Psychology is the study and science of our mind and behaviour. In A Level Psychology students learn about aspects of memory, brain science, child psychology, mental disorders and social psychology. They carry out small-scale research projects to develop skills in analysing psychological data. There is no coursework.

Course content:

Year 12

Students look at the key Approaches in psychology and link these to various areas of Biopsychology (how our biological aspects affect our behaviour), Attachment (why children form attachments and how these can be disrupted), Social influence (why we conform and obey), Psychopathology (depression, OCD and phobias) and Memory (applying to eye-witness testimony and how to improve memory). Throughout the course students study these areas while applying the various Research Methods in psychology.

Year 13

Students look back at the previous topics in year 12 and apply these to the many Issues and debates in psychology, such as ‘Is psychology a science?’, ‘nature verse nurture’ and ‘Is there a problem with social sensitivity in research?’ They then develop a deeper understanding of the topics of Schizophrenia, Gender and Aggression.

Assessment criteria:

Psychology is assessed by three 2-hour written exams. There is a combination of short-answer questions and extended essays. There is no coursework.

Type of Qualification:

A Level

Course entry requirements:

Biology GCSE Grade 5

Are you interested in:

Human behaviour, mental Illness, why people obey or how childhood can affect our future self?

Leading to a career in:

Mental health, education, child assessment and care, management and human resources, marketing and business management, social work, occupational therapy, sports psychology, forensic work