A-Level Psychology
Consolidate your interest and passion for psychology by stepping up to the next level of qualifications. These qualifications are linear. Linear means that students will sit all the AS exams at the end of their AS course and all the A-level exams at the end of their A-level course.
Year 1 – AS Psychology
Subject content
Students will cover topics drawn from the following areas for AS Psychology:
1 Social Influence
2 Memory
3 Attachment
4 Approaches in Psychology
5 Psychopathology
6 Research methods
Assessment
All students will complete two compulsory paper that are externally marked against the AQA assessment objectives:
Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology – comprise a written exam of 1 hour and 30 minutes valued 50% of the overall AS grade. Compulsory content will be drawn from the areas of Social influence, Memory and Attachment (Topics 1-3 above)
Paper 2: Psychology in Context – comprise a written exam of 1 hour and 30 minutes valued 50% of the overall AS grade. Compulsory content will be drawn from the areas of Approaches in Psychology, Psychopathology and Research Methods
Year 2 – A-Level Psychology
Subject content
Students will cover topics drawn from the following areas for A-Level Psychology:
1 Social Influence
2 Memory
3 Attachment
4 Approaches in Psychology
5 Psychopathology
6 Biopsychology
7 Research methods
8 Issues and Debates in Psychology
Options
Option 1
9. Relationships
10. Gender
11. Cognition and development
Option 2
12. Schizophrenia
13. Eating behaviour
14. Stress
Option 3
15. Aggression
16. Forensic Psychology
17. Addiction
Assessment
All students will complete three compulsory paper that are externally marked against the AQA assessment objectives:
Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology – comprise a written exam of 2 hours valued 33.3% of the overall A-level grade. Compulsory content will be drawn from the areas of Social influence, Memory, Attachment and Psychopathology
Paper 2: Psychology in Context – comprise a written exam of 2 hours valued 33.3% of the overall A-level grade. Compulsory content will be drawn from the areas of Approaches in Psychology, Biopsychology and Research Methods
Paper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology – comprise a written exam of 2 hours valued 33.3% of the overall A-level grade. Compulsory content will be drawn from issues and debates in psychology. The other areas contain three topics each and students select one topic from each:
Option 1: Relationships, Gender OR Cognition and development
Option 2: Schizophrenia, Eating Behaviour OR Stress
Option 3: Aggression, Forensic Psychology OR Addiction