Teenagers will be awarded the equivalent of a GCSE in "thinking" under new plans.
They will be taught the difference between an argument and a rant and how to separate fact from opinion, it was disclosed.
Topics covered in the new course - drawn up by one of Britain's biggest exam boards - will include debate over the existence of UFOs, a belief in the after life and arguments for and against euthanasia.
In the first move of its kind, the "Thinking and Reasoning Skills" qualification will be offered next year following claims from universities and employers that young people lack basic skills.
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They will complete exercises based on a series of topical issues. Suggested subjects include the rise of teenage violence, drug and alcohol abuse, genetic engineering, euthanasia, global warming and animal experiments.
In one exercise - based on conspiracy theories - students will be asked to debate the existence of UFOs and alien abductions.
