Carol Service, St Mary's Church (pupils may leave after the Service)
The department has a dedicated classroom that is set up to make the pupils feel welcome and comfortable. The surroundings and the teaching look to encourage pupils to respond as young adults and take responsibility for their own learning. It is the aim to identify the needs of all pupils and work with them as individuals to achieve their goals.
There is always a lot going on in the classroom and the teaching is always energetic and diverse, including lively debates and discussion, the use of ICT and discovery learning. The department takes pupils to see psychologists and health staff at work and dynamic speakers come in-house to enrich the pupils’ experience.
Psychology is well received at all universities; many universities accept it as a science. Career prospects in Psychology are wide and varied such as Occupational, Forensic, Clinical, Sports Psychology and Psychiatry. The subject is also highly rated by employers in areas such as Business, Marketing and the Media.
Past pupils have gone on to a range university courses and careers. Many have studied Psychology at top universities such as Durham, St Andrews and Exeter. After graduating, Old Brutonians have taken up careers as, Paramedics, the Military, Events Management, Teaching, Occupational Therapy, Clinical Psychology and Social Workers as well as the more obvious health related careers.
Psychology is defined as the science of mind and behaviour. You will learn answers to questions like: Why do I think like this? Why do others behave like this? It will enable you to objectively understand the nature and experience of the human world around you, based on scientific research and theory.
For example, you will learn how the type of attachment you have to your primary caregiver (parent) can affect your personality and romantic relationships. How your memory works in the short term and long term and how better to remember things! Why atrocities and genocide occurs around the world and why people are able to commit destructive crimes by merely obeying orders, as well as the causes and treatments for mental disorders.
You will study how the brain works. What influences our eating behaviour? Is it a choice to become a criminal? What is stress, and what are its causes and treatment?
The A Level is assessed by three examinations, each containing extended writing, short and multiple choice questions.