OCR A-Level Religious Studies exam papers and weighting (H573)
Guide overview All 7 topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
What each OCR A-Level Religious Studies paper assesses
OCR A-Level Religious Studies (specification H573) is three equally weighted components, each a two-hour written paper of 120 marks on which you answer three of four essay questions worth 40 marks each. Philosophy of Religion (01) and Religion and Ethics (02) are compulsory. The third is Developments in Religious Thought, studied through ONE religion of five — Christianity (03), Islam (04), Judaism (05), Buddhism (06) or Hinduism (07). All five are banked here, so pick the one you are sitting on the topic selection page and the other four drop away.
| Paper | Covers | Length | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Component 01 Philosophy of Religion |
Ancient philosophical influences, soul, mind and body, arguments for God, religious experience, evil, the nature of God and religious language Four essay questions, of which you answer three, each worth 40 marks Marked by levels of response, crediting the use of scholarly views, academic approaches and sources of wisdom and authority |
2 hours | 120 marks | 33.3% |
|
Component 02 Religion and Ethics |
Normative theories, meta-ethics, conscience, and applied questions on euthanasia, business ethics and sexual ethics Four essay questions, of which you answer three, each worth 40 marks Each essay tests both knowledge and understanding (AO1) and analysis and evaluation (AO2) |
2 hours | 120 marks | 33.3% |
|
Components 03–07 Developments in Religious Thought |
One religion chosen from Christianity (03), Islam (04), Judaism (05), Buddhism (06) and Hinduism (07) Beliefs, sources of authority, practices, and engagement with gender, pluralism and secularism Four essay questions on the religion studied, of which you answer three, each worth 40 marks |
2 hours | 120 marks | 33.3% |
Every topic, and where it is examined
| Topic | Component | Examined on | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy of Religion | Component 01: Philosophy of Religion, compulsory | Component 01 | 245 |
| Religion and Ethics | Component 02: Religion and Ethics, compulsory | Component 02 | 227 |
| Developments in Christian Thought | Components 03 to 07: Developments in Religious Thought, one religion of five | Components 03–07 | 205 |
| Developments in Islamic Thought | Components 03 to 07: Developments in Religious Thought, one religion of five | Components 03–07 | 222 |
| Developments in Jewish Thought | Components 03 to 07: Developments in Religious Thought, one religion of five | Components 03–07 | 250 |
| Developments in Buddhist Thought | Components 03 to 07: Developments in Religious Thought, one religion of five | Components 03–07 | 218 |
| Developments in Hindu Thought | Components 03 to 07: Developments in Religious Thought, one religion of five | Components 03–07 | 217 |
Assessment details from the OCR Level 3 Advanced GCE in Religious Studies, specification H573. OCR specification.
OCR A-Level Religious Studies Active Recall Guide
1,584 questions across every paper on the specification.