Higher RMPS: Course, Exams, and the Skill of Arguing Well

Higher RMPS — Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies — is one of the few Highers built almost entirely around a single transferable skill: arguing well. Less to memorise than a content subject, more to think about than almost any other, it teaches you to weigh evidence, see both sides and reach a justified conclusion. Here's how the course works and who it suits.

The short answer

Higher RMPS (course code C864 76) is a one-year course exploring belief, ethics and philosophy across three areas: World Religion, Morality and Belief, and Religious and Philosophical Questions. It's assessed by two question papers and a research assignment, out of 110 marks total — the exams about three-quarters, the assignment about a quarter. Graded A–D with a pass at C. The whole subject rewards one skill above all: building a balanced, evidenced argument in clear written English.

Course structure

The course is organised around three areas of study, each looked at in depth:

• World Religion — a detailed study of one religion (the school chooses, often Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism or Sikhism): its core beliefs, practices, and how it responds to the human condition, meaning and morality.
• Morality and Belief — a contemporary moral issue (such as crime and punishment, conflict and pacifism, or relationships) examined through both religious and non-religious viewpoints, learning to apply moral reasoning.
• Religious and Philosophical Questions — the big questions: arguments for and against the existence of God, the origins of the universe, the problem of suffering and evil, and what we can know.

Across all three you build the same toolkit: understanding viewpoints, using sources and evidence, and constructing balanced arguments.

Assessment — two papers and an assignment

The first question paper is the big one — 60 of the 110 marks, sat over 2 hours 15 minutes. It tests your three areas in depth, with extended-response questions that reward exactly the argument-building skill the course is about: a clear viewpoint, supporting evidence, a fair counter-view and a justified conclusion.

The second question paper is shorter — 20 marks over 45 minutes — covering the course in a more focused way.

The assignment is worth 30 marks. You choose a religious, moral or philosophical question, research it over a notional period of several hours using a range of sources and viewpoints, then write it up under timed conditions (around 90 minutes) and submit it to SQA. It's banked before the exam diet — marks in the bag if you research properly and argue both sides.

Together the two papers are roughly three-quarters of your grade, the assignment about a quarter.

Grade boundaries and pass rate

Boundaries are set each year after marking, but Higher RMPS typically lands near:

• A — ~70% of total marks
• B — ~60–69%
• C — ~50–59% (pass)
• D — ~45–49%

Pass rates are generally healthy — often around 80% C or better — reflecting a cohort that tends to enjoy discussion and writing. The marks reward technique you can practise, so progress through the year is usually steady and visible.

Who takes Higher RMPS and why

Strongly complementary for:

• Law — RMPS proves you can build and defend an argument
• Divinity, theology, religious studies and philosophy degrees
• Teaching (especially RE/RMPS, primary and secondary)

Valued breadth for:

• History, politics and social sciences
• English and humanities degrees
• Medicine and healthcare (the ethics grounding is genuinely useful)

Useful for everyone:

• The single most transferable academic skill — reasoned written argument
• Confidence handling big, contested questions fairly
• A natural partner to English, History and Modern Studies

It isn't usually a named entry requirement, but as evidence of critical thinking it strengthens applications to law, the humanities and the social sciences.

RMPS, Philosophy or Modern Studies — how they differ

If you're choosing between the discussion-based Highers, the distinction is real:

• RMPS blends a world religion, applied ethics and philosophy of religion. It's the broadest of the three and the only one grounded in religious belief as well as reasoning.
• Higher Philosophy (offered by some schools) is narrower and more technical — logic, the structure of arguments, knowledge and metaphysics — without the religion component. Take it if you want pure reasoning.
• Higher Modern Studies is about politics, society and current affairs — contemporary issues and how power works, rather than belief or abstract questions.

All three reward strong essay writing, so if you love one you'll likely cope with the others. Pick by content: belief and ethics (RMPS), pure reasoning (Philosophy), or politics and society (Modern Studies).

Common pitfalls

• Writing description, not argument. Marks come from weighing viewpoints and justifying a conclusion — not from retelling what a religion believes. Always answer the question being asked.
• Forgetting the counter-view. A one-sided essay caps your marks. Strong answers present the other side fairly, then explain why your conclusion still stands.
• A thin assignment. It's 30 marks — research it properly, use a genuine range of sources and viewpoints, and plan the write-up so you don't run out of time.
• Vague evidence. "Some people think…" is weak. Name the viewpoint, the thinker or the tradition, and use specific support.

S5 vs S6

Higher RMPS is commonly taken in S5, often building on National 5 RMPS, but it's also a popular first-time S6 choice — the skills transfer from English, History and Modern Studies, so pupils can pick it up later without a National 5 foundation. In S6, those who love it progress to Advanced Higher RMPS, which is heavily dissertation-based and outstanding preparation for an essay-driven university degree.

Recommended resources

• BrightRed / Leckie Higher RMPS study guides — clear coverage of the three areas and, crucially, essay technique.
• SQA past papers and marking instructions — the marking instructions at sqa.org.uk are the best possible guide to how arguments earn marks; study them closely.
• BBC Bitesize Higher RMPS — solid free summaries for first-pass revision.
• Quality journalism and ethics podcasts — keep your moral-issue examples current and your arguments sharp.

The honest take

Higher RMPS teaches the one skill that pays off in almost every degree and most careers: how to think a hard question through and argue your answer clearly and fairly. There's little to cram and a lot to reason about, which suits some pupils perfectly and frustrates others who want tidy right answers. If you enjoy debate, write well and like wrestling with big questions — does God exist, is this punishment just, how should we live — RMPS is one of the most genuinely formative Highers you can take, and the argument-building it drills will outlast every fact you memorise for any other subject.