Curriculum Intent
The educational purpose of Psychology is to enhance students’ awareness about themselves and others. Psychology students will learn about all aspects of human thoughts, emotions and behaviours. This will help Students in all areas of their lives by improving their interactions with other people and enhancing their ability to understand and regulate their own emotions and behaviour. Additionally by learning about mental illness, the young people will be better equipped to fight stigmatisation and ignorance in this area.
Apart from the direct benefits of learning psychology, it also indirectly facilitates learning in many other subjects. Students will obtain skills which enhance learning and memory performance and improve their ability to cope with stress. Psychology modules learnt comprise an important part of other lessons like Business, sport, biology and lessons from the Humanities and Social Sciences. Psychology generally provides excellent training in analytical thinking and scientific research methods that are applicable to a broad range of academic topics.
Similarly diverse are the occupational areas in which psychology is relevant and important. Psychologists are needed in a variety of contexts which include research, healthcare and educational posts in the private and public sector, various organisations and corporations, legal and clinical settings, charities, social services and more. Having a background in psychology is of considerable benefit in any work setting which includes team work, working with clients, advertising, and working under pressure.
The students will explore a variety of perspectives on the study of human behaviour. They will learn how to analyse and evaluate psychological concepts, evaluate therapies, and understand the historical development of theories and the social impact of them. Topics explored initially include memory, perception, human development and research methods. Following this, learning will focus on social influence, language thought and communication, brain and neuropsychology and psychological problems. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on the development of research shills and students will become competent in methodologies commonly used for the investigation of human behaviour.
The AQA syllabus has been chosen because it has proven to be clear, engaging and easy-to-use, ensuring that students are helped as much as possible in their learning. This qualification introduces students to basic knowledge of all areas of psychology and it promotes the development of critical analysis, independent thinking and research skills. The AQA specification ensures that the topics have been updated so that they include the latest advances in the subject.
