Psychology is the study of mind and behavior. It relates to all aspects of everyday life from our personal relationships to our career goals. The A Level Psychology course offers you an opportunity to learn about the science behind human behavior. Gain an understanding of how psychological research is conducted and used to develop theories about human behavior. Some of the questions you will attempt to answer will be, ‘Why do we obey authority figures and what impact does this have on society?’; ‘How does our memory work?’; ‘Where do phobias come from and how do we treat them?’ and many more besides. You will also consider a variety of issues, debates, and approaches that psychologists consider when attempting to explain complex and abstract human behaviors; for example, how culture plays a part in theory development, and the nature vs. nurture debate. In addition to all of this, you will develop your critical analysis skills, independent thinking, and research skills throughout the course, which are all highly valued by Higher Education (HE) and employers. Studying psychology provides you with a vast number of options. Just some of the potential career options open to you include: educational psychologist, clinical psychologist, social work, advertising, counselling, the police force and many more.
Grade 4 or above in GCSE Triple Science Award or grade 4 or above in two science GCSEs. Grade 5 or above in Math's GCSE as we will be analyzing and interpreting data and making simple statistical calculations. Overall, at least 10% of the marks in assessments for Psychology will require the use of mathematical skills. These skills will be applied in the context of Psychology A level and will be at least the standard of higher tier GCSE Mathematics. Grade 5 or above in English as a high level of literacy is also required, due to the required essay writing and written exams.
At the end of year 1 there will be two written exam papers; • Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology 1 hour 30 minutes / 72 marks in total / 50% of AS Section A, B & C: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks each • Paper 2: Psychology in Context 1 hour 30 minutes / 72 marks in total / 50% of AS Section A, B & C: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks each At the end of year 2 there will be three written exam papers; • Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology 2 hours / 96 marks in total / 33.3% of A-level Section A, B, C & D: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks each • Paper 2: Psychology in Context 2 hours / 96 marks in total / 33.3% of A-level Section A & B: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks each Section C: multiple choice, short answer and extended • Paper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology 2 hours / 96 marks in total / 33.3% of A-level Section A: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks Section B: one topic from option 1, 9–11 above, multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks Section C: one topic from option 2, 12–14 above, multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks Section D: one topic from option 3, 15–17 above, multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks There will also be regular informal assessments throughout the course to assess your individual progress.
About Education Provider
| Region | West Midlands |
| Local Authority | Birmingham |
| Ofsted Rating | Requires improvement |
| Gender Type | Co-Educational |
| Address | Portland Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 9GD |
Psychology is the study of mind and behavior. It relates to all aspects of everyday life from our personal relationships to our career goals. The A Level Psychology course offers you an opportunity to learn about the science behind human behavior. Gain an understanding of how psychological research is conducted and used to develop theories about human behavior. Some of the questions you will attempt to answer will be, ‘Why do we obey authority figures and what impact does this have on society?’; ‘How does our memory work?’; ‘Where do phobias come from and how do we treat them?’ and many more besides. You will also consider a variety of issues, debates, and approaches that psychologists consider when attempting to explain complex and abstract human behaviors; for example, how culture plays a part in theory development, and the nature vs. nurture debate. In addition to all of this, you will develop your critical analysis skills, independent thinking, and research skills throughout the course, which are all highly valued by Higher Education (HE) and employers. Studying psychology provides you with a vast number of options. Just some of the potential career options open to you include: educational psychologist, clinical psychologist, social work, advertising, counselling, the police force and many more.
Grade 4 or above in GCSE Triple Science Award or grade 4 or above in two science GCSEs. Grade 5 or above in Math's GCSE as we will be analyzing and interpreting data and making simple statistical calculations. Overall, at least 10% of the marks in assessments for Psychology will require the use of mathematical skills. These skills will be applied in the context of Psychology A level and will be at least the standard of higher tier GCSE Mathematics. Grade 5 or above in English as a high level of literacy is also required, due to the required essay writing and written exams.
At the end of year 1 there will be two written exam papers; • Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology 1 hour 30 minutes / 72 marks in total / 50% of AS Section A, B & C: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks each • Paper 2: Psychology in Context 1 hour 30 minutes / 72 marks in total / 50% of AS Section A, B & C: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks each At the end of year 2 there will be three written exam papers; • Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology 2 hours / 96 marks in total / 33.3% of A-level Section A, B, C & D: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks each • Paper 2: Psychology in Context 2 hours / 96 marks in total / 33.3% of A-level Section A & B: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks each Section C: multiple choice, short answer and extended • Paper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology 2 hours / 96 marks in total / 33.3% of A-level Section A: multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks Section B: one topic from option 1, 9–11 above, multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks Section C: one topic from option 2, 12–14 above, multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks Section D: one topic from option 3, 15–17 above, multiple choice, short answer and extended writing, 24 marks There will also be regular informal assessments throughout the course to assess your individual progress.