Religious Studies

Course summary

Religious studies at Woodhouse will provide you with an introduction to one of the most fascinating and relevant areas of study today. It’s an opportunity for students to engage with a variety of topical questions about belief, values, meaning, purpose and truth. Students will be able to reflect on and develop their own values, beliefs and attitudes in light of what they have learnt. RS is seen by the Russell Group as a ‘suitable preparation for university generally’ and Oxbridge include it in their top level list of suitable arts A levels. Theology graduates are found working for almost every type of employer in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, as the subject provides an excellent foundation for a range of careers. There will be opportunities to listen to external speakers, and students are encouraged to take the initiative and attend lectures, exhibitions and other events in and around London. Course content: You’ll study three out of four components and focus on philosophy of religion, religion and ethics and Christianity. You’ll engage with philosophical issues and questions such as the nature and influence of religious experience, the problems of evil and suffering, philosophical and ethical language, and the application of ethical theories through the works of scholars. In the Christianity option, you’ll examine the development of Christian beliefs, values and teachings, and the nature of sources of wisdom and authority for those beliefs. You’ll look at the practices that shape and express the Christian identity, as well as the social and historical developments in the religion over time.