Psychology

Psychology allows students to gain an understanding of people and what motivates them. Students engage with real-world issues, applying their psychological knowledge and skills to case studies and experiments – the variation of teaching methods and ways in which students learn the course content make A level psychology an intriguing and engaging course to take.

Students analyse experiments, using a range of inferential statistics. The course allows exploration of multiple higher education options which could, in turn, see them become psychologists, social workers, counsellors or even teachers – the possibilities are endless!

Why study psychology?

Students study A level psychology to grow as independent thinkers and informed and ethically-minded citizens, who understand the role and importance of psychology as one of the key disciplines relevant to understanding how to cope with the fast-paced society we live in today. Students learn many transferrable skills and also gain insight into many aspects of day-to-day life, meaning this qualification can open many doors in multiple different fields of work and higher education.

Qualification	A-Level Psychology
Awarding Body	AQA
Entry Requirements	Pass in English and Maths, 5 or more grades at 5+ (this can include English and Maths), grade 5 in Science and at least one writing based subject such as English, History or RS.
Year 12	Approaches in Psychology Social Influence Memory Attachment Psychopathology Biopsychology Research Methods
Year 13	Issues and Debates in Psychology Biopsychology Schizophrenia Aggression Cognition and Development Research Methods: Inferential Statistics
Assessment	Assessments in Psychology takes the form of three written exam papers which will be taken in Year 13. Paper 1 – Introductory Topics in Psychology, two hours, 33.33% of final grade. Paper 2 – Psychology in Context, two hours, 33.33% of final grade. Paper 3 – Issues and Options in Psychology, two hours, 33.33% of final grade.

Some topics are really eye-opening as you realise that not everyone in the world is brought up or cared for in the same way.

Year 13 student