Programme Description
Whether you consider yourself a religious person or not, whether you think religion has played a positive or negative role in history; it is an incontrovertible fact that from the beginning of time, humans have engaged in activities that we now call religion, such as worship, prayer, and rituals marking important life passages.
Literacy in religious thinking and practice is a key skill, with the potential to foster respect and tolerance based on knowledge rather than supposition. Whether you come to the subjects with a particular faith perspective or none, there will be much that will engage you intellectually and challenge your assumptions.
The subject will also leave you with many transferable skills, which will be very useful not only for your future studies but in your everyday life and in how you approach situations and problems with which you are faced. The subject is widely recognised by universities and can work well with both humanities and social sciences such as History, Sociology, Politics and English, as well as alongside sciences and mathematical subjects.
Programme Features
The WJEC Religious Studies A Level has been thoroughly modernised to reflect the interests of young people. The course therefore focuses upon moral ethical issues and philosophical dilemmas and upon a multicultural approach to World Religions. Buddhism is studied as our main religious tradition, alongside an ethics and philosophy unit.
The course is assessed through exam style essay writing. This means that students develop their writing skills fully during the course and finish well-prepared for the writing components of higher degrees. In Religious Studies, open debate is encouraged fully. Students are expected to participate and to develop their skills in the oral presentation of their views. This is useful for all other areas of study.
Progression & Employment
Successful Religious Studies students have gone to a variety of Russell Group Universities to continue their studies through the disciplines of Religion, Global Religions, Theology, Philosophy, Ethics and Islamic Studies. A number of these students hope to continue to Masters level, while others are hoping to pursue a career in teaching. Among the recent successful students to have taken this course came to the College from Bryngwyn Comprehensive School and excelled at A level, achieving A grades in both Psychology and Religious Studies. She has progressed to Bath Spa University, to continue her studies of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics.
18/19-A2 students achieved 100% A*-C grade
Programme Content
AS Level Year 1
Unit 1:An Introduction to the study of Religion: Buddhism
Unit 2: An Introduction to Religion and Ethics & An Introduction to Philosophy of Religion
A2/A Level Year 2
Unit 3:A Study of Religion: Buddhism
Unit 4: Religion and Ethics
Unit 5: Philosophy of Religion
Programme Assessment
AS –Year 1 Summer Exam
Unit 1 written examination: 1.15 hours
Unit 2 written examination: 1.30 hours
(40% of overall A Level grade)
A2– Year 2 Summer Exam
Unit 3 written examination: 1.45 hours
Unit 4 written examination: 1.45 hours
Unit 5 written examination: 1.45 hours
(60% of overall A Level grade)
Programme Entry Requirements
Suitability for this course will be assessed at interview and on sight of GCSE qualifications.
An applicant for the A Level Religious Studies will need to hold a C or higher in English/ Literacy; subject to the tutors discretion.
It is not essential to have a Religious Studies GCSE, we only ask that you are enthusiastic about the subject.
Additional Costs
You will have access to a range of equipment and resources, which will be sufficient to complete your programme of study. However the exam board publications textbooks are also available to purchase from Illuminate Publishing should you wish to do so.
There are field trips to local places of worship and exam seminars during the year; a small contribution maybe required for transportation.