Religious Education GCSE (inc. Religion, Ethics and Philosophy)

Exam Board: (AQA 8062)

Coursework: none

Exam: 100%

Course Content:

Religious Studies offers students an exciting and unique opportunity to investigate the impact and influence that religion has on the lives of believers and society. The syllabus requires students to engage with current ethical and philosophical topics that are at the heart of modern society and cause much debate and often controversy. Religious Studies enables students to develop independence in their thinking as they analyse and reflect on the value and usefulness of different points of view. It is widely recognised that Religious Studies gives students valuable academic skills that can really help them with many of their other GCSEs, including the ability to write dynamic essays and express themselves clearly both orally and in writing.

The Religious Studies syllabus offers the opportunity to study the following topic areas, all of which are relevant and important in today’s ever changing world:

• The treatment of animals and the ethics of medical testing on animals

• The origins of the universe and the treatment of the environment

• Ideas about the afterlife

• Human relationships, including sexuality, marriage and divorce

• Relationships within different families and the changing nature of the roles of men and women.

• Gender equality and prejudice and discrimination.

• Religion, peace and conflict, including ethics of war, violence, weapons of mass destruction, pacifism and terrorism.

• Religion, crime and punishment, including the aims of punishment and different beliefs about the treatment of criminals and the causes of crime.

• Topics are explored by studying a wide variety of views that include both atheist and religious ideas. Students are encouraged to think for themselves and try to assess the validity of these views.

• Beliefs and Practices of Christianity and Islam.

This course gives students a good foundation for going on to study RS Philosophy and Ethics at A Level. The skills they develop are higher level thinking skills such as analysis of various arguments (religious and non-religious), and it helps them to be able to construct and justify their own arguments.

Possible Careers + Future Study: The knowledge and skills gained through Religious Studies lend themselves to careers such as, Law, Police, Teaching, Nursing, Paramedic, Medicine, Journalism, Armed Forces and any job that requires a certain ability to empathise, communicate and understand other people.