A Level

Psychology is the science of the mind and behaviour and its reputation as a scientific subject has been steadily growing over the years. It is taught at numerous universities throughout the UK and these institutions offer courses ranging from Clinical Psychology to Animal Psychology and Forensic Psychology to Educational Psychology; all of which provide a wide expanse of career opportunities. As a subject it also lies at the intersection of many other different disciplines, including biology, medicine, linguistics, philosophy, anthropology and Sociology. But how can we study something as complex and mysterious as the mind? Even if we were to split open the skull of a ‘willing’ volunteer and have a look inside all we would see is the grey matter of all their neurones. We cannot see what someone is thinking. Nor can we observe their internal emotions, memories, perceptions or dreams.

So how do psychologists go about studying the mind?

If you are interested in finding out the answer to this question then the study of psychology is for you. What skills will I gain?

The A level Psychology course will allow you to develop a wide range of skills and not just academic ones. It will give you valuable insights into the workings of the mind and help you to understand why different people behave the way they do and why human society faces so many challenges with regard to behaviour and the maintenance of a stable structure. Academically the course will develop your written and verbal communication skills, increase your powers of analysis and evaluation whilst greatly extending your knowledge base. You will have to design and carry out a number of psychological investigations which will also give you the opportunity to further your practical skills. Each unit of study includes a focus on a topical issue so you will also be extending your awareness and knowledge of events in the world around us.

What will I learn?

You will learn about a variety of different psychological approaches, which are divided into three units of study both of which examine in detail the many reasons behind human behaviour:

• Year 12 - Social Influence
• Year 12 - Attachment
• Year 12 - Memory
• Psychopathology
• Approaches in Psychology
• Research Methods
• BioPsychology
• Issues and Debates
• Schizophrenia
• Aggression
• Cognition.

Entry requirements

A minimum of a grade 8 in English Language and 7 in Maths. A strong score in GCSE Biology is helpful. If you have taken Dual Award Science at GCSE then your individual biology score will be considered.

Examination Board: AQA

Miss E.D. Taylor
Head of Department