Religious Studies
Southend High School for Girls
Course summary
What will you study in Year 12? The selected areas for study are Philosophy of Religion, Ethics, and the New Testament. In Philosophy of Religion you will explore philosophical responses to issues and questions such as the existence of God, the nature and influence of religious experience, and the problem of evil and suffering. The unit will also examine the influences and developments on religious belief considering how views on science, and life after death have changed over time. In the Ethics module you will consider how we come to make moral decisions, examining various approaches and applying them to the environment, equality, war and peace, and sexual issues. You will also evaluate the development and application of ethical theories including Utilitarianism, Situation Ethics, and Natural Moral Law. With the third module on the New Testament you will look closely at the text from an academic standpoint, considering the social, historical and religious environments in which they were written, the nature of the texts and their purpose and authorship. You will also explore various themes that can be found in the texts, exploring different interpretations and their effect on belief, as well as the Person of Jesus. What will you study in Year 13? In Philosophy of Religion you will explore religious and philosophical language, critiques of religious belief, the works of selected scholars, and the influences of developments in religious belief in relation to life after death and religion and science debates. The Ethics course will consider ethical language, the study of Deontology and Virtue Ethics with reference to the works of scholars, and medical ethics, focusing particularly on beginning and end of life issues. The study of the New Testament will focus on methods of scriptural interpretation, an in-depth exploration of the themes of the Kingdom of God, conflict, and the death and resurrection of Jesus, followed by examination of a range of scientific and historical-critical challenges regarding faith and history within modern scholarship. You will also consider the impact of the ethical teachings of Jesus, both historically and in modern life.
Entry Requirements
Checked against your grades — every rule traces to the school's published source.
| Requirement | Rule | You |
|---|---|---|
GCSE qualifications | average grade 5.75 across your top 8 gcse qualifications | — |
English Language | Grade 6 in English Language | — |
Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics) | Grade 6 in Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics) (if taken) | — |
As published by the school
Grade 6 in English Language. If RS is taken at GCSE student must have minimum grade 6
Am I eligible?
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Assessment
The course is linear and will be examined at the end of year 13 through three papers of two hours in length, one for each module. These papers will bear equal weighting of 33.3%.
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