Psychology

A Level 

Psychology gives us an insight into who we are. It helps to solve the puzzle of why some people might do one thing, whilst others do another. It explains why some people are more likely to develop ‘abnormal’ behaviours than others. It helps us gain a greater understanding of the people around us and can make us more compassionate as a result. If this excites you, A Level Psychology could be the perfect choice.

What do I need before starting this course?

Grade 6 in Biology and Mathematics are required for students taking Psychology.

What will I learn at A level?

You will learn about a wide range of topics including social influence, attachment, memory, clinical psychology & mental health, the approaches, biopsychology, issues & debates, schizophrenia, forensic psychology and relationships. Alongside these specific topics, you will also study Research Methods, which is integral to the whole A Level. It considers the critical evaluation of how psychological research is carried out and how this might impact on research findings.

How is the course structured?

In Year 12 you will cover Social Influence, Attachment, Memory and Clinical Psychology & Mental Health, as well as integrated Research Methods applied to each topic. You will carry out your own psychological investigations, an important aspect of the learning as it helps to embed knowledge from a practical perspective, which will thenprepare you for your own study designs. You will then cover The Approaches with integrated Issues & Debates and then finish Year 12 with Biopsychology. In Year 13, you will move onto more advanced Research Methods including inferential statistics. You will also cover Schizophrenia, ForensicPsychology and Relationships.

How is the course examined?

• Paper 1 (2 hours, 96 marks): Social Influence, Attachment, Memory and Clinical Psychology & Mental Health
• Paper 2 (2 hours, 96 marks): The Approaches, Biopsychology and Research Methods
• Paper 3 (2 hours, 96 marks): Issues & Debates, Schizophrenia, Forensic Psychology and Relationships

What could I do next?

As well as a subject in its own right, Psychology is also incorporated in other degree programmes, for example: Education, Sports Science, Management, Business and Medicine. After graduation many avenues are open in specialist areas of psychology, but Psychology graduates also go into advertising, marketing, sales, management, media and many other professions. Psychology is applicable to a wide range of careers and life in general.