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Psychology

Entry Requirements

5 English Language, 5 in Maths and a 5 in a science.

Qualities Required

You will need to be able to work independently and be willing to enter into class discussions. You will need to develop the ability to present ideas, supported by evidence, in structured, effective essays and you will need good time management skills.

Links with Other Subjects

Psychology is compatible with most other A levels. It works well with both science and arts subjects. Most frequent combinations include Sociology, Biology, Geography, Film Studies and Sport. There are no prohibited combinations. A Psychology qualification is preparation for many careers.

Exam Board

AQA

Method of Assessment

At AS Level, both examination papers are 1hour 30mins in duration and use a range of question styles, including multiple choice, short answer questions and extended writing. At A Level, all three examination papers are 2 hours in duration and use a range of question styles, including multiple choice, short answer questions and extended writing.

As level 

At AS Level students will study:

Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology

This covers four of the major areas of psychology, namely social influence (which covers topics such as obedience and conformity), memory, attachment (which covers the relationship between a child, its mother and other caregivers, such as the impact upon the child of attending nursery) and psychopathology (which covers the application of psychological theory to the explanation and treatment of mental health problems).

Paper 2: Psychology in Context
This covers the major approaches in psychology (for example the work of the behaviourists, Freudian psychology, etc). It also covers the importance of biopsychological ideas to explaining human behaviour. The research methods commonly used in psychology is also a focus of this paper, although students should note that the theme of research runs through all areas of the course.

A level 

At A Level students will study:

Paper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology
This covers issues and debates in psychology, such as the nature v nurture debate and the gender / cultural biases present in psychological research and theory. It also covers three options, one from each of three categories. At present, we are planning to cover gender (for typical development), schizophrenia (from atypical development) and Addiction.