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You are here: Home » international students » courses » Psychology

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AS/A Level Psychology

Subject Staff: Lucy Harrison; Liz Henry; Julie Liddell (Head of Subject); Beverley Lindsley; Sarah Murray; Ariane Swart

• Level: AS/A Level
• Duration: 2 years

Why should I choose this course?

• Psychology is the scientific approach to understanding behaviour
• Former students say that it is an extremely interesting, challenging and enjoyable subject to study. They also emphasise that despite being fun, there is a lot to learn and the subject requires commitment and hard work
• By studying psychology using scientific methodology, students gain a broad skill set that prepares them for Higher Education or a wide range of potential careers
• Skills include:
  • Data analysis, theoretical evaluation, essay writing, communication & presentation skills

What does the course consist of?

AS topics include:

• Approaches in Psychology
  A fascinating exploration of the four major psychological approaches on why people behave as they do
• Core Studies
  AS students will learn details of ten classic research studies carried out by psychologists
• Applied research methods
  Students will consider some of the diverse methods used by psychologists to gather information about human behaviour e.g. the use of experiments and case studies

A2 topics include

• Research methods
  Students will build on work done at AS levels and acquire a deeper understanding and evaluation of research methods
• Issues in research
  Including the ethics of using humans and animals in psychological research
• Controversies, Topics and Applications in Psychology
  Introducing students to the interesting topics of memory, sleep, dreams and explanations of mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression and methods of treating these disorders

What are the entry requirements?

• At least 5 A* to C passes at GCSE
• We recommend that students have a good GCSE pass in both Maths and English, and preferably a Science

How is this course assessed?

• Two exams in AS and two in A2 - examination questions include short answer, stimulus-response and essay questions

What might this course lead on to?

• Specific Careers:  Educational Psychologist, Sports Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist
• General Careers: Teaching, Media, Management, Personnel, Nursing etc