Psychology is the science of the mind; the study of, among other things, how our thought processes work, why we behave the way we do and how we learn. Our GCSE Psychology course will allow you to better understand both yourself and others and provides a great introduction for anyone interested in studying psychology at a higher level or simply learning more about how our minds work.
GCSEs are the most widely taken qualification in the UK and considered the educational standard for school-leavers at 16. You’ll learn about different schools of psychology and psychological theories, explanations for different behaviours and the research methods used to study the subject. Full details of the course can be found below.
This GCSE Psychology course has been written to the latest specifications and has been designed to give you the best possible chance of success. You’ll have everything you need to succeed, starting with a clear induction and well-structured assignments to help you to develop the skills and knowledge you need to prepare for the exam. You will have guaranteed access to one of our exam centres if you to sit your final GCSE examinations in the UK. GCSEs are qualifications that count.
You will benefit from:
- A brand new course, written to the latest specification with dynamic and engaging content
- Fast track is available on this course (for exams in 2022)
- Access to our network of partnership exam centres (guaranteed exam venue)
- Unlimited tutor support – we help you write a study plan and support you throughout
- Exam pass guarantee (if you don’t pass the first time, we’ll support you to the next exam)
Psychology is the science of the mind; the study of, among other things, how our thought processes work, why we behave the way we do and how we learn.
-
Exam Pass GuaranteeIf you don’t pass the first time, we’ll support you to the next exam for free
-
Guaranteed exam centreAccess to our Country-wide network of exam centres (guaranteed exam venue)
-
Unlimited Tutor SupportGet as much help and support as you want from your personal course tutor via email and phone.
- Awarding body: AQA
- Our course code: X808
- Qualification code: 8182
The AQA qualifications are internationally recognised and taught in 30 countries around the world, highly valued by employers and universities and enable young people to progress to the next stage of their lives. AQA qualifications suit a range of abilities and include GCSEs, IGCSEs and A-levels.
Study Hours
You should allow for between 120 and 150 hours’ study time, plus additional time for completing assignments.
Study Method
Our course is delivered via our online learning platform as this provides learners with a dynamic and engaging experience. Don’t worry, if you prefer, you can print the learning materials yourself. The learning resources are in a range of different media including videos, quizzes, and interactive activities.
Course Duration
Once you enrol, you’ll have up to two years to study and take your exams, and your unlimited tutor support will continue throughout this time.
Assessment
You can enrol now for examinations from Summer 2022.
You’ll be required to complete the two GCSE standard written exams.
Official exams
- 1 hours 45 minutes, 50% of marks
- 1 hours 45 minutes, 50% of marks
We provide a guaranteed exam space in one of our exam centres around the Country, to take away the hassle of needing to find your own. Check where your closest exam centre is.
Assignments
During your course, you will also be required complete 9 assignments and one introductory. These do not contribute towards your final grade but provide you with an opportunity to submit work to your tutor for marking and feedback. This will help you to gauge your progress as you work through the course. There is no coursework to complete. All exams must be taken in the same session.
Course Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this home learning course, you will receive a GCSE in Psychology, issued by AQA. This syllabus has been chosen specifically because it is the best suited to distance learning.
Additional Information
Difficulty - Level 2
Entry requirements - There are no formal entry requirements for this course, however, it is recommended that you have the ability to read and write English effectively.
Course Content
Your brain weighs just 3 pounds! That is less than two bags of sugar, yet it holds about 100 billion nerve cells and all of your memories. This unit will cover processes of memory, encoding, storage and retrieval, long-term and short-term memory and how your memory is structured. You’ll also look at memory as an active process and what factors can affect your memory.
What is perception? Well, it refers to the set of processes we use to make sense of different stimuli we’re presented with. This unit will focus on perception and sensation, visual cue and depth perception, visual illusions and theories to back them up. You’ll understand the factors that can affect perception and also look at culture, emotion, motivation and expectation too.
Your mind and brain change across the lifetime, particularly during childhood. Throughout this unit you’ll jump into the development of the brain considering early brain development, stages of cognitive development, application in education and the effects of learning on development. You’ll learn theory’s such a conservation and egocentrism, Dweck’s mindset theory of learning and Willingham’s learning theory.
During this unit you’ll look at designing data, starting out hypotheses and variable, extraneous variables, types of experiments and experimental designs. You’ll consider sampling methods, ethical considerations and designing research. Additionally, you’ll look at correlations, case studies. reliability and validity, types of different data, interpretation and computation.
Social influence relates to opinion, behaviour and emotion and how they are affected by others. This unit looks at four key areas including conformity, obedience, minority influence and social change. You’ll consider a variety of studies and theories including Milgram’s study, Milgram’s agency theory (social factors), Adorno’s theory, Piliavin’s subway study and Asch’s study. You’ll look at social and dispositional factors, the crown and collective behaviour, and deindividualization.
In this unit you’ll gain a better understanding of language and thought using Piaget’s theory, Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and Von Frisch’s bee study. You’ll delve into a review of the world and how human and animals communicate. You’ll look at how communication can be done in a non-verbal way covering eye contact, body language and personal space. You’ll consider Darwin’s evolutionary theory and Yoki’s study of emoticons to evidence nurture.
Next, you’ll learn the structure and the function of the nervous system whilst considering the James Lang theory of emotion. Secondly, you’ll look at the structure and function of neurons, including electrical, synapses and chemical transmissions and compare it to Hebb’s theory of learning. You’ll consider how the brain works, diving into localisation of function and Penfield’s study of the interpretive cortex. You’ll be introduced to neuropsychology with cognitive neuroscience, neurological damage, scanning techniques to identify brain functioning and Tulving “gold” memory study.
This unit will focus mental health, the effects, treatment, addiction and the theories that surround it. You’ll firstly look at depression and theories for biological and psychological reasoning for it, also look at therapies such as CBT and medication and Wiles study. Next, you’ll look at addiction, how it can be characterised and diagnosed looking at therapy options such as aversion therapy and self-management. Finally, you’ll look at the theories for addiction, including biological and psychological too.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have some answers to common student questions, but if you can't find the answer you're looking for then please contact us and we will do everything we can to answer your questions.
Yes. there will be additional fees for your exams that are payable to the centre upon booking Your personal tutor can provide more details.
Yes, you can find out more by clicking here.
You will need to pay separately for your final examinations.
We are able to offer places at partnership exam centres across the UK for our students, therefore, guaranteeing an exam venue. If you choose to find your own exam centre, you can, you will need to register with them as an external or private candidate. Fees vary across the country so we recommend enquiring prior to enrolment.
Yes! You study the same curriculum, take the same examinations and get the same qualification. The only difference is that the course is specially designed to be studied from home in your own time.
You will have access to your personal tutor, via email, who will mark your assignments and guide you through the course to help you get ready for your examinations. In addition, you will be supplied with a comprehensive Study Guide that will help you through the study and assessment process. Your personal tutor will be highly experienced in their subject area and qualified to teach.
Please check our main FAQs section or Contact Us, we have experienced course advisers who will be delighted to help!
That’s fine, this course can be studied anywhere and is completed by submitting Tutor marked assignments (TMAs).