Religious Studies

Welcome to the Religious Studies pages. Here you will find resources and information about the course. For the exam timetable, click here.

The AS Year

In the AS year, you will study two modules which contain four units each.

AS Unit C: Philosophy of Religion

1 exam, 75 minutes.
Four questions, one per module. You answer two questions each of which has an (a) part and a (b) part.

25% of an A-level; 50% of an AS.

AS Unit E: Religion, Art and the Media

1 exam, 75 minutes.
Four questions, one per module. You answer two questions each of which has an (a) part and a (b) part.

25% of an A-level; 50% of an AS.

The A2 Year

A2 Unit 3B: Philosophy of Religion

1 exam, 90 minutes.
Four questions, one per module. You answer two questions each of which has an (a) part and a (b) part.

25% of an A-level; 50% of an A2.

A2 Unit 4: Ways of Reading and Understanding Scripture

Issues of status and translation
The use and status of scriptures in the religion
Teaching arising from the scriptures
Approaches to the study of the scriptures

1 exam, 90 minutes. Two questions, you answer one. The question has two parts: an (a)-part and a (b)-part.

25% of an A-level; 50% of an AS.

A Few Course FAQ

What will my exams look like?

In the first (AS) year, you'll have two exams . Each exams lasts 75 minutes. You will answer two questions from a choice of four. Each question has two parts: an (a)-part and a (b)-part. The (a)-part question is the longer question and worth 30 marks. It is an 'outline and explain' question that requires you to demonstrate your knowledge of the relevant subject-area. The (b) question will ask you to assess a claim and is worth 20 marks. You will have to compare and contrast different approaches that agree and disagree with the claim. (The official AQA rubric reads: 'the (a)-part tests your knowledge and understanding and the (b)-part tests your skills of reasoning.')

In the second (A2) year, you'll have two exams. They take place on different days. Each exam lasts for 90 minutes.
In the Unit 3 exam, you'll answer two questions from a choice of four questions. Each question has two parts: an (a)-part and a (b)-part. The (a)-part question is the longer question and worth 45 marks. It is an 'outline and explain' question that requires you to demonstrate your knowledge of the relevant subject-area. The (b) question will ask you to assess a claim and is worth 30 marks. You will have to compare and contrast different approaches that agree and disagree with the claim. (The official AQA rubric reads: 'the (a)-part tests your knowledge and understanding and the (b)-part tests your skills of reasoning and evaluation.') In the Unit 4 exam, you answer one question from a choice of two. Again, the question has two parts: an (a)-part and a (b)-part. The (a)-part question is the longer question and worth 45 marks. The (b)-part question is worth 30 marks. The format of the questions is the same as for Unit 3.

Click here for the full exam timetable.

How is the course structured?

Who teaches me what?

You will have two teachers over the course of the year. So, each term, you will be taught one module each by one teacher.

Are there any mock exams?

Yes. You'll have mocks at the end of each term.

For a more detailed set of FAQ, click here.