Philosophy, Ethics and Theology A Level

Departmental contact

Examining board & Qualification

OCR A LEVEL

Entry requirements

Please see current prospectus for further information

WHY STUDY THIS SUBJECT?

This subject deals with issues and questions which, when you have faced them and challenged the basic principles on which our lives are based, will make you prepared as a person to deal with anything life may throw at you.

This course is for everyone; you do not need a religious background or personal faith, you can be an atheist, agnostic or theist. You must be willing to be open-minded, thoughtful and ready to meet the challenge of an exciting new area of study.

WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP?

The course is seen by employers and people in higher education to be valuable because you will develop some very important skills:

Communicating ideas orally and in written formats
Research and investigation
Open-mindedness and an ability to consider all points of view
The ability to be independent and think for yourself and reach your own conclusions
Analysis and critical evaluation of text and different people’s ideas

WHAT DO OUR STUDENTS SAY?

“Very interesting!”

“Be prepared to be challenged!”

“You have to be open minded”

“It will really test your own thoughts and beliefs and definitely keep you thinking”

“I’d really recommend it!”

WHAT WILL I LEARN AND HOW IS IT ASSESSED?

Philosophy of religion

Ancient philosophical influences
The nature of the soul, mind and body
Arguments about the existence or non-existence of God
The nature and impact of religious experience
The challenge for religious belief of the problem of evil
Ideas about the nature of God
Issues in religious language

Religion and ethics

Normative ethical theories
The application of ethical theory to two contemporary issues of importance
Ethical language and thought
Debates surrounding the significant idea of conscience
Sexual ethics and the influence on ethical thought of developments in religious beliefs

Developments in religious thought

Religious beliefs, values and teachings, their interconnections and how they vary historically and in the contemporary world
Sources of religious wisdom and authority
Practices which shape and express religious identity, and how these vary within a tradition
Significant social and historical developments in theology and religious thought
Key themes related

There will be no coursework; assessment will be by examination only.
Three 2-hour exams at the end of the two-year course.

WHAT ARE MY POST-18 OPTIONS?

The great virtue of Philosophy, Ethics and Theology is that it teaches not what to think, but how to think. The skills it hones are the ability to analyse, to question orthodoxies and to express things clearly, the ability to formulate questions and follow arguments is the essence of education.

It has always been a good training for the Law; but it is equally useful for Computer Scientists, Medicine and Humanity subjects. Philosophy, Ethics and Theology is the ultimate ‘transferable work skill’.

WHAT EXTRA-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE?

There is the opportunity throughout the course to attend conferences to meet other students and leading scholars, as well as a trip to Cadbury’s World for a talk on Kantian Business Ethics and to enjoy the attractions, Warwick University for a Philosophy Day and St Pauls Cathedral in London to explore Christianity.

Weekly News

for week ending Friday, 20 December 2024.