Get help and support A-LEVEL Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/subjects/7062 You can talk directly to the subject team RELIGIOUS E: [email protected] T: 0161 957 3881 STUDIES (7062) Specification For teaching from September 2016 onwards For exams in 2018 onwards Version 1.2 5 June 2019 aqa.org.uk Copyright © 2016 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AQA retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specifications. However, schools and colleges registered with AQA are permitted to copy material from this specification for their own internal use. G00646 AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (company number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX. AQA A-level Religious Studies 7062. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.2 5 June 2019 Contents 1 Introduction 5 1.1 Why choose AQA for A-level Religious Studies 5 1.2 Support and resources to help you teach 5 2 Specification at a glance 7 2.1 Subject content 7 2.2 Assessments 8 3 Subject content 11 3.1 Component 1: Philosophy of religion and ethics 11 3.2 Component 2: Study of religion and dialogues 14 4 Scheme of assessment 35 4.1 Aims 35 4.2 Assessment objectives 35 4.3 Assessment weightings 36 4.4 Assessment structure 36 5 General administration 39 5.1 Entries and codes 39 5.2 Overlaps with other qualifications 39 5.3 Awarding grades and reporting results 39 5.4 Resits and shelf life 40 5.5 Previous learning and prerequisites 40 5.6 Access to assessment: diversity and inclusion 40 5.7 Working with AQA for the first time 41 5.8 Private candidates 41 Visit aqa.org.uk/7062 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 3 Are you using the latest version of this specification? • You will always find the most up-to-date version of this specification on our website at aqa.org.uk/7062 • We will write to you if there are significant changes to the specification. 4 Visit aqa.org.uk/7062 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration AQA A-level Religious Studies 7062. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.2 5 June 2019 1 Introduction 1.1 Why choose AQA for A-level Religious Studies Our courses offer a choice of different religions, ensuring students have a thorough understanding of diverse philosophical and ethical viewpoints. Students gain critical and evaluative skills sought by higher education and employers – particularly in law, education, social work, politics, medicine, administration and the media. Religious studies is a thought provoking subject and our contemporary themes will help you inspire engaging classroom discussion. Highlights include: • all religions, philosophical and ethical themes have the same learning requirements, helping you integrate your teaching • we’ve worked with subject experts, teachers and higher education to create a stimulating and relevant curriculum with a straightforward approach to assessment • question papers will allow students of all abilities the chance to show what they know • the AS and A-level are co-teachable – although they are decoupled, the AS content links directly to A-level as it’s the first half of the A-level course. You can find out about all our Religious Studies qualifications at aqa.org.uk/religious-studies 1.2 Support and resources to help you teach We’ve worked with experienced teachers to provide you with a range of resources that will help you confidently plan, teach and prepare for exams. Teaching resources Visit aqa.org.uk/7062 to see all our teaching resources. They include: • schemes of work • specimen questions and marked exemplars • topic guidance • guidance for assessment • introduction to resources • training courses to help you deliver AQA religious studies qualifications • subject expertise courses for all teachers, from newly qualified teachers who are just getting started to experienced teachers looking for inspiration. Preparing for exams Visit aqa.org.uk/7062 for everything you need to prepare for our exams, including: • past papers, mark schemes and examiners’ reports • sample papers and mark schemes for new courses Visit aqa.org.uk/7062 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 5 • Exampro: a searchable bank of past AQA exam questions • example student answers with examiner commentaries. Analyse your students' results with Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA) Find out which questions were the most challenging, how the results compare to previous years and where your students need to improve. ERA, our free online results analysis tool, will help you see where to focus your teaching. Register at aqa.org.uk/era For information about results, including maintaining standards over time, grade boundaries and our post-results services, visit aqa.org.uk/results Keep your skills up-to-date with professional development Wherever you are in your career, there’s always something new to learn. As well as subject- specific training, we offer a range of courses to help boost your skills. • Improve your teaching skills in areas including differentiation, teaching literacy and meeting Ofsted requirements. • Prepare for a new role with our leadership and management courses. You can attend a course at venues around the country, in your school or online – whatever suits your needs and availability. Find out more at coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk Help and support available Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/7062 If you'd like us to share news and information about this qualification, sign up for emails and updates at aqa.org.uk/keepinformed-religious-studies Alternatively, you can call or email our subject team direct. E: [email protected] T: 0161 957 3881 6 Visit aqa.org.uk/7062 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration AQA A-level Religious Studies 7062. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.2 5 June 2019 2 Specification at a glance This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the course. There are two assessed components. Students must take assessments in both Component 1 and Component 2 in the same exam series. 2.1 Subject content • Component 1: Philosophy of religion and ethics • Component 2: Study of religion and dialogues • 2A Buddhism (page 14) • 2B Christianity (page 18) • 2C Hinduism (page 22) • 2D Islam (page 26) • 2E Judaism (page 30) Visit aqa.org.uk/7062 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 7 2.2 Assessments Component 1: Philosophy of religion and ethics What's assessed Section A: Philosophy of religion • Arguments for the existence of God • Evil and suffering • Religious experience • Religious language • Miracles • Self and life after death. Section B: Ethics and religion • Ethical theories • Issues of human life and death • Issues of animal life and death • Introduction to meta ethics • Free will and moral responsibility • Conscience • Bentham and Kant. How it's assessed • Written exam: 3 hours • 100 marks • 50% of A-level Questions • Section A: Philosophy of religion – two compulsory two-part questions, each worth 10 marks and 15 marks. • Section B: Ethics and religion – two compulsory two-part questions, each worth 10 marks and 15 marks. In both sections, questions may span more than one topic. In each two-part question, the first part tests AO1 and the second part tests AO2. 8 Visit aqa.org.uk/7062 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration AQA A-level Religious Studies 7062. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.2 5 June 2019 Component 2: Study of religion and dialogues What's assessed Section A: Study of religion – for each faith option (2A–2E) the following topics are covered: • Sources of wisdom and authority • God/gods/ultimate reality • Self, death and the afterlife • Good conduct and key moral principles • Expression of religious identity • Religion, gender and sexuality • Religion and science • Religion and secularisation • Religion and religious pluralism. Section B: The dialogue between philosophy of religion and religion. How religion is influenced by, and has an influence on philosophy of religion in relation to the issues studied. Section C: The dialogue between ethical studies and religion. How religion is influenced by, and has an influence on ethical studies in relation to the issues studied. How it's assessed • Written exam: 3 hours • 100 marks • 50% of A-level Questions Section A: Study of religion – two compulsory two-part questions, each worth 10 marks and 15 marks relating to the religion chosen. Questions may be set that span more than one topic. In each two-part question, the first part tests AO1 and the second part tests AO2. Section B: The dialogue between philosophy of religion and religion – one unstructured synoptic question from a choice of two (25 marks). Section C: The dialogue between ethical studies and religion – one unstructured synoptic question from a choice of two (25 marks). Visit aqa.org.uk/7062 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 9 10 Visit aqa.org.uk/7062 for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration AQA A-level Religious Studies 7062. A-level exams June 2018 onwards. Version 1.2 5 June 2019 3 Subject content 3.1 Component 1: Philosophy of religion and ethics 3.1.1 Section A: Philosophy of religion Students must develop knowledge and understanding of the following: • the meaning and significance of the specified content • the influence of these beliefs and teachings on individuals, communities and societies • the cause and significance of similarities and differences in beliefs and teachings • the approach of philosophy to the study of religion and belief.