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Philosophy and Religion A Level

Paston College

Grammar School Road, North Walsham, Norfolk, NR28 9JL

GCE A/AS Level or Equivalent
Level 3
History, Philosophy and Theology

Available start dates

Available start dates

Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Paston College
2 Year(s)
Full time
Daytime/working hours

Application Instructions

Step 1: Apply

Step 2: Interviews and taster events

As part of your application you will be invited to book an interview, to discuss your chosen course, where you will meet with an academic tutor from your chosen area of study for an informal discussion about your course choices, to ensure you have chosen the best course for your future ambitions.

This will give you the opportunity to ask questions and discuss anything about the course that you are unsure about. Please ensure you check your confirmation email for full details, so you do not miss your appointment.

You are initially only able to book an interview for your first choice course, please let us know if you would subsequently like to be able to book interviews for other courses by emailing admissions@paston.ac.uk

Step 3: Offer

This stage provides you with an outcome of your recent interview, which will confirm if you have been made an offer of a place on your chosen course.

All offers are provisional until the point of enrolment and most of our course offers are conditional, meaning there is entry criteria you need to meet before enrolling. This will be outlined in your offer letter.

Sometimes we are unable to offer you a place on your chosen course. If this happens the reasons will be discussed with you at your appointment and we will look at alternative options with you. We will be in contact to confirm the outcome and what to do next. We also have a team of specialist Course Advisers who are more than happy to look at alternative options with you and answer any questions you may have.

Step 4: Enrolment

Enrolment is the final stage before starting your course with us and takes place within the last two weeks of August. We require you to be available to attend your appointment in person at college, so we can complete all the required steps to enrolling you on your chosen course.

We may ask you to bring some documents with you so please read your enrolment invitation carefully.


Course Details

"The great virtue of philosophy is that it teaches not what to think, but how to think...Philosophy is, in commercial jargon, the ultimate transferable work skill." (The Times, 15th August 1998) This course requires you to have an enquiring mind, an interest in controversial ethical issues and a desire to examine some of the biggest questions in the universe. You will be involved in learning about a range of engaging topics, many of which will be new to you and which will challenge your opinions and thinking. The course is split into two halves; Philosophy of Religion and Ethics. The Philosophy side of the course looks at the origins of the idea of God, whether it's possible that such an idea/being could ever exist (or ever not exist!) The Ethics side of the course examines questions about right and wrong, good and bad. How do we decide what the moral thing to do is in any given situation? We then go on to look at some controversial ethical issues such as genetic engineering, euthanasia and abortion. Philosophy and Ethics will help to develop skills of reasoning, analysis and communication that will be valuable in any path you choose to take.

Please note that the running of this course is subject to numbers.

Entry requirements

3 A Level Programme

Minimum of 66444 at GCSE

You must also study English/Maths GCSE if you have not already achieved grade 4 in these subjects.

If you achieve a minimum of 3 GCSE's at grade 8 plus 5 at grade 7 and your English Language and Maths are at minimum grade 4, you will have the option to join the A Plus programme.

Please note that A Plus is designed for applicants to academic courses at Oxford, Cambridge or Russel Group.


Your next steps...

You can go on to teaching, research, social policy development, theological training..... and much more.


For more courses like this, check our courses page.