Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies exam papers and weighting (9RS0)
Guide overview All 9 topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
What each Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies paper assesses
Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies (specification 9RS0) is sat as three papers chosen from four. Philosophy of Religion, Religion and Ethics and New Testament Studies are one paper each, and Paper 4 is the study of one religion from six. All nine are banked here, so switch off the papers you are not sitting on the topic selection page. The board's one restriction is that New Testament Studies cannot be combined with the Christianity option.
| Paper | Covers | Length | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Paper 1 Philosophy of Religion |
Arguments for God's existence, evil and suffering, religious language and life after death Two structured questions, a two-part essay on a set extract, and one extended essay Extracts come from the published anthology and are printed in the paper |
2 hours | 80 marks | 33.33% |
|
Paper 2 Religion and Ethics |
Normative ethical theories, meta-ethics, and applied questions from war to medical ethics Two extended-response questions, a two-part essay on a set extract, and one extended essay Rewards the ability to apply a theory to an unfamiliar case |
2 hours | 80 marks | 33.33% |
|
Paper 3 New Testament Studies |
The first-century setting, the Fourth Gospel, interpretation, and the death and resurrection Cannot be entered alongside the Christianity option on Paper 4 Same three-section structure as the other papers |
2 hours | 80 marks | 33.33% |
|
Paper 4 Study of Religion |
One religion chosen from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism Beliefs and teachings, sources of authority, practices, social developments and scholarship Same three-section structure, with extracts drawn from that religion's texts |
2 hours | 80 marks | 33.33% |
Every topic, and where it is examined
| Topic | Examined on | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy of Religion | Paper 1 | 187 |
| Religion and Ethics | Paper 2 | 169 |
| New Testament Studies | Paper 3 | 164 |
| Buddhism | Paper 4 | 198 |
| Christianity | Paper 4 | 194 |
| Hinduism | Paper 4 | 210 |
| Islam | Paper 4 | 195 |
| Judaism | Paper 4 | 185 |
| Sikhism | Paper 4 | 192 |
Assessment details from the Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Religious Studies, specification 9RS0. Pearson Edexcel specification.
Every paper is covered, because the guide runs the whole specification.Get the guide, £8
Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies Active Recall Guide
1,694 questions across every paper on the specification.