Five GCSEs at grade 9 –4, including a grade 4 or above in English Language. English is essential. BTEC Level 2 qualifications considered in subject related courses.
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics – A Level
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics is a subject full of debate and discussion. Students are often keen to put forward their own perspectives on issues such as the existence of God, the nature of the soul, the ethics of Euthanasia and Buddhist teachings on impermanence and suffering. Throughout the course they are confronted with new ways of thinking and looking at the world and develop their ability to argue and evaluate both verbally and through extended essay writing.
This subject is about Big questions and current debates such as should euthanasia be legalised in the UK? It deals with big life questions that no other subject can answer – what does it mean to be a good person? Is goodness an objective reality or a human emotion? What is the nature of the enlightened mind?
Students enjoy the open ended discussion and debates – it is all about how you think and how you argue, there is no right or wrong way to argue. They gain a lot from the Insight into different cultures and ways of life – learning about eastern religions such as Buddhism can change the way we think about the meaning and purpose of life and also why human life can become so synonymous with suffering – and ultimately how to overcome this. Students also get a lot out of the trips to Buddhist monasteries, Buddhist centres and churches – and the opportunities to pose these big life questions to Buddhist monks and religious ministers
It is the only A Level subject where the majority of your marks in essays come from how well you can argue rather than what you ‘know’.
Philosophy: Arguments and challenges to the existence of God; religious language; religious experience, the nature of the soul, theories of knowledge.
Ethics: What is good? Ethical theories and ethical dilemmas, Euthanasia, Sexual ethics, the nature of conscience
Buddhism: The origins and spread of Buddhism, Buddhist teachings on life, death and rebirth, Buddhism in the Far East, Buddhism in the West, Buddhism and Gender
Year 1: Local Church visit to discuss the concept of God, the problem of evil and ethics, University trip to attend Philosophy, Religion and Ethics taster days and lectures and meet current university students (University of Winchester or University of Southampton)
Year 2: Visit to either a Buddhist centre or a Buddhist monastery
Assessment consists of three exam papers at the end of the second year. These consist of essay questions alone. There is no coursework.
This course has numerous career paths including teaching, academia, research, social work, civil service, Politics, Ministry and Journalism. Philosophy, Religion and Ethics is a rigorous academic pursuit that complements many other subjects and develops a range of transferable skills
We often attend various Philosophy conferences at different Universities where students can develop their understanding of some of the topics we study in class. There are also plans to visit some Buddhist communities in the UK including the Chithurst monastery in West Sussex.
You will be taught in our Andover Sixth building and will have access to many different facilities, including: 2 study centres, a Library, A canteen and the Careers Hub.