Pupils study all three components concurrently, with the three strands of the course divided between 2-3 teachers. In year 12 we work on first principles, studying the classical arguments for the existence of God, the history of Islam, and the classical Ethical theories. As the course progresses, we build on this foundation and explore the wider implications of religion, ethics, and philosophical theory in the modern world. This includes the relationship between religion and science (from both a Western and Islamic perspective), ethical theories in practice (Euthanasia, Environmental Ethics etc) and the relationship between Islam and the West. Challenges to religious belief are explored as well as fundamental questions about life, death, and the nature of the soul. The content becomes more abstract and philosophical in year 13 when we study the nature of language, meaning and meaninglessness, Meta-Ethics, and the fundamental nature of morality. Students will study key texts from eminent scholars, and develop their skills in clarifying, analysing, and evaluating these ideas. Students learn how to identify and critique logical fallacies, support strong points, and attack weak ones. They can critically compare the significance of diverse religious beliefs and practices from a rational, moral, and historical perspective. Religious Studies is a highly academic discipline which touches on aspects of History, Politics, Science, Psychology, Sociology and much more. Students with A Levels in Religious Studies and Philosophy are prized by universities for their higher-than-average essay writing skills and sophisticated command of language. It is therefore a versatile subject for further study. Students who do Religious Studies often go on to study Philosophy, Religious Studies, Classics, Liberal Arts, Modern Languages, History, Psychology, Law, International Relations, and PPE for example.