and one on The Philosophy of Religion. The papers are for the duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes, candidates answer two questions on each paper.

Each paper makes up 50% of the AS grade.

At A2 level

The A2 course is a development on the themes studied at AS, this will include:

Philosophy of Religion

·Religious Language

·Religious Experience

·A Study of Miracles

·Life and Death

Buddhism

·Nirvana

·Buddhist Scriptures

·Meditation/Ethics

·Buddhist Denominations

The subject encourages a deeper awareness and understanding of religion and its influence on society. It promotes an informed enquiry into religious traditions and thinking, irrespective of personal belief.

Methods of Teaching

The approach to teaching and learning is student centred and the teachers use a variety of tasks and differentiation strategies.There will also be the opportunity to develop independent study through study packages and resource based learning.


Financial Implications

Key texts will be provided by the department for use in lessons, however a reading list will be provided and it is recommended that at least two of these books are purchased.Research information will also be available for essay writing.

Career Possibilities

This Advanced level qualification is an excellent Humanities qualification and will help gain entry into a wide range of Higher Education courses.Many of the skills developed through the course will relate to a wide range of careers, such as the Travel Industry, Public Relations, Journalism, TV and Radio, Police work, Medicine, Teaching and jobs where the management of people is important.

As an Advanced level subject, R.S. links well with most other disciplines particularly in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.