Psychology A Level (AQA)
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behaviour. Psychologists approach the study of human beings in different ways in an attempt to best understand why we behave as we do. Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of study in areas such as child development, sports psychology, health psychology, psychopathology, social behaviour and cognitive neuroscience. Psychologists perform scientific and non-scientific investigations and then apply their theoretical findings to explain everyday behaviour. You will also be expected to complete a work placement as part of your programme of study. Study skills and employability skills will be developed with the help of your personal tutor.
Year one:
Introductory topics in psychology;
• Obedience
• Memory
• Child development
Psychology in Context – this is where we apply the different approaches used to explain human behaviour to topics such as depression and OCD. We also explore how psychologists conduct their research and statistically analyse their data.
Year two:
We build on and extend knowledge gained in the first year of the course and also explore additional topics including:
• Gender
• Schizophrenia
• Aggression
You will need 5 GCSEs in curriculum subjects to include two at grade 6 or above. Due to the large amount of biology and statistics on the syllabus, GCSE English language, maths and science at grade 5 or above are a mandatory requirement.
Successful completion of this AS Level will enable you to gain additional UCAS points. Taken as part of a package of A Levels, this course can lead onto a degree course in Psychology or other subjects. Psychology is a useful subject to have if you are considering careers in medicine, nursing, forensics, criminology, law, social work, sports psychology, human relations, marketing, educational psychology, speech therapy, counselling and health promotion.
