GCSE Grade 5+ in English and GCSE Grace 6+ in Maths or Science 

This AQA A Level has three components:

Component 1:	Social Influence, memory, attachment and psychopathology
Component 2:	Approaches, biopsychology and research methods
Component 3:	Issues and debates, forensics, schizophrenia and gender

The emphasis of the course is on applying knowledge, understanding and developing the skills of analysis, evaluation and critical thinking. You will develop an understanding of the world around you by looking at a variety of perspectives on behaviour. For example, the development of gender, the process of memory and forgetting, and the origins of aggression. In addition to subject-based skills and knowledge, students of psychology also acquire a number of transferable skills e.g. IT literacy, data handling and analysis, independent and team research, report writing and learning to work ethically and professionally with people – all highly valued in a range of fields. The emphasis of the course is on applying knowledge, understanding and developing the skills of analysis, evaluation and critical thinking.

In Year One you will study social influence, memory, attachment, psychopathology, approaches, biopsychology and research methods.

In Year Two you will study issues and debates, forensic psychology, gender, schizophrenia and research methods.

100% Examination

3 x 2 hour exams at the end of Year 13

Are you interested in human behaviour? Do you enjoy science? Are you interested in learning about what we know about human behaviour and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of this accumulated knowledge? If the answer to these questions is yes, then Psychology is for you.

Hands-on Experience:	This is a content-heavy course that we try to make as interactive as possible.
Personal Development:	Analysis and presentation of complex ideas; retrieval and organisation of information; teamwork; problem-solving; making critical judgements; sensitivity to contextual and interpersonal factors; project management skills.
Enrichment:	Conduct your own research, trips to universities and guest speakers.

Psychology is a direct pathway to taking a course in higher education which will allow you access to careers such as therapist, educational psychologist or researcher. It is also applicable to lots of other areas, from education to business and marketing to health and social care. It can be counted as a science course for many nursing courses at university. It is a subject that hones many transferrable skills so is desirable in a number of areas.

1. Do I need to have studied Psychology at GCSE?
   No, we assume no prior knowledge of the course before you start, but due to the difficulty of the course, we like to see 6's in the core sciences.
2. What is Psychology, and how is it different to Sociology?
   Psychology is the study of human behaviour and looks to explain why you do what you do from the perspective of your background and upbringing and your genetic make-up. Sociology focusses on human behaviour but looks solely at the environment and how "society" shapes the things you do.
3. Is there any coursework?
   No psychology is 100% externally assessed through exams.