Course Content:
Paper 1
Philosophical and Ethical Issues – 50% of the qualification.
This area of study comprises a study of these four sections:
- Issues of Relationships – including the Christian and Muslim views of families, marriage, adultery, divorce, sexual relationships, and gender roles.
- Issues of Life and Death – including the Christian and Muslim views of creation, stewardship, sanctity of life, abortion, euthanasia, life after death and funerals.
- Issues of Good and Evil – including the Christian and Muslim views of morality, crime and punishment, capital punishment, forgiveness, evil and suffering.
- Issues of Human Rights – including the Christian and Muslim views of human rights, censorship, religious expression, extremism, prejudice and discrimination, racism, wealth and poverty.
Paper 2
Beliefs, teachings and practices of Christianity – 25% of the qualification.
This area of study comprises a study of these two sections:
- Beliefs and teachings: the nature of God, evil and suffering, the Trinity, creation, Jesus’ life (incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension), sin and salvation, the afterlife and judgement, resurrection, heaven and hell.
- Practices: prayer, worship, the sacraments, celebrations, pilgrimage, Christianity in the local community and the world.
This is an in-depth study of Christianity, its beliefs, teachings and practices.
Students will be expected to recognise that Christianity is one of the many religious traditions in Great Britain and that within Christianity there may be more than one perspective which might be linked to different denominations of Christianity.
The significance and importance of the various beliefs and practices of Christians today are explored.
Paper 3
Beliefs, teachings and practices of Islam – 25% of the qualification. This area of study comprises a study of these two sections:
- Beliefs and teachings: the nature of Allah, prophethood, angels, holy books, the afterlife, divine plan and free will.
- Practices: the five pillars of Islam, jihad, festivals, and the ten obligatory acts of Shi’a Islam.
This area of study comprises an in-study depth of Islam, its beliefs, teachings and practices.
Students will be expected to recognise that Islam is one of the many religious traditions in Great Britain and that within Islam there may be more than one perspective which might be linked to different forms of Islam.
The significance and importance of the various beliefs and practices of Muslims today are explored.
Examination Details:
To gain a GCSE in RE, candidates take three exams, as detailed above. The assessment is 100% exam based. There is no coursework.
Career Opportunities
Media
Careers in print media for religious publishing, news and television media with religious groups; video and film productions for religious groups; print media for journals, newspapers, magazines with religious pages; website creation/production/management for religiously based groups.
Health Care
Hospitals often hire people to support the Chaplaincy ministry; spiritual and life style education training; mental health organisations will often hire someone with religious expertise as a resource liaison. Human Rights Organisations – tend to hire people who display experience in the field, education and a certain willingness to be flexible in the work.
Education/ Teaching/Corporate environment
Many large corporations will hire students with a degree in Humanities, including Religious studies, because they have been taught to write well, think critically, and do research.