PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS
(draft until approved by Ofqual)
Subject title
Exam board
Specification number
Time allowance each week
AS & A Level Religious Studies
AQA
AS 7061, ALevel 7062
4.5 hrs yr12, 5 hrs Yr13
Assessment and coursework
Types of assessment - Linear Exam only.
AS Level Qualification:
C1 50% of AS Level
C2 50% of AS Level
A Level Qualification:
C1 50% of A Level
C2 50% of A Level
Timings of assessments
AS- June Year 12
A Level- June Year 13
Nature of assessments
AS Component 1: 1 hour 45 mins examination
AS Component 2: 1 hour 45 mins examination
(the one year AS course is examined at the end of Year12)
A Level Component 1: 3 hour written exam
A Level Component 2: 3hour written exam
(the whole of the two year A Level Specification is examined at the
end of year 13)
(*= religious choice and specification details may change)
Skills developed during the course
Evaluation
Independent study skills
Analysis
Explanation
Discussion
Expected time allocation for the subject
5 Hours per week.
Help for home study
Additional support for the course
As this is a new course, it is expected that new resources such as
textbooks and website to support your learning will become available
over time.
You may like to use the following sources to support your learning
during the course
AQA Course Textbook
AQA Website
Other sources of help
Miss Twose
Miss Drinkall
AS Level Religious Studies: A one year course examined at the end of
Year 12 (taught concurrent in Year 12 with A Level Course)
Component 1: Philosophy and religion
Section A: Study of a religion
One religion is chosen for study:
Hinduism *
For which the following content is covered:

God/gods/Ultimate Reality.

Life after death.

Sources of wisdom and authority.
Section B: Philosophy of religion

Arguments for the existence of God.

Evil and suffering.

Religious experience.
Component 1 is assessed in a 1hour 45 min exam:

Section A: Study of religion – one two-part question worth 15 marks and 15 marks relating
to the religion chosen (30 marks).

Section B: Philosophy of religion – two two-part questions worth 15 marks and 15 marks
on philosophy of religion (60 marks).
Component 2: Ethics, religion and society
Section A: Study of a religion
Hinduism* and ethics: the following content is covered:

Key moral principles.

Religious identity.
Section B: Ethics and religion.

Ethical theories.

Issues of human life and death.

Issues of animal life and death.
Component 2 is assessed in a 1hour 45min exam:

Section A: Study of religion – one two-part question worth 15 marks and 15 marks relating
to the religion chosen (30 marks).

Section B: Ethics and religion – two two-part questions worth 15 marks and 15 marks on
ethics and religion (60 marks).
A Level Religious Studies: A two year course examined at the end of
Year 13 (taught concurrent in Year 12 with AS Course)
COMPONENT 1
Section A: Study of a religion
Hinduism*
For which the following content is covered:

God/gods/Ultimate Reality.

Life after death.

The challenge from science.

The nature and role of religion.

Sources of wisdom and authority.
Section B: Philosophy of religion

Arguments for the existence of God.

Evil and suffering.

Religious experience.

Religious language.

Miracles.

Self and life after death.

The nature and function of religion.
Section C: The dialogue between philosophy and religion
How religion is influenced by, and influences, philosophy of religion in relation to the issues
studied.
COMPONENT 2
Section A: Study of a religion – Hinduism* and Philosophy
For which the following content is covered:

Key moral principles.

Religious identity.

Religion and sexual identity.

Religious pluralism.
Section B: Ethics and religion

Ethical theories.

Issues of human life and death.

Issues of animal life and death.

Introduction to meta ethics.

Free will and moral responsibility.

Conscience.

Bentham and Kant.
Section C: The dialogue between ethical studies and religion.
How religion is influenced by, and influences, ethical studies in relation to the issues studied.
How is the course assessed? Two 3 hour exams taken at the end of Year 13.

Component 1

Written exam: 3 hours

100 marks

50% of A-level

Section A: Study of religion – one two-part question worth 10 marks and 15 marks relating
to the religion chosen (25 marks).

Section B: Philosophy of religion – two two-part questions worth 10 marks and 15 marks
on philosophy of religion (25 marks each).

Section C: The dialogue between philosophy and religion – one unstructured synoptic
question from a choice of two (25 marks).

Component 2

Written exam: 3 hours

100 marks

50% of A-level
Section A: Study of religion – one two-part question worth 10 marks and 15 marks relating to the
religion chosen (25 marks).
Section B: Ethics and religion – two two-part questions worth 10 marks and 15 marks (25 marks
each).
Section C: The dialogue between ethical studies and religion – one unstructured synoptic question
from a choice of two (25 marks).