Psychology

Course summary

Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. The course builds on skills developed in both the sciences and humanities, blending scientific enquiry and practical research with critical analysis and evaluative writing. For that reason, Psychology is a discipline which combines the strengths of a wide variety of subjects. Hugely relevant and increasingly popular, it is a versatile, facilitating course which enables progression into several future career options. Psychology is particularly relevant to professions which require an understanding of human behaviour, including Medicine, Law, and Business, as well as specialised fields within Chartered Psychology. The A Level is an exciting and rigorous course which caters for a broad range of academic interests. Psychologists inspect the most captivating human phenomena and they aim to understand everything from phobias to gender dysphoria. The AQA syllabus is designed to give a broad overview of behaviours – some of which you will encounter in your everyday life, and others which are fascinatingly atypical - and then equip you with the scientific framework by which you can interpret them. No prior knowledge of Psychology is required, but a curiosity about people and a desire to learn more about human experience is essential. A basic mathematical understanding (covered by the GCSE specifications) and an interest in conducting scientific research is helpful.