Psychology

Why study Psychology?

This ever popular subject attempts to answer fundamental questions about human behaviour motivation and thought.

An inclusive approach is central to the learning experience in Psychology. We utilise a wide variety of teaching strategies to engage with every type of learner. For their part, each student is expected to give of their very best effort and the vast majority find the subject sustaining and fascinating.

Which specification is followed?

We access diverse areas of enquiry via the OCR specification that examines fifteen core psychological  studies in the AS year. These come from five schools of thought in Psychology: physiological, social, developmental, cognitive and individual differences.  In addition in the AS year we closely study the underlying methodologies used in these core studies and both relate them both to the core studies and, in examinations, to new scenarios. In doing so, we reveal the process and biases of all psychological investigations and look at their impact of that on the usefulness of the conclusion of that research.

At A2 we extend this scrutiny of research methods as it broadens into wider debates such as whether Psychology is a science and the ethics of psychological research.   In our A2 options component we study forensic psychology and clinical/health psychology where we learn about topics as diverse as why people turn to crime; How criminal profiling works; why in health psychology people choose to adhere or ignore health advice;  and why the poor are still less likely to enjoy good health.

Workshops, conferences and visits

• The Psychology Department offers lunchtime booster sessions which focus on more complex evaluative issues, synoptic aspects of people specification and psychological investigations.
• Students are invited to attend a science and pseudoscience conference which will broaden their understanding of the topic.
• In A2, the class will be visiting a Sure Start parenting programme to illuminate the issue of how people can be dissuaded from turning to crime.
• The group will also visit a magistrates' court to experience the psychological impact of the environment.

Degree and career choices

A background in Psychology is fitting for almost any career path as it employs scientific methods, encourages analysis and evaluative skills, and helps us to understand ourselves and each other.

Destinations appropriate to this subject include medicine, education, forensic psychology, marketing and journalism as well as research and therapeutic psychology.