Psychology is the scientific study of human behaviour and tries to explain why people think, feel and behave as they do. For example, have you ever wondered why people develop phobias? Or why we form attachments with others?
A Level Psychology is a new and exciting subject area for students. It is multifaceted and therefore provides an enriching and challenging programme of study with many transferable skills including analytical thinking, improved communication and problem solving. The course includes a focus on scientific enquiry, so an interest in biological sciences (including the scientific method and research) is recommended.
This is a subject that combines well with a variety of other A Level courses. Students will study a range approaches to human behaviour, all highly relevant to our own lives. For example, part of Social Psychology focuses on the influence of a group majority, whereas in Biological Psychology you might look at how various parts of the brain are linked to criminality and aggressive behaviour. As a result, you will need to be prepared to challenge some accepted thinking and also be able to accept that there are no simple answers: Psychology raises as many questions as it solves!
Beyond the classroom, the department offers a range of exciting opportunities to extend students’ learning. In particular, the Psychology Prefects lead PsySoc which provides an enriching environment to share and discuss the latest psychological research.
If you are a student who is interested in working with people, then this could be a good subject choice for you. Many Psychologists work in the health and education services but graduates can be found in applied areas such as medicine, business and marketing, human resources, law, sport and forensic psychology. Others may select different industries or careers which recognise the value of knowledge and skills in this subject, such as personnel and the civil service.
