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Key details

Course areas
A LevelsHumanities and Social Sciences
Student types
16 - 18 coursesA Levels
Course type
A Level course
Course level
Level 3
Start date
Tuesday 1st September 2026
Location
High Pavement Sixth Form Chaucer Street, Nottingham, NG1 5LP
Course code
Parent course code:C000450 Child course code: Q000510
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Course introduction

Why do people do the things they do, or think the way they think? How do our brains work and what influence does our environment have on our behaviour?

Studying psychology will give you an amazing insight into the human mind, you’ll conduct research, discuss and debate the big issues with your fellow classmates and discover the work of the great pioneers in the field.

This course is perfect if you want to find out more about the link between people’s behaviour and their environment and enjoy carrying out investigations to look for patterns in behaviour.

Topics include:

  • Social Influence
  • Attachment
  • Memory
  • Psychopathology
  • Approaches
  • Biopsychology
  • Research Methods
  • Issues and Debates
  • Gender
  • Aggression
  • Stress

You will be provided with a login to the Illuminate digital bundle which is the textbook online but with additional applications such as quizzes, extension work and exam style questions. There are a range of online lectures known as Psych Boost which you are encouraged to use as part of your independent study. The department produces a workbook - plus additional worksheets - for each topic for students to follow and complete. The library also subscribes to Psychology Review.

As a student of this subject, you will have free access to an online platform called Uplearn to support your studies. 

You will study this course alongside 2 or 3 other A Levels and you will be able to select your chosen subjects when you apply online.

Subjects commonly studied alongside Psychology include: Sociology, Biology, PE, Philosophy and Business.

A group of people standing around a banner stating 'Nottingham College - you're in good hands'.

You will be encouraged to participate in a 30-hour work placement while you are studying.

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Course information

2 years

AQA A Level Psychology

  • To study 3 A Levels you’ll need at least 5 GCSE’s at grades 9-4 including GCSE English Language at grade 5 or above and a Science a grade 5 or above
  • To study 4 A Levels you’ll need at least 6 GCSE’s at grades 9-6 including GCSE English Language at grade 5 or above and a Science a grade 5 or above
  • We do not accept GCSE Psychology as part of the entry requirements

The programme of study is for 2 years, and you will be expected to be achieving a minimum of grade D in all subject assessments by the end of year 1 to progress to your 2nd year. 

Applicants with predicted GCSE grades 1 or 2 points below the entry requirement for an A Level:

If your predicted grades do not meet the entry requirements for either 1 or 2 of your chosen A Level subject choices, don’t worry we will still make you a conditional offer. We advise that you think about a second choice of course as a back-up plan. You can meet with us for a supportive, friendly and impartial discussion to look at other courses that Nottingham College has to offer. For more information contact High Pavement Sixth Form admissions by telephone on 0115 9100 100 or email at feadmissions@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk

There are three exams each lasting two hours, consisting of a combination of multiple choice, short answer and extended writing.

The three assessment objectives are:

  • Knowledge and Understanding
  • Application
  • Evaluation

A high proportion of our students progress on to study psychology at university. Other popular progression routes include criminology, nursing, sport or business.
 

Students aged 16-18 don't have to pay tuition fees.

If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss National, please visit our EU Settled Status scheme page for more information.

Careers related to this course

Select career:

Clinical Psychologists

Potential Earnings

£57,750.68

Average Earnings

£39,303.93

Source: Office for National Statistics' Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).

Pathways

Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing

People in these occupations diagnose, assess, and treat health problems, operate medical technology, and care for patients.

Skills

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Learning Strategies

Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
View more about this career

Economic data for careers is provided by Lightcast and also available through our Career Coach app. Job postings, employment and earnings information is represented at the regional level for the East Midlands.

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