The examination board is AQA. This new specification allows studentsto study a number of key contemporary topics. The AS level course will include the study of Developmental Psychology (What factors affect an infant’s development?), Cognitive Psychology (How is memory organised?), Research Methods (What different methods are used to carry out scientific investigations?), Biological Psychology(Functions of the brain), Social Psychology(Why do people obey and conform?) and Individual Differences (Why do people suffer from mental disorders?). As the course develops, you will also consider, Gender (Why do boys think they are boys?), Addiction (what causes addiction?), Foundations of Psychology (Where does psychology come from and where is it going?),Psychopathology(What are the causes of schizophrenia?), Psychology in Action(What interventions can be used to help people with drug addictions?) and an in-depth exploration ofResearch Methods (What makes research reliable and valid?). What skills will I develop? The course will help you develop a number of key skills:  How to view the world around you from different perspectives  How to plan and conduct scientific investigations  How to analyse and interpret data  Critical reasoning skills  How to put across your point of view fluently How will this subject help me with my future career? Psychology can help your career either directly or indirectly. Careers in public relations, human resources, marketing, advertising and nursing are just a few occupations that lend themselves well to having a background in Psychology! Of course, if you wish to become a psychologist, whether it is in education, sport, industry, policing, a therapist or mental health worker, then this A Level is of direct value. For more information about other Psychology related careers you can read about it all on the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) website:www.bps.org.uk. Who is the course for? Psychology is the scientific investigation of the mind and behaviour. It is a popular subject that appeals to those who are interested in people, in how people think, act, react and interact. Myths about Psychology In Psychology, students do not sit and discuss topics about dreams, analyse body language or use it as a counselling session! Psychology is regarded as an academic and scientific subject, just like Mathematics and Biology. Students are assessed on their written work and therefore there is a strong emphasis on independent study skills, such as reading around the topic, researching information for presentations, along with essay writing. Once you get your results Sign up for Psychology and begin to read about where psychology comes from and what it consists of. This will prepare you well for the years to come.