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AQA A-Level Religious Studies (7062): complete guide to the components, sections and exams

A complete guide to AQA A-Level Religious Studies (specification 7062). Covers the two components (philosophy of religion and ethics; the study of a religion and the dialogues), how the two written papers are structured and marked, the AO1 and AO2 assessment objectives, and how to study each section for top grades.

Browse guides →Syllabus dot points (20)

AQA A-Level Religious Studies (specification 7062) is a two-year linear course assessed by two written papers at the end of Year 13. There is no coursework. This page is the index: below is a map of the two components, their sections, the exam structure, and how to study each one.

The two AQA Religious Studies components

The specification is built from two components, each worth half the A-Level.

Component 1: Philosophy of religion and ethics. The philosophical and moral core. The philosophy of religion section covers the arguments for the existence of God, evil and suffering, religious experience, religious language, miracles, and the self, death and the afterlife. The ethics section covers the normative theories (natural law, situation ethics, virtue ethics) plus utilitarianism and Kant, the application of ethical theory, meta-ethics, free will and moral responsibility, and conscience.

Component 2: Study of religion and dialogues. A chosen religion studied in depth plus synoptic dialogues. The study of religion (most commonly Christianity) covers sources of wisdom and authority, God and the self, life after death, the nature of the religious community, religion and society, and expressions of religious identity. The dialogues section connects philosophy and ethics to the studied religion in two synoptic conversations.

Exam structure

AQA A-Level Religious Studies is assessed by two written papers, both sat at the end of the course.

  • Paper 1 (Component 1) - philosophy of religion and ethics. 3 hours, 50% of the A-Level. A mix of shorter AO1 questions and 25-mark AO2 essays.
  • Paper 2 (Component 2) - the study of religion (Section A) and the two dialogues (Section B). 3 hours, 50%. Same style as Paper 1.

Across both papers, about 40% of marks assess AO1 (knowledge and understanding) and about 60% assess AO2 (analysis and evaluation), so the extended essays are decisive.

How to study AQA Religious Studies

Religious Studies rewards precise scholarship and sustained, balanced argument.

  1. Work from the specification statements. Each numbered point is a checklist; questions are written from them. Turn each into a thinker grid.
  2. Name scholars precisely. Mark schemes reward accurate attribution (Anselm, Aquinas, Hume, Kant, Mill, Fletcher, Freud), so learn who said what.
  3. Master AO2 evaluation. With around 60% of marks on analysis, rehearse 25-mark essays that weigh arguments and reach a justified conclusion.
  4. Learn paired criticisms. Kant on the ontological argument, Hume on design and miracles, Mackie on evil, the Euthyphro dilemma on religious ethics.
  5. Revise the dialogues last. They synthesise the whole course, so secure the other sections first, then practise arguing in both directions.

The components, dot point by dot point

Each section has specification-statement-level answer pages with worked exam questions and cross-links:

  • Philosophy of religion - arguments for God, evil and suffering, religious experience, religious language, miracles, and the self and the afterlife.
  • Ethics and religion - normative theories, applied ethics, meta-ethics, free will, conscience, and Bentham and Kant.
  • Study of religion (Christianity) - authority, God and the self, life after death, the religious community, religion and society, and expressions of identity.
  • Dialogues - the philosophy dialogue and the ethics dialogue with the studied religion.

Browse the full set at /a-level-aqa/religious-studies/syllabus.

For the official specification

AQA publishes the full specification (7062), past papers and mark schemes at aqa.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and AQA's own past papers, because question wording and the dialogue format are board-specific.

Religious Studies guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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Religious Studies practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The A-LEVEL-AQA system, explained

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Common questions about Religious Studies

How is AQA A-Level Religious Studies (7062) structured?
AQA A-Level Religious Studies is a two-year linear course assessed by two written exams at the end of Year 13. It has two components. Component 1 is Philosophy of religion and ethics, covering the arguments for God, evil, religious experience, religious language, miracles and the afterlife, plus normative ethical theories, applied ethics, meta-ethics, free will and conscience. Component 2 is the Study of religion and dialogues, covering one chosen religion in depth (most commonly Christianity) and two synoptic dialogues, one between philosophy of religion and the studied religion and one between ethics and the studied religion. There is no coursework.
What are the two AQA A-Level Religious Studies exam papers?
There are two papers, each 3 hours long and worth 50 percent of the A-Level. Paper 1 (Component 1) examines philosophy of religion and ethics. Paper 2 (Component 2) examines the study of religion in Section A and the two dialogues in Section B. Both papers use a mix of shorter AO1 questions and extended 25-mark essay questions that assess analysis and evaluation.
What are AO1 and AO2 in Religious Studies?
Assessments split between two objectives. AO1 (about 40 percent) is knowledge and understanding, for example explaining a thinker, argument or doctrine accurately. AO2 (about 60 percent) is analysis and evaluation, typically a 25-mark essay that assesses a claim, weighs arguments and reaches a justified conclusion. Top grades depend on strong AO2, so sustained, balanced argument matters more than information dumping.
Which religion do most students study for Component 2?
Centres choose one religion to study in depth from a set list that includes Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. Christianity is by far the most widely taught option, and the ExamExplained pages follow the Christianity route. Whichever religion is chosen is studied across the same six theme headings and is then used in the two dialogues in Section B.
How should I structure my AQA A-Level Religious Studies revision?
Work topic by topic against the numbered specification statements, building a thinker grid for each (position, argument, criticisms). Learn named scholars precisely because mark schemes reward accurate attribution, and rehearse full 25-mark essays under timed conditions, since AO2 evaluation carries the most marks and is where students lose grades. Revise the dialogues last, as they synthesise the whole course.
How does AQA A-Level Religious Studies compare to other exam boards?
All A-Level Religious Studies specifications (AQA, OCR, Eduqas, Edexcel) cover broadly the same philosophy of religion, ethics and study of religion, so thinkers such as Aquinas, Hume, Kant and Mill appear everywhere. AQA's distinctive features are its two-component structure, the explicit dialogues section that makes synthesis examinable, and its particular choice and emphasis of scholars. Always revise from the current AQA specification and AQA past papers, because question wording and the dialogue format are board-specific.