A/S and A2 Philosophy (AQA)
Why study Philosophy?
Philosophy at A-level is designed to enable you to gain a thorough grounding in key
philosophical concepts, themes, texts, and techniques. You will develop a range of
transferable skills which can be applied far beyond the study of Philosophy.
At AS, the course concentrates on a number of key philosophical themes intended to provide
you with a broad introduction to Philosophy.
At A2, you will specialise further, selecting two themes to study in depth and focusing on
philosophical problems through the study of a key text.
Entry requirements
You need to satisfy the school sixth form entrance requirements.
In addition to this, you must achieve both Grade B or above in GCSE English and Grade B
or above in GCSE Religious Studies (ideally Full Course). Grade B or above in Mathematics
is preferred.
Content
The syllabus is flexible. Themes that may be covered at AS and A2 include philosophy of
mind, political philosophy, epistemology and metaphysics, ethics, and philosophy of religion.
Texts that are central to the course comprise Hume’s An Enquiry Concerning Human
Understanding, Plato’s Republic, Mill’s On Liberty, and Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil.
Assessment
At AS, there are two written examinations, each lasting 90 minutes. In the first paper, you
must answer the compulsory question on reason and experience and one other question on
another area of philosophy. In the second paper, you must answer two questions on two
further areas of philosophy.
At A2, there are also two written examinations, each lasting 90 minutes. In the first paper,
you must answer two questions on two different themes. In the second paper, you must
choose one section and answer the compulsory question and one essay question.
Beyond A-level
Philosophy is an academically respected subject and therefore provides an excellent
platform for undergraduate study in related disciplined.
Philosophy cultivates literacy, oracy, collaboration, independent thinking, and other workrelated skills, making it good preparation for a pursuit of a range of careers.