Course Summary
What is Philosophy & Religious Studies?
Philosophers are deeply thoughtful bunch, interested in ideas and the nature of the world and our place in it. They tend to take nothing for granted and question everything. This subject involves learning about certain key ideas, and then questioning them. Some of the questions we discuss as part of the course are: What happens when we die? How do we know what is right and wrong? Is there such a thing as human nature? Is killing always wrong? Do businesses have a duty to protect the environment? Should assisted dying be legalised? Do we have free will?
Why study Philosophy & Religious Studies?
• Studying Religious Studies will teach you to think deeply about matters of great importance to most human beings.
• It is a fascinating subject, of relevance to all aspects of human life.
• You will also develop skills in critical thinking and in communication, both verbal and written.
Course Details
Philosophy, Ethics and Religion will teach you to think deeply about matters of great importance to most human beings. It is a fascinating subject, of relevance to all aspects of human life. Philosophers are a deeply thoughtful bunch, interested in ideas and the nature of the world and our place in it. They tend to take nothing for granted and question everything –Descartes, for example, famously doubted the existence of everything, even himself – before he realised that the very act of doubting implied he, at least, existed (I think, therefore I am) – but it took him a lot of philosophising before he was prepared to accept the existence of anything else!
You’ll be given plenty of help and support in stepping up to A level and throughout the course. In addition to classes and seminars, you can get one-to-one support when needed. Our small class sizes and commitment to individual attention mean that we can give you a very high level of support on your journey towards university or employment.
A variety of guest speakers offering a range of perspectives may come in to talk to you during the course and you may get an opportunity to find out more about the careers people go into after studying Philosophy, Ethics and Religion and related subjects at University. This might be teaching, social work, research, community work, working for charities, chaplaincy and many other careers. Speakers may include hospice chaplains, army recruiters, pacifists, environmentalists, Catholic priests, Muslim community leaders, University lecturers and undergraduates. We also plan to go on adventurous trips in the UK and abroad, such as Athens for a tour round the ideas of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Get your thinking caps on and come and study Philosophy, Ethics and Religion at Chapeltown Academy!
How will it be delivered and assessed?
Please click on the following link for this information.
https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-and-a-level/religious-studies-h173-h573-from-2016/specification-at-a-glance/
Entry requirements
Normal college entry requirements (5 grade 4s or above, including English Language and mathematics)
A grade 5 or above in English language recommended.
Your next steps...
It’s safe to say there aren’t many professional philosophers around nowadays, but that doesn’t mean it’s the wrong subject to study. The combination of logical critical thinking and big picture dreaming means that graduates are equipped for a variety of technical and creative roles. Popular routes include law, journalism, social services, and governmental positions.
Many graduates will also continue their studies, pursuing knowledge in a subject which evolves and adapts by the day. Philosophy is a popular course at master’s and PhD level, and many will remain in education to share and expand their knowledge simultaneously.
Some modules you may study are:
Ideas of freedom
Symbolic logic
Reason, argument, & analysis
History of philosophy
Sartre and existentialism
Metaphysics
Social and political theory
Engaging with the humanities
There are five main branches of philosophy, but each has its own sub-branches and are often combined with one another. Philosophy is such an individual subject, and each philosopher will collect their own sets of knowledge that resonate with them the most:
metaphysics and epistemology
value theory
science, logic, and mathematics
history of philosophy
philosophical tradition
For more courses like this, check our courses page.
