Psychology is not only a fascinating subject to study, it will equip you with a wide range of skills useful for future careers. Students will gain a thorough knowledge of the scientific processes involved in psychological research as well as data analysis skills, numeracy, essay writing skills and critical thinking. Psychology is unlike any subject you have studied before, so students find it fascinating and are well-motivated to succeed. Psychology goes well with most other subjects, particularly biology, English language, mathematics, business studies and sociology. Psychology is useful in a wide variety of careers, especially if you want to work with people e.g. in medicine, education, business, sports, law and social work. Because psychology is a science, a good understanding of the scientific method, and a basic understanding of statistics are required to complete the course successfully.
Students will study the following topics in Year One: Social Influence, Memory, Attachments in Development, Approaches in Psychology, Psychopathology and Research Methods. In Year Two, students will study Issues and Debates, Gender, Stress, and Forensic Psychology. Students will be assessed in the exam through a combination of multiple-choice questions, short answer questions and extended writing. Throughout the course you will have the opportunity to undertake practical research activities involving the collection, analysis and interpretation of data.
Psychology is examined in a linear format, where all content from across the two years is examined in three exams at the end of two years. For the psychology A-level there are three two-hour exams:
Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology (Social Influence, Attachment, Psychopathology, Memory)
Paper 2: Psychology in Context (Approaches, Biopsychology, Research Methods)
Paper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology (Issues and Debates, Gender, Stress, Forensic Psychology)
There are many further education opportunities that students can access by studying psychology A-level. Psychology is now accepted by a growing number of universities as the third A-level option for undergraduate medicine degree courses and biochemical degree courses, alongside biology and chemistry. Psychology as an undergraduate degree is offered in most universities in the country, including all Russell Group universities. In a number of universities, the undergraduate degree programmes are managed within the medicine departments, highlighting the academic and scientific nature of this degree course.
If students wish to pursue a career in psychiatry, then students must take a medicine degree before they then specialise as psychiatrists. If students take the undergraduate psychology degree they can go on to train as educational psychologists, clinical psychologists and many other charted psychologist positions via specialised master’s level degree courses.
For more career opportunities and progression routes see https://www.bps.org.uk/public/become-psychologist/career-options-psychology
A grade 5 in GCSE English and a minimum of a grade 5 in GCSE Science and grade 4 in GCSE Mathematics
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