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A Level Psychology

At St Edward’s, our A Level Psychology course will equip you with the skills to understand why people think and behave in certain ways.

Why Study A Level Psychology?

In A Level Psychology you will learn about the relationship between the mind, brain and behaviour.  The mind is something intangible that exists within our brain; an unseen process of enzymes, chemicals and electric currents.  But why is that some people suffer from stress or mental illness?  Or why do some people conform more than others?  Psychology looks at questions like these and more.  It’s a fascinating science with cutting edge research that has real world applications that is bound to capture your interest. Although Psychology is often associated with the treatments of mental health disorders, this is just one aspect of the course.  You will develop essential knowledge and understanding of concepts, theories and studies in relation to different areas of the subject and how they relate to each other. 

A Level Psychology is a great choice if you are interested in all aspects of human behaviour, from how we develop attachments as a baby to what makes some people aggressive, alongside looking at key debates such as whether our behaviour is due to nature or nurture, and whether we have free will or our behaviour is pre-determined.   

The course content requires you to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of psychological theories, concepts and research studies.  You will need to apply psychological knowledge and understanding to a range of contexts and be able to critically evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of different therapies and treatments. 

This course is particularly suitable if you are interested in understanding human behaviour and will complement just about any other subject. Students who study psychology often also study biology, sociology, business, English or physical education.  Students who want a career in any of the caring services, or in marketing or human resources, will find an understanding of psychology useful.  

Course Contact

Mrs Rachel Dell
Psychology Subject Leader

Course Content

Component 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology (33.3% of A Level Grade) 

  • Social Influence 
  • Memory 
  • Attachment 
  • Psychopathology 

Component 2: Psychology in Context (33.3% of A Level Grade) 

  • Approaches in Psychology 
  • Biopsychology 
  • Research Methods 

Component 3: Issues and Options in Psychology (33.3% of A Level Grade) 

  • Issues and Debates in Psychology 
  • Schizophrenia 
  • Cognition and Development 
  • Aggression 

Exam Board: AQA 

Where can this take you?

After studying A Level Psychology at St Edward’s, you could enter a whole host of exciting careers due to the number of transferable skills you will develop.  Careers where A Level Psychology is particularly useful include Forensic Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Marketing, Business Development, Human Resources, Nursing, Teaching and many more. 

Student Destinations 

  • University of Exeter 
  • University of Warwick 
  • University of Sussex 
  • University of Southampton 
  • Bournemouth University  

Key information

Download Entry Requirements

Student Testimonials

"I’m glad I chose A Level Psychology as although it’s challenging, it’s so interesting to try to understand why we behave and function in the way we do."

Sofia, KS5 Psychology student

" love learning about the way in which the brain function, A Level Psychology is my favourite subject."

Lyla, KS5 Psychology student