A Level Psychology
Overview:
Bandura (1977) states that “Psychology cannot tell people how they ought to live their lives. It can however, provide them with the means for effecting personal and social change”. Students who choose to study A Level Psychology become scholars by exploring the links between subject knowledge and current issues that surround them. Thus, enabling them to make these personal and social changes as they navigate their place in the world.
Psychology occupies a unique position between the humanities and natural sciences. As a subject psychology is concerned with the social nature of human behaviour and shares common ground with other social sciences including sociology.
The course examines the ways people think, act, react, and interact with each other. Studying this course will give students a thorough understanding of human behaviour and the thoughts and emotions that influence this. Students will apply psychological science to a variety of contemporary and social challenges.
“Psychology is one of the most relevant subjects in the Sixth Form. It doesn’t just give you an A Level grade, it enhances your understanding of people and the world around you. It is my favourite subject! It has lots of interesting topics and the teachers are very passionate and enthusiastic in all lessons.”
Course Structure and Content:
Eleven topics taught through five themes over two years.
- Theme 1 - Clinical Psychology Students learn about explanations and therapies for various mental health issues, including phobias, depression, OCD, schizophrenia and addiction.
- Theme 2 - Biological and Cognitive Psychology Students learn about the anatomy of the brain in biopsychology and how this impacts cognitive processes, including memory.
- Theme 3 - Social Psychology Students learn about different social pressures faced by people through the topics of social influence and relationships.
- Theme 4 - Developmental Psychology Students learn about attachments formed between infants and caregivers and how this might impact their adult behaviour.
- Theme 5 - Research methods Students will learn about scientific processes and techniques of data handling and analysis used in psychological research.
Click here to download a course flyer
Assessment:
At the end of the Lower Sixth, students sit an exam on all of the Lower Sixth content. This does not count towards the final grade, but assesses the content at this half-way point before progression to the Upper Sixth. The final assessments at the end of the Upper Sixth are as below:
- Assessment 1 - 33% 2 hour written paper on social influence, memory, attachment and psychopathology (96 marks).
- Assessment 2 - 33% 2 hour written paper on biopsychology, approaches and research methods (96 marks).
- Assessment 3 - 33% 2 hour written paper on issues and debates, relationships, schizophrenia and addiction (96 marks).
Examination Board:
The course followed is the AQA A Level Psychology 7182
AQA A Level Psychology (external link)
Future Career Opportunities:
Psychology can lead to further study in Psychology or a variety of wider subjects and careers, including but not limited to Medicine, Therapy, Healthcare, Education, Research, Academia, Forensics, Business, Neuroscience, Law and Law Enforcement.