Upper Secondary Education

The 3-year 6th form college (Gymnasium)

A major structural reform of the education system of the 16-19-year-olds (sixth form college level, gymnasium) and of the 2-year Higher Preparatory Examination Course (HF) was implemented from 2005. During the last 3 years there have been adjustments and slight changes every year, so the last 3 years have been a period full of new and different experiences.

RE is a compulsory subject, and is taught in either the second or third year of the student's education. All students have RE for a year, but the students can also choose to study RE as an optional subject for another year at a higher level.

RE has to participate in interdisciplinary projects where a number of subjects work together in analysing a specific topic, e.g. The Renaissance or The difference between Faith and Knowledge.

In RE the students have to study the following compulsory subject areas: Christianity, Islam and one other major world religion (Hinduism, Buddhism or Judaism) and central phenomena, terminology and methods of Religious Studies. The teaching of Christianity constitutes at least one third of the curriculum and teaching of Islam is also compulsory. In addition there are supplementary subjects and areas to study. The teachers and students must choose one of the following subjects: ethics, philosophy of Religion, a subject in Religious Studies (e.g. rituals, sociology of religion, psychology of religion, new religious movements etc.) or one more religion (it does not have to be one of the above mentioned religions).

The teaching of RE is based on the study of a combination of normative texts and modern interpretations of these. An important aspect of RE is to provide academic tools and methods of religious studies in order to enable students to understand and interpret the religious texts seen from inside (emic) and outside (etic).

The approach to RE is non-confessional and concludes with an oral exam the purpose of which is to test the students’ knowledge and understanding of particular religions taking as the starting point an analysis of a text and by applying the “tools of the trade”.

2-year Higher Preparatory Examination Course (HF)

For the last 3 years RE has been placed in “the Culture and Social Science Group” of subjects, which consist of History, Religion and Social Science. The 3 subjects work closely together for two years. The subjects have periods of separate teaching and periods where the three subjects work together in projects ­ usually 4 to 5 projects in the course of the two years. There is one joint examination at the end of the second year.

Examples of project titles: India Today; The Change From Nordic Religion to Christianity in Denmark; Religions Role in the Presidential Elections in the USA; Analysis of the Danish Society Today; Civil religion.

During the two years the students have to study the following compulsory subject areas: Christianity, Islam, one additional religion, central phenomena, terminology and methods of religion, ethics and philosophy and the religions cultural, social and political influence in the past and today.

The students can also choose to study RE as a subject at a higher level.

Elisabeth Faber
Member of the board of Danish RE teachers.

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