Minimum Grade Requirement: 

Grade 6 in any Humanities subject.

 

Assessment:

External assessment taking place at the end of the course.

Course Overview

The course explores the impact of philosophy and philosophical questioning of religious issues more deeply, looking at arguments for the existence of God, the problem of evil and suffering and psychological and sociological challenges to religious belief.

This course is made up of three modules:

Module 1 Philosophy of Religion: Ancient philosophical influences; the nature of the soul; mind and body; arguments about the existence or non-existence of God; the nature and impact of religious experience; the challenge for religious belief of the problem of evil; ideas about the nature of God; issues in religious language.

Module 2 Religion and Ethics: Normative ethical theories; the application of ethical theory to two contemporary issues of importance; ethical language and thought; debates surrounding the significant idea of conscience; sexual ethics and the influence on ethical thought of developments in religious beliefs.

Module 3 Developments in Religious Thought: Religious beliefs, values and teachings, their interconnections and how they vary historically and in the contemporary world, sources of religious wisdom and authority, practices which shape and express religious identity, and how these vary within a tradition, significant social and historical developments in theology and religious thought, key themes related to the relationship between religion and society in the context of one religion chosen from Christianity (03), Islam (04), Judaism (05), Buddhism (06) or Hinduism (07).

You will probably never look at the world in the same way again after studying this course.

Future Opportunities

Many universities and employers look to this subject with favour as it shows an ability to work as a team or individually, as well as provide your own often innovative thinking.  The course enables you to deal with abstractions, work to deadlines, make informed and studied answers to difficult questions.  You are also empowered to deduce, discuss, communicate and evaluate.  The ethical section to the course is also good for areas such as medicine and law, management consultancy, civil service, journalism, teaching, social services and counselling, the ministry are all possible career choices.

Complementary Subjects

Art and Design, History and Politics.