Psychology
Head of Department: Mr J Llewellyn
Awarding Body: AQA
Entry Requirements: GCSE Grade 55 or above in Combined Science or GCSE Grade 5 or above in a single science.
Course Description
Psychology can be defined as the science of human behaviour. The aim of the subject is to study various aspects of people’s lives in the hope that understanding and insight can be gained. A Level Psychology is a scientific subject, based on research. Exploring the way this research is designed, carried out and analysed is called Research Methods and is a very important part of the course. Statistics are also a part of this section. You will be required to carry out challenging mathematical analysis on the numerical results from studies.
The subject of Psychology is based around different explanations of behaviour which draw attention to a variety of causes for human behaviour. For instance, the Psychoanalytical approach pioneered by Sigmund Freud suggests that there are unconscious reasons for the things people do. Other psychologists have attempted to prove their theories by conducting experiments and carefully measuring and analysing the things they observe. In Modules 1 and Module 2, you will examine these approaches in a variety of topic areas. You will need to bear in mind that Psychology is a critical subject. This means that your success will depend on your ability to learn and evaluate the theories you study.
If you are completing the full A Level, you will take 3 exams in Year 13. Although the topics in Modules 1 and 2 are common to both levels, the A2 modules test students at a more demanding level than the AS exams and require more in-depth study.
- Module 1 This includes theories which explain the operation of memory and eyewitness testimony in criminal cases. In addition, a unit on developmental psychology will explore the way that human beings develop from babies to adulthood. We also explore how humans respond to authority.
- Module 2 You will study discussions of normal and abnormal behaviour in society. We consider biological and psychological methods for treating mental illnesses such as phobias. In research methods, you will examine exactly how psychologists develop their theories. You will learn how to design experiments and look at the different methods of data analysis. There is a demanding mathematical and scientific component to this section.
- Module 3 This unit is only studied by A2 students and includes the study of human relationships, schizophrenia and explanations of aggression o addictive behaviour. Students should be aware that Psychology is a science subject and there are several in-depth biological elements in module 3 and elsewhere in the course.
Progression
Further study: Psychology is a very popular degree course offered at a broad range of universities. The subject combines well with other A-level courses to make up a good A-level profile.
Careers: Amongst other areas, qualified psychologists work in clinical psychology, education, criminology, law and sport. In addition, many other degree features the subject as part of their foundation courses or options.