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Humanities & Social Sciences

Psychology

  • A Level
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Overview

Are you interested in why people behave the way they do? Psychology is the scientific study of people, which tries to understand and explain thought, behaviour and emotion. If you’re fascinated by the mind, this course is sure to capture your imagination!

Studying psychology will help you gain an insight into why people behave the way they do and how to help people change their behaviour. You will look at different ways of investigating human behaviour, covering several areas of psychology and studying major psychological approaches and studies. You will also discover if behaviour is affected by our thoughts, how our bodies respond to a situation, and why childhood learning affects our future.

What will you learn?

You will also have to study and evaluate how psychologists do research.

Throughout the course, you will study the following specific units:

• Research methods – This unit looks at examining the methods used in psychology to study behaviour. You will have an opportunity to carry out some research on people yourself. This includes experiments, observations and self-reports methods. You will learn how psychologists analyse data and conduct statistical tests on data which you collect.

• Psychological themes through core studies – You will study 20 pieces of ground breaking research in psychology. You will consider questions such as; can someone alter your memory? Do you understand what someone else is thinking? Why are some children aggressive? How does your brain structure affect your behaviour? You will also think about the major debates in psychology such as the nature/nurture debate; the extent to which psychology can be considered a science; should we conduct unethical research and how useful is psychology in the real world. There are opportunities for you to apply your knowledge to real examples of behaviour and devise strategies to improve behaviour.

• Applied Psychology – You will learn about how psychology is used in the real world. Crime psychology studies why people turn to crime, how psychology is used in the courtroom, and how criminals can be rehabilitated. Health and clinical psychology examines dysfunctional behaviours, mental illnesses and how they can be treated. Child psychology studies how children learn cognitive and social skills, how the brain matures and considers how behaviours such as risk taking change over childhood and adolescence. In this unit you have to think more widely about psychology and in particular consider some of the wider debates and issues. For example, does identifying the cause of behaviour mean that sometimes we are not personally responsible for how we behave?

Who is the course aimed at?

This course is for you if you have a scientific and enquiring mind and are interested in applying this to the study of human behaviour.

Entry Requirements & Other Info
  • Entry Requirements Arrow down

    You must have a minimum of five GCSE grades 9-4 and a minimum GCSE average of 5.3. This should include:

    • A grade 4 or higher in GCSE English Language

    • A grade 4 or higher in GCSE Maths

    • A grade 4 or higher in GCSE Science

  • Experiences Arrow down

    This course will provide you with the opportunity to hear from guest speakers and visiting academics about Psychology. Past visitors have included Dr Guy Sutton, the Director of Medical Biology at the University of Nottingham School of Medicine. You will also get the opportunity to visit leading universities to explore whether a future in psychology is the right path for you.

  • Progression Arrow down

    Psychology helps you to understand people’s behaviour, so is particularly beneficial for those looking to study teaching or social work at university. This course also helps to support those who venture into apprenticeships, especially helping in childcare, nursing or social care sectors.

  • Outcomes Arrow down

    Students who complete a qualification in Psychology go on to a wide variety of jobs. These can include: Clinical Psychologist, Forensic Psychologist, Advice Worker, Counsellor, Mental Health Practitioner or Teacher, to name a few.

Upcoming Events

30 Apr 24 Health and Sciences Event
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