Psychology

Course summary

The AQA Psychology A-Level explores how people think and behave through topics such as social influence, memory, attachment, psychopathology, approaches in psychology, biopsychology and research methods. You will study major issues and debates in the subject, including nature vs nurture and free will vs determinism. For the options strand, this course focuses on Forensic Psychology, Schizophrenia, and Gender, giving you the chance to explore criminal behaviour, mental health, and how gender develops from biological, social and cultural perspectives. You would be suitable for this course if you are interested in why people behave in the way they do, for example why we conform to the views of others and how our early childhood experiences affect our later lives. You need to be able to learn and remember lots of studies and theories. You need to be prepared to write essays that present arguments using evidence to justify your views. You will be required to take an active part in discussions and be willing to ask questions. This course combines well with the Sciences, Humanities subjects, PE and Sport courses and other Social Science subjects such as Sociology. Studying this course can lead to a wide range of careers. Many students go on to psychology-related roles such as clinical, counselling, forensic, educational, or occupational psychology, although these usually require a psychology degree and postgraduate training. The subject also develops valuable skills in understanding behaviour, communication, research, and critical thinking. These are useful in many other fields, including healthcare, nursing, social work, teaching, human resources, marketing, policing, criminology, and charity work.