PSYCHOLOGY AS AND A LEVEL
What do I need to know or be able to do before taking this course?
You do not need to have previously studied Psychology. During the course you will need to be able to communicate effectively and research information from a variety of sources. It would assist you on the course if you have GCSE grade C or above in Mathematics, English and Science.
What kind of student is this course suitable for?
This course will appeal to students who: Enjoy exploring issues dealing with how and why people behave in certain ways. Want to find out more about the links between people’s behaviour and their environment. Enjoy finding patterns to explain behaviour in adults and children. Want a course that will complement other AS and A levels such as English, Business Studies or Critical Thinking Skills.
What are the demands of this course?
This is a highly academic course that requires sustained student input from the very start. A high degree of self-motivation and initiative is also needed, as much of the learning and revision are self-directed, particularly in A2. However, students will be given clear guidance in key areas. Psychology A-level is a respected and universally recognized award. It complements many other subjects, emphasizing, as it does, a range of disciplines and skills. It also provides an excellent knowledge and skills foundation for many university courses.
What will I learn on this course?
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To be aware of and understand psychological theories, research, case studies andmethods used to collect data
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To explore the practical application of Psychology to cultural, social and contemporary issues
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To explore the different areas of Psychology, in particular cognitive, physiological and social psychology
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To participate in and conduct psychological investigations, collecting appropriate data
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To analyse and interpret data and evaluate the findings
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To be aware of the ethical issues in psychology, particularly in the field of research
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To reflect on your own and other’s behaviour and motivation
What examinations will I have to take to get my qualification?
GCE Psychology AS/A outline
At AS, candidates will develop a broad knowledge and understanding of the core areas of psychology (social, cognitive, developmental, biological and individual differences) through a range of topics, chosen for their accessibility and popularity. The AS specification has 2 units:
Unit 1: Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology and Research
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Cognitive psychology, including memory and eyewitness testimony
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Developmental psychology, including early social development, attachment and the effects of day care
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Research methods, in the context of the topic areas.
Unit 2: Biological Psychology, Social Psychology and Individual Differences
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Biological psychology, including stress, factors affecting stress, coping with stress and managing stress
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Social psychology, including majority and minority influence, obedience and independent behaviour
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Individual differences, including definitions of abnormality, approaches and therapies
Assessment
Written Paper: 1 hour 30 minutes
Weighting: 50% of total AS
25% of total A Level marks
Three compulsory structured questions; one based on Biological Psychology content, one based on Social Psychology content and one based on the Individual Differences content.
Questions include short answer, stimulus material and one 12 or more mark question requiring extended writing in which QWC will be assessed.
Assessment
Written Paper: 1 hour 30 minutes
Weighting: 50% of total AS
25% of total A Level marks
Structured compulsory questions based on Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology and Research Methods.
Questions include short answer, stimulus material and one 12 mark question requiring extended writing in which QWC will be assessed.
GCE Psychology A
A2 outline
At A2, the specification offers a range of topic-based options which bring together explanations from different psychological approaches and engage students in issues and debates in psychology.
The A2 specification has 2 units:
Unit 3: Topics in Psychology
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Biological rhythms and sleep
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Perception
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Relationships
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Aggression
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Eating behaviour
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Gender
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Intelligence and learning
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Cognition and development
Assessment
Written Paper: 1 hour 30 minutes
Weighting: 25% of total A Level marks
Three essay-style questions chosen from the eight topics.
QWC will be assessed in each essay.
Unit 4: Psychopathology, Psychology in Action and Research Methods
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Biological approach, behaviourism, social learning theory, cognitive, psychodynamic and humanistic approaches
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Comparison of approaches
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Debates in psychology
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Methods in psychology, inferential statistics, issues in research
Assessment
Written Paper: 2 hours
Weighting: 25% of total A Level marks
Three sections:
Psychopathology: One essay-style question chosen from three. QWC will be assessed in this essay.
Psychology in Action: One question chosen from three.
Research Methods: One compulsory structured question.
How can I develop my full range of skills by doing this course?
This course does not only cover advanced level study of Psychology, it will also enable you to develop some skills, which will be important to you whatever you go on to do in the future. Skills you can develop during this course are:
Communication
for example, presenting information to others, teaching fellow students, discussions, presentations and written work using reference material from books, CD Rom and the Internet.
Application of number: presenting results in a suitable format, carrying out calculations on data collected in experiments, analysing data.
Information Technology
word processing written reports, designing spreadsheets to support your experiments, selecting suitable graphical formats to show trends and patterns in your data.
Problem solving
planning investigations, trying out different questionnaires to gather information and data.
Working with others: planning investigations using the whole group, researching topics together, planning collective presentations – unavoidable!
Improving own learning and performance
setting and reviewing targets for improving your own skills, monitoring marks awarded for written work, reports, presentations.
What could I go on to do at the end of this course?
Any degree course leading to a career which deals with people, not to mention a degree in the subject itself! The list is almost endless, but here are a few examples.
Follow a degree course or diploma in:
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Psychology
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Sociology
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Nursing
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Advertising
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Housing
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Childcare
This is a small selection of courses with direct links; see the UCAS website for more details.
Other courses which would benefit include: