PSYCHOLOGY

A Level – Psychology

 

Member of Department:

Miss Emma McCarron

Introduction

Psychology is a science and the study of this subject should engender an awareness of the variety and complexity of the human mind, human behaviour and human relationships. It will promote understanding of self, other people, behaviour and thought. This subject provides opportunities for developing knowledge of spiritual, moral, ethical, social and cultural issues, together with an awareness of citizenship, environmental issues and health and safety considerations.

Recommended GCSE Subjects and Grades 

Minimum school entry requirements plus at least Grade B in English and Maths

WJEC A Level Specification

In September 2019 we made the move to the Welsh Board as they offer a modular style course. WJEC’s A Level specification in Psychology is stimulating, distinctive and attractive, providing plenty of opportunities for the learners to study: a variety of psychological approaches including evolutionary, positive and psychodynamic; significant pieces of research covering a variety of perspectives and topics; the reality of applying psychological information to everyday situations; how psychological data is collected (through own research).

AS Level – Subject Content & Method of Assessment

Unit 1 – Psychology: Past to Present. Five psychological approaches (biological, psychodynamic, behaviourist, cognitive and positive)
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes. 20% of A Level qualification (50% of AS qualification)

Unit 2 – Psychology: Using Psychological Concepts
Section A – Contemporary debate
Section B – Principles of research and application of research methods
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes. 20% of A Level qualification (50% of AS qualification)

A2 Level – Subject Content & Method of Assessment

Unit 3 – Psychology: Implications in the Real World
Section A: The study of behaviours
Section B: Controversies
Written examination: 2 hours 30 minutes. 40% of A Level qualification

Unit 4 – Psychology: Applied Research Methods
Section A: Personal investigations
Section B: Application of research methods to novel scenarios
Written examination: 1 hour 30 minutes. 20% of A Level qualification

Student Comments

“Psychology is one of my favourite subjects as it is highly engaging and interesting….I look forward to every class. The learning style is very interactive and the option to learn more about what we study is fantastic.  Studying psychology has got me to question both myself and others’ behaviour and reasoning. In every class we learn something new and relevant. I find myself applying what I have learned to everyday situations and thinking alternatively about the world around me.”
(Hannah)

“I really enjoy studying Psychology and I think it is a great choice for A’ level because it is very interesting and I am constantly learning new things from it.  I am really glad I chose Psychology at A’ level because it is not like any subject that I had studied previously in school. The course content and class discussions are so interesting, and it is really fascinating to learn new things and be able to apply them to real life.”  
(Keelin)

“Out of all three of my A’ level subjects, psychology is my favourite and I always look forward to class. The content is interesting and relevant, and I feel like I’ve learned so much in the last few months.  In every lesson we explore something new and refreshing that I haven’t learned about before, which makes it so exciting! It is s an amazing A’ level choice and I would highly recommend it!”
(Eliza )

“Psychology is such an amazing and intriguing subject. I have learned so many new things which are all extremely interesting. The way psychology opens up your mind and helps you see various different views on behaviours in the world is why I would 100% recommend studying this subject.”  
(Clodagh-Marie)