Ethics, Philosophy and Religion

Ethics, Philosophy and Religion

Our Subject

A Level Ethics, Philosophy and Religion FAQs

The Ethics, Philosophy and Religion course follows the OCR Religious Studies A level. Students examine debates concerning the nature and existence of God, challenges to religious belief and whether ethical commands are absolute or relative. The course involves interpreting and analysing theories within the Western philosophical tradition, including ideas from Plato, Aristotle, Hume and Kant.

To study Ethics, Philosophy and Religion at Bilborough, you need a minimum grade 5 or above in English and 4 in Maths GCSE, and good literacy skills.

Our links with HE

The subject is highly regarded by universities and helps develop skills required for a range of careers including, law, education, social work, medicine, nursing, politics, administration and the media.

Religious Studies graduates develop:

  • Empathy and imaginative insight
  • Self-discipline and self-direction
  • Independence of mind and initiative and a belief in life-long learning
  • Teamwork skills including attending to others and having respect for others’ views
  • Ability to gather, evaluate and synthesise different types of information
  • Analytical ability and the capacity to formulate questions and solve problems
  • IT and presentation skills
  • Writing skills, including accurate referencing and clarity of expression
  • Ability to attend closely to the meaning of written documents.
It's close to where I live and has an excellent rep. It allows me to be myself and enables me to express myself freely which is an excellent attribute.
Hithem Zeidan


Course Structure

The Ethics, Philosophy and Religion course follows the OCR Religious Studies A level, which is examined through three 2hr exams at the end of the two year course.

In the Ethics section of the course, we investigate questions such as:

  • Are there absolute standards of right and wrong?
  • What is conscience?
  • Should we be blamed for our wrong doings or are our actions simply the result of past circumstances?
  • Do we have a right to die?

In the Philosophy section of the course, we investigate questions such as:

  • Does God exist?
  • Do miracles occur?
  • Does the existence of evil and suffering show that there is no God?
  • Have religious beliefs been undermined by science?

In the Religion section of the course, we will study Christian belief, asking questions such as:

  • What is the relationship between faith and reason?
  • Who was Jesus and what did he teach?
  • Should we follow the Bible as a source of authority?
  • How can a Christian tolerate and respect opposing world views, such as those found in other world religions?

Inspiration

“The course was really interesting and enjoyable. I’d recommend it to anyone. I was stimulated, made to think and to work hard – but it was fun.”
– A past student from Bilborough Sixth Form College.

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