Psychology

Course summary

The A-level specification provides a broad and engaging introduction to the scope and nature of psychology as a science. The emphasis of learning is on applying knowledge and understanding rather than just acquiring knowledge, thereby developing students’ transferable skills of analysis, evaluation and critical thinking. In the first year a diverse range of topics, which introduces students to the fundamentals of the subject, is covered in Paper 1. These include social influence, memory, attachment and psychopathology. This will enable research methods, a critical component, to be studied in context. Paper 2 focuses on the various Psychological Approaches; Biopsychology and Research Methods. In year two there is a range of topic-based options which bring together explanations from different approaches (e.g. the evolutionary approach) and engage students in issues and debates in contemporary psychology such as nature-nurture and determinism versus free will. The Paper 3 topics are Relationships, Schizophrenia and Forensic Psychology, as well as Issues and Debates.