“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.”

– Abraham Maslow

Lead Teacher: Mrs C Roberts

AQA A-Level Psychology

Psychology is the ‘scientific study of the mind and behaviour’

Below are some examples of some of the topic areas covered on the course. For greater detail, please follow this link to the full specification. AS and A-level Psychology Specification Specifications for first teaching in 2015 (aqa.org.uk)

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

You will have the opportunity to learn about the interactions people have with each other, why we conform, and what factors are likely to make us obey orders and authority figures.

You will also look at cognition and how we interpret the world. This includes investigating models of the brain, and in particular, our understanding of memory.

Developmental psychology focuses mainly on attachment, the relationship between the infant and the primary care giver and how this can impact future relationships and experiences.

Then there’s psychopathology, which covers areas such as depression, phobias, OCD and their associated therapies.

Biopsychology looks at the role of genetics, evolution, hormones, the brain and the nervous system in relation to psychology.

You will also learn about relationships, eating behaviours and addiction.

Finally, you will get a chance to brush up on your maths skills and also learn how to use lots of different methods of research and analysis.

It’s a diverse and fascinating set of topics!

If you have an interest in what makes people tick, this could be the course for you!

WHAT SORT OF WORK WILL YOU BE DOING?

There is a lot of information to absorb, so you will need to do quite a bit of reading and note taking.

Some topics can be quite complex, so you will learn to develop critical thinking and analytical skills.

Evaluating experiments and theories will become second nature to you as you progress through the course. You will learn to question everything from a scientific point of view. This may be one of the most valuable transferable skills you will get from this A-Level… not least because it will save you a lifetime of being duped by false claims in adverts and social media!

Classwork will include a variety of teaching and learning styles, such as independent learning, lectures, videos, tasks, flipped learning, detailed questioning and activities.

DO I NEED TO HAVE A GCSE IN PSYCHOLOGY TO DO THE COURSE?

You don’t need any prior knowledge of Psychology to get on to the A-Level course.

Once you have chosen Psychology as one of your A-Levels, you will have a task given to you for over the summer holidays. This will help you understand some of the key elements of the course and ensure you are ready to start Year 12 with confidence and enthusiasm.

HOW IS A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY ASSESSED?

This is a linear course, which means all your exams are at the end of year 13.

There are three exams to take, and each one is two hours long.

For more information on what is included in each exam, please use the link to the specification at the top of the page.

Interested in finding out more? Use the links below for a flavour of what Psychology is all about, or email Miss Roberts on c.roberts@nortoncanes-high.staffs.sch.uk

Psych Boost – YouTube

CGS Psychology Blog: Mrs Harris & Miss D’Cruz (school.blog)

RED Psychology – YouTube

Starting with psychology – OpenLearn – Open University – Y183_1

Curriculum Overview Psychology