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  • Religious Studies - H173, H573

AS and A Level Religious Studies - H173, H573

Religious Studies - H173, H573

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  • Specification at a glance
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Specification at a glance

  • A Level

  • AS Level

Assessment overview

ComponentMarksDurationWeightinginsert text

Philosophy of religion (01)

1202 hours33⅓%

Religion and ethics (02)

1202 hours33⅓%

Developments in religious thought (03-07)

1202 hours33⅓%

Students must complete all components (01, 02 and one from 03 to 07) to be awarded the OCR A Level in Religious Studies.

Content overview

Component 01: Philosophy of religion

Students study philosophical language and thought, and issues and questions raised by belief:

  • 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.

Component 02: Religion and ethics

Students explore key concepts and the works of influential thinkers, ethical theories and their application:

  • 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.

Component 03: Developments in religious thought

Students select one religion from the following to study systematically:

  • Christianity (03)
  • Islam (04)
  • Judaism (05)
  • Buddhism (06)
  • Hinduism (07).

They explore:

  • 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 to the relationship between religion and society.
Download A Level specification

Assessment overview

ComponentMarksDurationWeightinginsert text

Philosophy of religion (01)

601 hour 15 mins33⅓%

Religion and ethics (02)

601 hour 15 mins33⅓%

Developments in religious thought (03-07)

601 hour 15 mins33⅓%

Students must complete all components (01, 02 and one from 03 to 07) to be awarded the OCR AS Level in Religious Studies.

Content overview

Component 01: Philosophy of religion

Students study philosophical language and thought, and issues and questions raised by belief:

  • 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.

Component 02: Religion and ethics

Students explore key concepts and the works of influential thinkers, ethical theories and their application:

  • Normative ethical theories
  • The application of ethical theory to two contemporary issues of importance.

Component 03: Developments in religious thought

Students select one religion from the following to study systematically:

  • Christianity (03)
  • Islam (04)
  • Judaism (05)
  • Buddhism (06)
  • Hinduism (07).

They explore:

  • 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.
Download AS Level specification
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