Religious Studies

No of Units: 3Awarding Board: Eduqas/WJECCourse Code: Route A

Unit Outline:

The course offers you the opportunity to explore and discuss some of the key issues that face us today. After doing this course you should be better informed, an independent thinker, a good listener and a convincing debater. The course also allows you the chance to step into the shoes of people from different cultures and religions. This should make you more aware of the riches of other cultures and more tolerant of people different to yourselves. In each topic the issues and moral issues will be studied through class discussions, role-plays, videos, debates and group work.

Component 1: Religious, Philosophical and Ethical Studies in the Modern World. Issues to do with Relationships; Life and Death; Good and Evil and Human Rights are all discussed in light of modern day occurrences. This unit evidences the ability to think critically and philosophically as well as demonstrating a capacity to study and research abstract ideas. Discussing and researching the varied responses to the great questions such as how the Universe was created, what, if anything, exists and how we should make our moral decisions about modern day ethical issues such as cloning and animal experimentation develops your critical thinking and communication skills.

Component 2: Study of World faith – The focus is on Buddhist Philosophy with an emphasis on theory and practice. Topics will include the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, Samsara and the ‘Three Marks of Existence’ are also studied, allowing for debates around philosophical ideas of existence. Key skills of analysis, debate and argument are developed during this course.

Component 3: Study of Christianity. In the Study of Christianity section, we will be looking at questions such as “if God exists, why does he allow evil and suffering in the world?” and “how come the Bible seems to contain two contradictory creation stories?” We’ll look at how Christians attempt to explain the seemingly impossible claim that God is simultaneously three different persons and we’ll examine the claims of Christianity that Jesus was both 100% human and 100% God. We’ll also look at exactly what it is that Christians do and examine whether saying you are a Christian is enough or whether it’s your actions that make you Christian.

If you are a person of faith, this course will not challenge that faith. If you are not, this course will not make you a believer. However, having done this course you will definitely know more about the most popular religions on Earth and will be able to critically evaluate its claims.

Assessment:

Component 1 – 2 hour written exam – 50% of qualification.

Component 2 – 1 hour written exam – 25% of qualification.

Component 3 – 1 hour written exam – 25% of qualification.

Further Information:

To study RS at GCSE it doesn’t matter whether or not you have a religious faith. An important aspect of the course is the ability and willingness to listen to other people’s viewpoints and be prepared to find out why people believe what they do.

Do you enjoy finding out what others believe?
Do you have the ability to ‘put yourself in someone else’s shoes’?
Are you willing to listen to other people’s points of view?
Are you prepared to express your own ideas?
Then GCSE RS is for you!

Possible Career Destinations:

Employers look for someone with an enquiring mind, an ability to come to clear, balanced decisions. Journalism, Business, working in areas of the Law, Publishing, Caring work, Health, Medicine, Education, Policing, working with Children, Catering, Leisure and Tourism or to work abroad in a cosmopolitan setting, Religious Studies will give you valuable expertise.

For further information, contact: Mrs C. Barker and Mr A. Brennand