Ethics & Philosophy

“Ethics & Philosophy was, by far, my favourite subject to study at A-Level. Each lesson, I was challenged to consider fundamental questions such as ‘What is the meaning of life?’ and ‘What is morality?’ which made the lessons extremely engaging. Throughout the course you are taught skills such as problem solving, communication, critical thinking and essay writing. All of which are transferable to many future careers.

I always knew that I wanted to pursue a career in law. I can confidently say that this subject has been invaluable both in attaining my Law Degree and now in my career as a legal professional.”

Megan Spicer – Previous Student

Ethics and Philosophy A Level

Course Highlights:
Using creative methods to illustrate philosophical theories. Diving into ethical debates and discussing world issues.

Other subjects that work well with this course are:

Maths

English Language

English Literature

Psychology

Sociology

Science

History

Many more practical subjects such as Drama and music too.

Ethics & Philosophy is a fully digital course.

This means that that you will be expected to submit your work electronically or as a printout of your electronically produced work. Many of the resources and learning materials will be shared on electronic platforms and you will be expected to use a laptop or equivalent device in your lessons and during your independent study.

Why study Ethics and Philosophy at A Level?
Philosophy literally means ‘the love of wisdom’, so it is concerned with the study of knowledge. The aim of philosophy is to search for the truth by asking the right questions and by formulating logical arguments. As there are no simple answers, it is an intellectually challenging subject.
Ethics is the study of how humans make moral decisions and the reasons we give for our decisions. It examines whether morality is relative and so changes according to time, place, or culture or whether it is absolute and certain actions are intrinsically good or bad. This subject develops the skills of reasoning and logical thought, analysis and evaluation and literacy.

Course overview

  • Students will learn through a range of different teaching strategies, including class discussions and debates, group work, independent study tasks and research.
  • Students have the opportunity to study a wide variety of topics including philosophical questions about the existence of God, what do we mean by right and wrong? As well as analysing religious concepts.
  • From debating the existence of life after death, to the validity of the language we use, we wrestle with complex ethical issues such as Euthanasia and debate issues such as the role of feminism within religion.
  • Students develop excellent knowledge and understanding of complex issues. They learn to critically analyse and evaluate philosophical, ethical and theological issues. They also develop a high level of ability to select and deploy relevant information in class debates but also in essays.

Students studying Ethics will:

  • Have a chance to develop thinking skills as well as the ability to debate and voice opinions whilst developing empathy for the world around you.
  • Explore issues in religious identity, the conscience, good and evil.
  • Investigate different aspects of ethics such as business ethics, learning more about theological issues and examining philosophical questions.
  • Apply knowledge to the world around you, understanding why people do the things they do.

Progression routes and future careers

  • Philosophy is an accepted A level for most degrees. Studying Theology, Religious Studies or Philosophy at degree level can lead to careers in teaching, police, and armed forces.
  • Not surprisingly, many of our students pursue caring professions in medicine.