Religious Studies

Course summary

The course provides a critical approach to the consideration of moral and philosophical issues. You will study the theories of philosophers such as Aristotle and Aquinas to contemporary discourse from Bertrand Russell and Richard Dawkins. An integral part of the course is to apply theories to contemporary issues of abortion, euthanasia, sexual ethics, war and peace, justice, law and punishment. Think of Religious Studies as brain gym; you will certainly exercise your mind. What skills or background information will be needed? All you need to study this subject is an open mind and an ability to argue. This course is accessible to candidates of any religious persuasion, or none. There is no requirement to have studied the subject at GCSE but this would be an advantage. You will have to write essays, so good skills in this area will be useful. Above all, you need to be prepared to be challenged intellectually and to challenge the ideas of others.