Academic Departments - Psychology

Psychology, the science of the mind and behaviour, is one of our most popular A Levels and is chosen by students in combination with a variety of other subjects. A number of our students have gone on to study Psychology at university, or to study Medicine, Law and a range of other subjects.

Studying Psychology gives students the opportunity to develop their skills of evaluating and applying research methods to a wide rang of topics. They also expand their understanding of philosophical debates, such as free will versus determination, nature versus nurture, and ethics.

The AS course provides a thorough introduction to various approaches in Psychology: cognitive, physiological, social, abnormal and developmental. For each of the five approaches, four core studies, their methodology and theoretical basis are analysed and evaluated. Reference is constantly made to topical issues and news items that relate to the syllabus, so that the students are made aware of the relevance of their studies to everyday life.

At A2, the course focuses on the practical application of psychology to real-life problems. The units studied include Psychology and Crime, Psychology and Health, Psychology and Sport and Psychology and Education. Students have the opportunity to pursue their preferred option.

Students have described the AS and A2 courses and the lively discussion and group work present in classes as stimulating and motivating. Because of our proximity to London, visits are made to the Old Bailey, to the Freud Museum, and to other exhibitions relating to the course throughout the year.

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