Course information
Religious Studies
Collegiate School - Bristol, City of
01179655207
Stapleton, Bristol, BS16 1BJ
Course summary

Since all subjects begin with a philosophical question, Religious Studies (Philosophy and Ethics) is cross-curricular and will complement any other courses you might choose. In times when the rich did little to no work, many spent their time discussing everything from ‘Why do volcanoes explode?’ to ‘Why do some people get fevers?’ and ‘What makes an action good or bad?’. Over time many of these were answered and became their subjects like Geography or Medicine. The questions that are left are philosophical: Philosophy strives to answer the unanswerable. To translate the world, it means a love of wisdom. The Philosophy section of the A-Level covers issues such as the examination of ideas to prove and disprove God’s existence, issues concerning life after death and how reliable religious experiences can be. In the Ethics section of the A-Level, you will examine several major theories on how to decide a moral dilemma. Ethics also covers topical issues, for example: 'Are we determined?', genetic engineering and wider political issues like justice and law.

Entry requirements

These vary for each A-Level subject, but you will need a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade 5 or equivalent, including English and Mathematics. Many subjects require grade 6 or above to study them at A Level (please see our subject guides). New students will be given a conditional offer based on their GCSE results, an interview and a reference from their current school. Grade 6 in RS or grade 6 in English

How you'll be assessed

There are two, three-hour exams at the end of Year 13. Each paper is worth 50% of the A Level. • PAPER 1: Philosophy of Religion and Ethical Studies. • PAPER 2: The dialogue between Philosophy of Religion and Ethical Studies and Buddhism.

School Info

About Education Provider

RegionSouth West
Local AuthorityBristol, City of
Ofsted Rating
Gender TypeCo-Educational
ISI ReportView Report
Boarding FeeUnknown
Sixth Form Fee£17,250
AddressStapleton, Bristol, BS16 1BJ