Psychology

Course summary

Psychology is the scientific study of people, the mind, and behavior. We tackle questions including why some people conform, how to improve our memory, what causes different mental disorders, and if our experiences before the age of 5 shaped the people we are today, among many others. Psychology will give you an understanding of the way people think and why people behave in certain ways. The AQA specification for A-level Psychology requires that several major areas of Psychology are covered. Social influence, memory, attachment, biopsychology, psychopathology, approaches, and research methods will be covered in the first year. In each area, you will look at the studies and theories that relate to that aspect of the subject and complete small practical investigations to give a flavor of how psychologists conduct their research. In year 2 you will study issues and debates, which draws on all areas of the specification to understand conceptual and methodological issues. We will finally look at schizophrenia, a choice between relationships and cognition, and a choice between aggression and forensic psychology. Psychology provides transferable skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, decision-making, critical thinking, data analysis, communication, and IT skills, which can be applied to many careers. These include those of a Clinical Psychologist, Educational Psychologist, Forensic Psychologist, and Sports and Exercise Psychologist. Outside of a direct career in Psychology, careers in advertising, occupational therapy, retail management, human resources, teaching, law, the police, healthcare, the media, and sports coaching are available to Psychology students.