National 5 Religious Moral and Philosophical Studies

This session - 2023-2024 -RMPS returns to a bi-level class where N5 & Higher will work together to achieve their respective qualifications. This means a greater diversity in opinions, challenge and collaboration. 

Please see below for all information related to N5 RMPS and head over to the Higher page for resources

How can you support your young person in their RMPS career? Encourage timely completion of homework, discuss current moral issues, ask them to explain their learning to you.   

SQA N5 RMPS

 National 5 Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies course helps candidates to develop an understanding of the society in which they live and work through learning about, and from, religious beliefs, non-religious viewpoints and personal experience.

The course encourages candidates to develop values and beliefs and learn how to express them. It helps them to develop respect for others and an understanding of beliefs and practices which are different from their own. They develop an understanding of human beliefs, values and behaviour; and examine how religion, morality and philosophy might help people find meaning and purpose in life.

The course develops knowledge and understanding of religious, moral and philosophical issues that affect the world. The course explores the questions they raise and the solutions or approaches they offer. It includes both religious and non-religious perspectives. Candidates have opportunities to reflect on these and on their own experience and views.

The course develops a range of cognitive skills. It encourages active learning in the process of investigating religious, moral and philosophical issues. Candidates learn to express viewpoints and have the opportunity for personal reflection. Candidates develop a wide range of important and transferable skills including accurate recording of information, researching resources, analysing and evaluating beliefs and values, and expressing reasoned personal opinions in a variety of contexts.

Assessment is comprised of two components - The exam which is worth 80 marks out of 100 and the assignment which is worth the remaining 20 marks.

Click to Download RMPSCourseSpecN5 2019 [pdf 905KB] Click to Download
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Morality and relationships

Candidates studying the morality and relationships unit will be able to:

  • present factual knowledge and understanding of the moral issues
  • present factual knowledge and understanding of a religious and non-religious viewpoint on the moral issue
  •  analyse the different moral issues
  • evaluate a religious and non-religious response to the moral issues
  • present a reasoned viewpoint on the moral issues

 Candidates studying the relationships unit will coverthe following content:

  • gender roles: family, employment, religion
  •  sexual relationships: purpose of sex, sexual consent, same sex
  •  marriage: arranged marriages, co-habitation, same-sex marriages, divorce
  •  equality and exploitation: religion, media
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World religion - Buddhism

At N5 candidates should be able to:

  • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of religious beliefs and practices
  • analyse religious beliefs and practices
  • evaluate the relevance, significance and impact of religious beliefs and practices

Candidates studying the Buddhism unit will cover the following content:

  • Three Marks of Existence
  •  Four Noble Truths
  •  Three Poisons
  •  Beliefs about the Buddha
  •  Three Jewels
  •  Kamma
  •  Samsara
  •  Nibbana
  •  Living according to the Eightfold Path
  •  Five Precepts
  •  Meditation and puja
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Religious and Philosophical Questions - Miracles

Candidates studying the miracles unit will cover the following content:

  •  present factual knowledge and understanding of a religious and philosophical question
  •  present factual knowledge and understanding of contrasting responses to a religious and philosophical question
  •  analyse a religious and philosophical question and responses to it
  •  evaluate responses to a religious and philosophical question
  •  present a reasoned viewpoint on the religious and philosophical question

Candidates studying the miracles unit will cover the following content:

  •  divine intervention
  •  fixed laws of nature
  •  scriptural miracles
  •  literal and non-literal explanations
  •  miracles in nature
  •  healing miracles
  •  view that sees a role for religious explanations only
  •  view that sees a role for scientific explanations only
  • view that sees a role for both religious and scientific explanations
  •  non-scriptural miracles
  •  religious and non-religious explanations
  •  miracles in nature
  •  healing miracles
  •  view that sees a role for religious explanations only
  •  view that sees a role for scientific explanations only
  •  view that sees a role for both religious and scientific explanations
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The Assignment 

The N5 RMPS Assignment  has 20 marks out of a total of 100 marks. The assignment is therefore worth 20% of the overall marks for the course assessment. 50% of the marks cover skills.

The assignment allows candidates to demonstrate the following skills:

  •  knowledge and understanding within the context of religious, moral and philosophical questions:
  •  identifying an appropriate religious, moral or philosophical issue for study, about which there are alternative or different points of view  commenting on the significance or impact of the issue 
  • using sources of information
  •  drawing on knowledge and understanding to explain and analyse the issue and viewpoints, one of which must be religious, moral or philosophical
  • drawing and presenting a detailed and reasoned conclusion on the issue

 

Click to Download SQA RMPS N5 Assignment Task [pdf 256KB] Click to Download

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