Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and the Economy (SHAPE) is a collective name for social sciences, humanities and the arts. Perhaps (and significantly) less known than the acronym STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), these areas of the curriculum have recently been overlooked and underfunded in education because of the emphasis by the government and politicians on the importance of the study of maths and science for future employment and opportunities.
To add to this, the media has emphasised the importance of STEM for career prospects. In this article I intend to explain, consider and reflect on the importance of a broad curriculum for students, which incorporates a wide range of subjects and encourages the development of skills provided by the study of SHAPE, as well as STEM subjects. Prioritisation of STEM subjects at the expense of the recognition of the value of SHAPE risks the creation of a generation of students unable to draw upon the full range of approaches required to address current and future global challenges and means they will be unprepared for a complex and changing world.
Perhaps as a teacher of psychology, caught between this separation of categories, I am particularly aware of how unhelpful this can be. Psychology is both a social science and a humanities subject and it is only right that it is seen as both. Even within psychology itself, there is a continuing debate as to what extent psychology is a science, revolving around whether it is objective, replicable and falsifiable. In many ways, psychology has characteristics of a science subject, such as the use of the experimental method, hypothesis testing, controls, independent and dependent variables. There is no denying however that psychologists such as Freud and methods such as self-report, observation and case studies are less scientific in approach, but no less valuable because of this. All these aspects contribute to our understanding people and human behaviour, so psychology benefits from the fact that it is inter-disciplinary and has both scientific and non-scientific aspects. Psychologists use maths, data and statistics to support hypotheses, but recognise that neither quantitative nor qualitative data is adequate on its own. This provoked the starting point for my article.
Religious Studies, on the other hand is a ‘pure’ humanities subject, and humanities subjects have seen a 10% decline in entries from 2018-2023. Social sciences, by contrast, have increased by 33% and STEM subjects by 8% during the same time period. Such small numbers of students are opting for some SHAPE subjects at degree level, that university departments are increasingly threatened with closure. The issue also presents a gender issue: since female learners more often favour and enjoy SHAPE subjects, what does this say when SHAPE is perceived as secondary to STEM by society? Arts subjects, English and social sciences (excluding economics) are all disproportionately female. For both psychology and Religious Studies, over 75% of A level entries are female.
Despite this, the students themselves, who choose to study RS at A level, have no doubts about the value of the A level subject which they have chosen to pursue, and feel passionate and enthusiastic about their choice and the benefits which it offers:
‘When I tell people that I study Religious Studies they, most of the time, think that I just study the basis of a religion, for example, analysing the Bible,’ says Olivia (Class of 2024). ‘However, studying RS is far more complex than this. It allows you to understand a diverse range of beliefs, teachings, denominations and issues regarding religion, ethics and philosophy. In fact, one of my favourite parts of RS are the ethics and philosophy topics, showing that RS isn’t just about a single view or idea. The subject forces you to consider different beliefs of, not only different denominations in the Christian faith, but also secular views and the beliefs of different religions, making it such an important subject to study. It helps you gain a wider understanding of society and all the things that have shaped it, such as history and traditions. Even when studying Christianity, the topics are so diverse, ranging from Christianity’s relationship with science, or the impact of secularisation, pluralism, gender and sexuality, and the list continues. Although there are obvious links to traditional beliefs, there are vast amounts of modern examples and consideration of current and contemporary issues, such as genetic engineering, cloning and xenotransplantation, showing how the subject content is very relevant and current to this day and age. From studying RS, I have been forced to challenge not only the beliefs of others but also to assess my own beliefs, allowing me to become more accepting and tolerant, and to gain a more open mindset in day-to-day life. This is exactly why Religious Studies is such an important subject to study, as it gives you not only wide subject knowledge but also skills that can be used and applied in the future. Diversity, inclusivity, tolerance and mutual respect are key to acceptance of all people, and these ideas underlie the RS curriculum at A level.’
Reading this, there is no denying that RS has an important place in the curriculum, and a valuable contribution to make, in terms of pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural and social education; but its importance goes far beyond this. It enables pupils to know about, understand and respond to the important and ultimate questions in life and it is one of the primary means for people wanting to explore the human condition of existence – and what could be more important than that?
In the words of another current A level student, Anna, ‘RS A level has been an essential tool for me to develop a greater understanding of the world. It encompasses numerous other subjects and disciplines, such as history, science and geography. RS is a complex mixture of many subjects, all woven into one, enriched curriculum. RS A level opens up your future, rather than limiting your options and choices.’
RS is an incredibly important Humanities subject, which is inherently valuable as part of a broad curriculum, along with other SHAPE (and STEM) subjects. Children depend, as plants do, on the need to SHAPE their STEM to thrive and grow. We need all these subjects to maintain and nurture our pupils’ interest in learning and their inquisitive minds.
Mrs Gemma Griffiths, Teacher of Religious Studies and Psychology
