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S1/S2 Faith and Philosophy

All pupils in S1 and S2 receive two periods of F&P per week

The Curriculum

Pupils in S1 and S2 follow a wide-ranging curriculum.

S1

Units 1 – 2 : Questions about Me; Questions about God

In these introductory units pupils explore key questions about life and philosophical ideas.

Unit 3 : Introducing World Religions

This unit introduces pupils to the basic elements of the six major world religions. Pupils develop investigating skills by working together in groups.

Unit 4: Religious Founders, including Jesus

Pupils develop knowledge and understanding in a contemporary context.

Unit 5 : Islam

This is a major topic to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Islam. The unit uses a variety of approaches to help pupils consider the teachings of this world religion.

S2

Unit 6 : Whose Rules ?

Pupils consider the importance of rules for society and the consequences of choosing to follow or not follow rules. Groups investigate some important rules in different religions and consider their importance for believers today

Unit 7 : Rites of Passage

Through looking at ceremonies connected with birth and initiation, pupils are encouraged to think about the concepts of commitment and responsibility within their own lives and what it means to belong to a faith community.

Unit 8 : The Teachings of Buddha

This unit looks at the early life of the Buddha and the teachings contained in the 4 Noble Truths. Pupils also learn about what it means to be a practising Buddhist either as a lay person or as a member of the clergy. They are encouraged to evaluate the significance of Buddhism today.

Unit 9 : Science and Religion

Pupils consider some of the issues raised, including accounts of creation and miracles

Homework

Homework is given regularly and is an integral part of the course.

Assessment

In S1 and S2 pupils are continually assessed with end of unit tests.

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Standard Grade Religious Studies

This course is great for people who want to learn about other people and cultures and those who like to express their own opinions on important issues!

Units Covered

ISSUES OF BELIEF - Everyone has some beliefs which are important to them. In this part of the course you will study BIG QUESTIONS such as - Is there a God? How was the world made? Why is there suffering? You will discover the many different answers to these questions.

ISSUES OF MORALITY - This unit deals with many real life issues and problems for people today. There's lots of discussion and debate about issues such as Marriage, War, Abortion and Euthanasia.

CHRISTIANITY - This is a study of what Christians believe and where their beliefs come from.
You will learn about what being a Christian means to a person's life. Lots of things you've done in S1 & 2 are revisited in more depth.

JUDAISM - Looking at the beliefs, worship and festivals of the Jews will allow you to see how another religious group lives and allow you to compare it with Christianity.

Teaching Methods

There's a great deal of variety in the lessons:

Assessment

• At the end of each unit there is a checklist of knowledge to complete - this tests your learning regularly and then can be used later for revision.
• About every 6 weeks there is a short class test to see how you are at remembering things after a while.
• There's an exam in S3 and prelim in S4.

For your final grade

The exam at the end of S4 will test your skills in Knowledge & Understanding and Evaluation
Knowledge & Understanding Facts you have learned and how well you understand them
Evaluation Thinking about the arguments for and against things people
believe and do. Expressing your own opinion on issues.
You'll also have to do an INVESTIGATION, which is worth 1/3 of your final mark. You can choose to research any issue of belief or morality and then write a report about it.

Homework

You will normally have some homework every week. This might be a letter or imaginary diary entry to write or a worksheet to complete. You might be asked to do some research on the internet or to interview some of your family and friends. You will also be given past exam questions to practice at the end of each topic.

Want more information?

See a member of staff in the F&P Department - you can have a look at the booklets we use and there are leaflets with more information available.

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S3/S4 Core Religious, Moral & Philosophical Studies

All pupils who come to Core RMPS in S3 and S4 follow a certificate course. S3 pupils have 2 periods per week of Making Moral Decisions and S4 have one.

Making Moral Decisions

This course can be achieved at either Intermediate 2 or Intermediate 1 level. Some pupils will complete the unit Questioning Morality at Access level.

The course content focuses on moral responses to Human Rights issues. In particular, pupils study Racial Prejudice, Capital Punishment and Freedom of Speech. Other issues studied include abortion, animal rights and domestic abuse.

Learning Outcomes

Pupils are expected to achieve 3 Learning Outcomes:

LO1 – Describe 3 moral stances
LO2 – Explain how each moral stance relates to each issue
LO3 – Express a clear personal opinion on each issue supported by relevant reasoning

Lessons include debate, research, video extracts, speakers and groupwork. All pupils have the opportunity to complete an investigation on an RMPS topic of their choice.

Homework

Homework is given regularly and is an integral part of the course.

Assessment and Exams

In S3 and S4 pupils are continually assessed with end of unit tests. S3 have an exam in April and S4 have an exam in December. At the end of S4 each pupil’s results are sent to the Exam Board. There is no May exam in S4.

Further information can be obtained from the F&P Department

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Intermediate 2 Religious, Moral & Philosophical Studies

Entry Requirements

S Grade 3 in Religious Studies or a similar subject. Your S3/S4 Human Rights Intermediate unit will also be taken into account.

Course Content

There are three units in this course:

Making Moral Decisions

This unit builds on the work you have done in S4 core RMPS. You will develop your understanding of the major moral stances - Religious Authority, Egoism and Utilitarianism but this time you'll be looking at responses to gender issues.

World Religions

Buddhism is a major developing world religion at the moment. This unit picks up from some of the work you did in S2 and goes deeper. It will help you to understand the Buddha's philosophy for life and how it has developed in different countries around the world. You will begin to understand why it is such a popular religion today. Link to Buddhism quiz

Nature of Belief

This unit explores the differences between science and Christianity. How did the Universe begin ? What is the purpose of life ? Do miracles happen today ? You will study how science has challenged Christian belief, and decide whether Christianity has been able to respond adequately.

Each unit has a booklet of support materials which outlines the assessment and homework requirements. It also includes a brief outline of all the essential knowledge for the course - good for revision !

Lesson Activities

Lesson activities vary a great deal:

Assessment

• You will need to pass two assessments for each of the units. Assessments are worth 20 marks and are about 600 words in total! They are divided into questions which require about 200 words each. They are done in class as you progress through the units.
• You will have to complete an EXTENDED ESSAY. You choose a topic and research it then write the essay under exam conditions in a two hour slot.
• You will have to answer a question on each unit in the final exam.

Homework

You will have approximately two hours of homework every week. This might be research and preparation for a lesson or practising an assessment question on a topic you have completed. You will always be given at least three days to complete homework and usually a week for practise assessment.

Want more information?

See a member of staff in the F&P Department - all the support material booklets
are available for you to look at along with past papers.
Talk to people who have already done the course too!

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Higher Religious, Moral & Philosophical Studies

Entry Requirements

S Grade 2 in Religious Studies or a similar subject. Your S4 Human Rights Intermediate unit will also be taken into account.

Course Content

There are three units in this course:

Gender Issues

We live in a world where equal opportunities are expected and sexism is considered old-fashioned. However, this is not necessarily the case and this unit will explore discrimination against both men and women. Topics include domestic abuse and Christian attitudes to women’s ordination.

World Religions

Buddhism is a major developing world religion at the moment. This unit picks up from some of the work you did in S2 and goes deeper. It will help you to understand the Buddha's philosophy for life and how it has developed in different countries around the world. You will begin to understand why it is such a popular religion today.

Christianity and Science

This unit explores the differences between these two topics. How did the Universe begin? What is the purpose of life? Do miracles happen today? You will study how science has challenged Christian belief, and decide whether Christianity has been able to respond adequately.

Each unit has a booklet of support materials which outlines the assessment and homework requirements. It also includes a brief outline of all the essential knowledge for the course - good for revision !

Lesson Activities

Lesson activities vary a great deal:

Assessment

• You will need to pass one essay for each of the units. Essays are worth 25 marks and are about 800 words long! They are done in class as you progress through the units.
• You will have to complete an EXTENDED ESSAY. You choose a topic and research it then write the essay under exam conditions in a two hour slot.
• You will have to answer a question on each unit in the final exam.

Homework

You will have approximately two hours of homework every week. This might be research and preparation for a lesson or practising an assessment question on a topic you have completed. You will always be given at least three days to complete homework and usually a week for practise assessment.

Want more information?

See a member of staff in the F&P Department - all the support material booklets
are available for you to look at along with past papers.
Talk to people who have already done the course too

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Advanced Higher Religious, Moral & Philosophical Studies

Entry Requirements

B in Higher Religious & Moral Philosophical Studies, Philosophy or a similar subject.

Course Content

There are three units in this course:

Philosophy of Religion

Students will explore the ongoing debate over the existence or non-existence of God and how our beliefs affect our perception of the universe and the role of human beings within it.

Personal Research

Students will carry out independent research based on an issue of their own choice. You will have to develop a plan, organise your time, identify sources of information, conduct research and prepare a dissertation proposal based on your findings.

Bioethics

A great unit for anyone considering a medical career. The work involves studying the ethical issues concerning medical practices like artificial insemination, treatment of embryos, use of life-support machines, and tackles issues surrounding the ending of life such as suicide and euthanasia.

Students following the course will experience a combination of teacher-led lessons and individual study time.

Assessment

• You will need to pass two essays for each of the taught units. Each essay should be about 1,000 words long and you will have an hour in class to write each one.
• The Personal Research unit is assessed on the skills of planning, research, analysis of information and evaluation of findings.
• You will have to write up the results of your research in the form of a dissertation (3,000 - 5,000 words). It is worth 40% of the final course award.
• You will have to answer a question on each of the taught units in the final exam

Homework

Homework will be given every week. A great deal of self-study and self-discipline is required to achieve Advanced Higher - it should not be taken up lightly. Homework will involve preparation for personal research and practice essay writing.

Want more information?

Speak to a member of staff in the F&P Department or check out the Higher Still web site.

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Intermediate 2 Philosophy

Entry Requirements

S Grade 3 or Intermediate 1 in English, Religious Studies or a similar subject

Course Content

There are three units in this course:

Classic Texts

You will study the origins of philosophy and look at the theories of some famous philosophers by studying the material they wrote. Through the works of Plato, Descartes' and Hume you will begin to question everyday assumptions about the world and how we see it. Should we trust our senses? How can we gain knowledge?

Problems in Philosophy

A study of how philosophical problems are challenged in the modern world. What is knowledge? Can the past predict the future? What makes us who we are?
Can we prove the existence of God? Are we all free and equal?

Moral Philosophy

An exploration of major ethical theories and how we apply them in our moral decision making. How do we decide on right and wrong ? We will look specifically at the issues of Euthanasia and Crime and Punishment. Kantian Ethics and Utilitarianism are applied.

Each unit has support materials which outline the assessment and homework requirements. They give a brief outline of all the essential knowledge for the course - good for revision! Additional packs of student activities will be used in class.

Lesson Activities

Lesson activities vary a great deal:

Assessment

• You will need to pass assessments for each of the units. Assessments are worth 20 marks and are about 600 words in total! Each one is divided into two parts. They are done in class as you progress through the units.
• You will have to answer a question on each unit in the final exam.

Homework

You will have approximately two hours of homework every week. This might be research and preparation for a lesson or practising an assessment question on a topic you have completed. You will always be given at least three days to complete homework and usually a week for practise assessment.

Want more information?

See a member of staff in the F&P Department - all the support materials are available for you to look at along with past papers. Talk to people who have already done the course too !

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Higher Philosophy

Entry Requirements

This is a course particularly suited to S6. Skills learnt in other subjects such as English, History, Modern Studies and RMPS will be directly relevant. If you are entering S5, then you will need Standard Grade 2 in at least two of these subjects.

Course Content

There are three units in this course:

Classic Texts

You will study the origins of philosophy and look at the theories of some famous philosophers by studying the material they wrote. Through the works of Plato, Descartes and Hume you will begin to question everyday assumptions about the world and how we see it. Should we trust our senses? How can we gain knowledge?

Problems in Philosophy

A study of how philosophical problems are challenged in the modern world. What is knowledge? Can the past predict the future? What makes us who we are?
Can we prove the existence of God? Are we all free and equal?

Moral Philosophy

An exploration of major ethical theories and how we apply them in our moral decision making. How do we decide on right and wrong ? We will look specifically at the issues of Euthanasia and Crime and Punishment. Kantian Ethics and Utilitarianism are applied.

Each unit has support materials which outline the assessment and homework requirements. They give a brief outline of all the essential knowledge for the course - good for revision! Additional packs of student activities will be used in class.

Lesson Activities

Lesson activities vary a great deal:

Assessment

• You will need to pass two essays for each of the units. Essays are worth 25 marks and are about 800 words! They are done in class as you progress through the units.
• You will have to answer a question on each unit in the final exam.

Homework

You will have approximately two hours of homework every week. This might be research and preparation for a lesson or practising an assessment question on a topic you have completed. You will always be given at least three days to complete homework and usually a week for practise assessment.

Want more information?

See a member of staff in the F&P Department - all the support materials are available for you to look at along with past papers. Talk to people who have already done the course too !

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