Approved
coursework titles
Candidates
using any title chosen from this list do not need to submit
Coursework Approval Forms (CAFs) before embarking on their
coursework. The list will be updated at regular intervals.
Candidates must, however, seek approval for any title not listed.
Approval is gained by submitting CAFs, indicating the modules to
be studied, to the appropriate Chief Examiner(s) by 15 December in
the year preceding the examination. Centres should note that use
of the same material, or submission of the same topic in different
modules, will not be approved.
1.
A study of propositional and non-propositional
interpretations of religious belief.
2.
A study of the justification of religious belief with
reference to the writings of a philosopher.
3.
"A religion based on reason is more trustworthy than
one founded on blind faith." Discuss.
4.
A philosophical analysis of interpretations of faith.
5.
A philosophical study of revelation.
6.
A study of propositional and non-propositional
interpretations of revelation.
7.
"Humanity can only know God by means of
revelation." Discuss.
8.
A study of the relationship between revelation and faith.
Section
2: Religious experience and meditation
1.
A study of William James and Rudolph Otto on religious
experience.
2.
A study of the cultural influences on meditation.
3.
An analysis of the meaning of religious in the context of
religious experience.
4.
"Religious experience is all in the mind of the
believer." Discuss.
5.
A philosophical analysis of prayer and meditation in the
context of religious experience.
6.
How convincing are religious experiences in a secular age
as a means of justifying religious belief?
7.
"Naturalistic
interpretations fully explain religious experiences."
Discuss.
8.
How
far are religious experiences open to non-religious
interpretations?
9.
A
philosophical analysis of religious experience.
10.
What
may a study of religious experience reveal about the nature of man
(and/or God)?
Section
3: Relationship between mind and body from contrasting standpoints
in Western and/or Eastern Philosophy of religion
1.
A
study of the strengths and weaknesses of dualism.
2.
A
study of two different interpretations of the notions of soul
3.
"We
are basically physical beings." Discuss.
4.
A
study of the contrasting views of dualism and monism.
5.
An
examination of the view that it is possible to have disembodied
consciousness.
6.
"'I
am a bundle of changing perceptions and no more." Discuss.
7.
A
study of Hindu (or another religion) beliefs about the
relationship between mind and body.
1.
A study of the philosophy of religion and influence of
Shankara.
2.
An analysis of the ways in which
the philosophy of religion has been helped or hindered by the ideas
of
Nagarjuna.
3.
What are Plato's main ideas about religion? To what extent
are they influential in Western religious
philosophy?
4.
Examination of how Aquinas has bridged the gap between
Greek philosophy and more modern Christian
belief.
5.
Analysis of the role of God in Descartes' quest for
certainty.
6.
A critical discussion of Hume's "Natural History of
Religion".
7.
A study of the existential views of Kierkegaard and Sartre.
8.
An analysis of the religious existentialism of Kierkegaard.
9.
An analysis of the religious philosophy of Bonhoeffer.
10.
An analysis of Ayer's purpose of
philosophy and the consequences for religion.
Section
5: A study of a topic related to one of the following disciplines
in the study of religion: anthropology of religion; psychology of
religion; sociology religion.
1.
A study of sacred time and sacred place in pre-literate
religious traditions.
2.
A study of Freud and Jung on the value of religious belief.
3.
An investigation of the impact of secularisation on
religious practice (and/or belief).
4.
A study of how and why people differentiate sacred space
based on the writings of Mircea Eliade.
5.
A study of the psychology of belief with reference to the
influence of Freud. How far is his analysis of religion
relevant to society today?
6.
A discussion of the concept of religion in the psychology
of Erich Fromm.
7.
An understanding of religion from the perspectives of the
analytical school of psychology.
8.
What role does society play in the formation of religious
cults?
9.
An analysis of the ways in which the development of the
sociology of religion has been helped or hindered by
the ideas of Karl Marx.
10.
An analysis of the Marxist perspective on religion.
11.
Can
religion change society? An analysis of functionalist and Marxist
theories.
12.
Two
contrasting views on the function of religion in society.
13.
To what
extent do you agree with the explanations of sociologists for the
growth of new religious
movements?
14.
From a
sociological viewpoint, how secular has our society become?
15.
"Religion
fulfils a number of important functions in modern society."
Discuss.
16.
An
examination of Christian cults and an analysis of their nature and
attraction.
17.
"The Hare Krishna movement is accurately described as a
cult." Discuss
Section
1: Medical ethics, related to one or more of: eugenics, abortion,
embryo research, euthanasia, suicide.
1.
"An acceptance of the practice of abortion (or of
embryo research) is incompatible with Christian belief in
the
sanctity
of life but not with the attitudes of ethical philosophers or
popular politicians." Discuss.
2.
An examination of religious influences on beliefs about
abortion.
3.
What influence does embryo research have on beliefs about a
"soul" of a person?
4.
A study of beliefs about euthanasia between two religions.
5.
Philosophical analysis of the moral and religious issues
raised by the practice of abortion.
6.
A study of Christian beliefs (or those of another religion)
about abortion in comparison with political views today
(or another religion).
7.
An analysis of the ways in which acceptance of abortion has
affected women today with particular reference to
Christian beliefs (or those of another religion).
8.
"An acceptance of the practice of abortion is
incompatible with Muslim beliefs (or those of another religion)
in
the
sanctity of life but not with the attitudes of some medical
practitioners and some ethical philosophers."
Discuss.
9.
Is
the sanctity of life to be regarded as a moral absolute? Discuss
in relation to abortion. a
10.
An
investigation of religious views on eugenics and embryo research.
11.
How
might the scientific understanding of human genetic structure
influence Christian thought and practice (or
that of another religion)?
12.
An
analysis of religious views on the start and end of life.
13.
An
analysis of the moral and religious issues raised by euthanasia.
14.
A
study of a Christian (or another religion) and Buddhist belief (or
another religion) about abortion (and/or
euthanasia).
15.
How
may the Christian faith (or another religion) inform the debate
over euthanasia?
16.
"An
acceptance of the practice of voluntary euthanasia is incompatible
with Christian belief (or the belief of
another religion)
in the sanctity of life but not with the attitudes of some ethical
philosophers or some medical
practitioners."
Discuss.
17.
Why
does the Hospice movement aim to help people die with dignity?
Discuss their beliefs about human
nature.
18.
What are the moral
and religious differences, if any, between euthanasia and suicide?
1.
An examination of Christian views (or those of another
religion) about animal experimentation for medical
research.
2.
Analysis of the contributions of Christian teachings (or
those of another religion) to the ethical debate about
animal rights.
3.
A discussion of animal rights with reference to Christian
beliefs about human nature and creation.
4.
Religious and ethical responses to animal experimentation.
1.
"Man, made in the image of God, is a trustee of this
planet." What influence does this belief have on
conservation issues?
2.
A philosophical discussion of care of the environment and
ecology from Muslim (or another religion) points of view.
3.
"Christians should be `greener' than non-Christians."
Discuss.
4.
Discussion of conservation of the environment as an ethical
issue from Judaeo‑Christian perspectives.
1.
"Religions are notorious for promoting racial
segregation". Discuss with reference to one specific
historical
period.
2.
An examination of the writings of one major female
theologian for her views on sexual equality.
3.
A philosophical discussion of the relationship between
racism and religious belief in Britain today.
4.
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X: compared and contrasted.
5.
An exploration
and critical assessment of the life, ministry and teaching of
Martin Luther King
6.
How successful is Christian teaching on the equality and
dignity of human beings in combating racism in
churches and schools?
7.
An examination of the moral dilemmas posed for Christians
(or other believers) by AIDS.
8.
A study of the attitudes of the Roman Catholic, Methodist
and Anglican Churches to homosexuality.
9.
A philosophical analysis of the question whether or not
women should be ordained into the priesthood of the
Church.
1.
A study of
moral and religious issues associated with 'corporate
citizenship'.
2.
"In
certain circumstances economic factors should override other
concerns." Discuss this claim with
reference to moral
and religious views.
3.
What
contributions can moral and religious views make to the balance
between profits and wider
responsibilities?
4.
What place,
if any, is there for social conscience in businesses? Discuss the
contributions of moral and
religious views on
this question.
5.
An examination of
moral and religious contributions to the idea of 'the free market
economy