Social Sciences: Psychology & Sociology

Psychology and Sociology are popular A Level choices which cover many pertinent areas to people’s lives: trying to explain why people behave the way they do, and to try and understand societal structures and inequality.

The department aims to help young people develop a sense of self-worth and the wisdom to see the world through the eyes of others and to understand their place within the world. We also want our learners to develop and have empathy for those around them, locally and globally, and to be able to consider the dilemmas some people face from all walks of life.

Curriculum

We want our students to form a good grounding in the subject areas and as a result have chosen qualifications because the breadth of content.

In Psychology (exam board: AQA) students will study: Research Methods, Approaches in Psychology, Memory, Psychopathology, Social Influence, Attachment, Issues and Debates, Biopsychology, Relationships, Schizophrenia and Addiction

In Sociology (exam board: Eduqas) students will study: Acquiring Culture, Education, Families and Households, Crime and Deviance, Stratification and Sociological Enquiry.

This broad overview means that students are better equipped to make decisions on next steps in terms of specialist areas of study (e.g. understanding the difference between Counselling Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Biopsychology degrees) and it opens routes in both academic and vocational next steps.

In both subject areas students develop transferable skills in application, analysis, evaluation, essay writing, research skills, independent and group work, communication etc.

Approaches to Learning and Assessment

The department takes a comprehensive approach to learning and assessment using a variety of methods. Learning is classroom based and students will experience, but not limited to, teacher explanation, reading, research, discussion, independent and group activities. Students are expected to complete 5 hours of independent work a week. Assessment takes the form of informal in-class questions and discussion and practice exam questions, alongside more formal knowledge checks, end of topic tests and mock exams.

Both qualifications are exam based:

AS = 2 exam papers in the June series

A Level = 3 exam papers in the June series

The content studied at AS Level is assessed again at A Level, but the AS qualification does not ‘count’ towards the final A Level grade.

Supporting Individual Students

The department prides itself on knowing our students as individuals, and to work with the students to meet their individual needs. Lessons are planned so that there is appropriate and accessible challenge for all students.

Extra-Curricular Opportunities:

Enrichment activities include: Representing the department as a subject ambassador, reading and watch list, BPS Research Digest articles, Sociology and Psychology Review articles, TED Talks, MOOCs, participation in university research projects (where appropriate), guest speakers, Brain Day, Crime Scene House Visit and Crown Court visits.

Psychology students showing a stage of a brain dissection as part of our annual ‘Brain Day’ and Sociology students exploring the Crime Scene House at the University of Gloucestershire.