Psychology
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Grade 6 in GCSE Psychology or, if not studied, then a grade 6 in English or English Literature
Subject Leader: Mrs M Kelly
Examination Board: AQA
A-Level Syllabus: 7182
Examinations: 100%
What is A-Level Psychology?
Psychology is often defined as “the scientific study of mind and behaviour”. A level Psychology examines behaviour from a range of perspectives: what is the stimulus, what is the response and what are the mediational thought processes that motivated that behaviour. It requires extensive analytical skills and encourages learners to question, rather than label human behaviour, supporting those arguments using a range of scientific evidence.
What makes a good Psychologist?
A good Psychologist is a critical thinker. They are not individuals who accept everything at face value, but will question the motives and rationale of human decision making. They are motivated to learn new and complex terminology and apply their learning to real life scenarios on a daily basis. They are also trained to be good listeners.
What Can I Expect To Learn In Psychology?
AQA Psychology www.aqa.psychology.specification
The A-Level will be examined through 3 components
- Social Psychology, Memory, Attachment, Psychopathology (33%)
- Approaches to Psychology, Biopsychology and Research Methods (33%)
- Issues and Debates, Relationships, Stress, Forensic Psychology (33%)
Where could Psychology take me?
Psychology complements many subjects, especially science-based ones such as Biology. Due to the heavy focus on literacy skills, it can also be studied alongside Social Science subjects such as Sociology, Religious Studies and Government and Politics.
A degree in Psychology is one of the most popular options at university. It can be studied alone or with a range of subjects such as Criminology or Sociology.
It can lead to many career options such as Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Occupational Psychology, Forensic Psychology and Sports Psychology
If you do not wish to pursue a career, you will learn a lot of skills which can improve your employability ratings such as debating, analytical and literacy skills.
