AS and A-level Psychology Specification Specifications for first teaching in 2015
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This qualification offers an engaging and effective introduction to Psychology. Students will learn the fundamentals of the subject and develop skills valued by Higher Education (HE) and employers, including critical analysis, independent thinking and research.
Retaining the most popular features of our previous, market-leading qualifications, we have worked with teachers, HE and the British Psychological Society to produce a clear, up-to-date and stimulating specification. We have built on the success of our previous specifications by introducing some minor amendments that reflect advances and changes in the subject and provide a coherent and holistic programme of study.
We are the most popular choice for AS and A-level Psychology and by choosing our specification you will be part of the country’s largest community of psychology teachers and have access to the widest network of support to help your teaching.
Our assessments continue to employ a variety of familiar types of question such as multiple choice, short answer and extended writing/essays, which target the skills of knowledge and understanding, application and evaluation.
Students’ understanding of research methods, gained through classroom experience of practical Psychology, will be assessed using the familiar scenario-based question style and research methods questions embedded in topics.
We have designed the AS and A-level specifications to cover the core areas of Psychology and be fully co-teachable within the first year of study. We know this will help teachers with resourcing and timetabling and will also allow students to switch between AS and A-level during the first year if they wish.
Our specification will appeal to a cross-section of students, regardless of whether they have studied the subject before. It builds on skills developed in the sciences and humanities, and enables progression into a wide range of other subjects.
You can find out about all our Psychology qualifications at aqa.org.uk/psychology
We know that support and resources are vital for your teaching and that you have limited time to find or develop good quality materials. So we’ve worked with experienced teachers to provide you with a range of resources that will help you confidently plan, teach and prepare for exams.
We have too many Psychology resources to list here so visit aqa.org.uk/7181 to see them all. They include:
Visit aqa.org.uk/7181 for everything you need to prepare for our exams, including:
Find out which questions were the most challenging, how the results compare to previous years and where your students need to improve. ERA, our free online results analysis tool, will help you see where to focus your teaching. Register at aqa.org.uk/era
For information about results, including maintaining standards over time, grade boundaries and our post-results services, visit aqa.org.uk/results
Wherever you are in your career, there’s always something new to learn. As well as subject-specific training, we offer a range of courses to help boost your skills.
You can attend a course at venues around the country, in your school or online – whatever suits your needs and availability. Find out more at coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk
Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/7201
You can talk directly to the Psychology subject team:
T: 01483 477 822