PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS
Course: AS and A2
Exam board: OCR
Entry Requirements: C or above in English, C or above in RS
Why you should consider this course:
Is this the real world? Why does the universe exist? Is war ever justified?
If you are interested in the questions above the Philosophy and Ethics might be for you. It is an
opportunity to explore questions that delve into the deepest aspects of what it means to be human.
You will have the opportunity to share ideas with your peers and develop your own opinions. There
many branches of Philosophy, the branches that we study for A Level are Philosophy of Religion and
Religious Ethics.
Philosophy literally translated means love of wisdom. Philosophy encourages you to question, explore
ideas and to think for yourself. An important aspect of the course is learning to think critically and
express your ideas effectively.
Ethics is a branch of Philosophy which is concerned with how we know what is right and wrong. Just
like studying Philosophy of Religion, studying Ethics will help you develop your reasoning skills. It will
also broaden your awareness of the complexity of moral issues.
Course Description: AS
What will I study?
Philosophy of Religion paper
 Why are Plato and Aristotle important to modern
philosophers?
 Where did our ideas about God come from?
 Does God exist?
 If God exists, why does he let bad things happen to
good people?
Religious Ethics Paper
 Is there a universal moral law?
 Does everyone have a sense of duty?
 Is a baby a gift or a right?
 When is a life no longer a life?
 Is peace always right?
What will I have to do in the exam?
You will have to write two two-part
essay questions from a choice of four.
The exam is one hour and thirty
minutes long.
Each exam is worth 50% of the total
marks.
The exams will be in the summer term.
You will have to write two two-part
essay questions from a choice of four.
The exam is one hour and thirty
minutes long.
The exam is worth 50% of the total
marks.
The exams will be in the summer term.
The A2 course follows the same structure. There is one Philosophy of Religion worth 50% of the marks
and one Religious Ethics paper worth 50% of the marks. There is no coursework for this A Level.
Subject suitability for degree course or future career:
Studying Philosophy and Ethics will help you develop the tools you need to think critically and reason
effectively. It will teach you how to recognise strengths and flaws in arguments that are presented to
you. It encourages you to think deeply, ask questions and to be curious about life. The skills you learn
will be useful in any subject that you study at University and in daily life.
The A Level can be good preparation for a wide variety of University courses such as Broadcasting,
Humanities subjects, Journalism, Law, Police work, Social Work and Teaching. It can also be useful for
students studying for a profession where they will have to make decisions with ethical implications such
as Medicine.
Contact name: Ms Lawrence