AQA A-Level Psychology (7182)

Applications Open – 3PM Thursday 26th November 2026

Applications Close – August 2027

Entry Requirements – For Level 3 courses, students must have 5 or more Grade 4s at GCSE. No minimum entry for Level1/2 courses

How to Apply – Please apply via KentChoices

Why do we behave the way we do?

Why do people follow the crowd? Can we trust our memories? What shapes our relationships? And what causes mental health problems?

Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. If you’re curious about people, enjoy exploring big questions and want to understand why we think, feel and act the way we do, A-Level Psychology could be the subject for you.

What will you study?

Following the AQA A-Level Psychology course, you’ll explore fascinating theories, classic research studies and real-world applications across three exam papers.

Understanding people and behaviour

Discover why people conform and obey, how memories can be distorted, and how our early relationships may influence us throughout life. You’ll explore different explanations of behaviour, including how we learn from experience, how our thoughts shape our actions, and how biology and unconscious processes influence us.

The brain, behaviour and mental health

Investigate how the brain, nervous system and hormones influence behaviour. Explore how psychologists explain mental health conditions such as phobias, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and examine treatments that can help people manage them.

Research, evidence and big debates

Find out how psychologists investigate human behaviour through experiments, observations, questionnaires and other research methods. You’ll learn to analyse data, interpret statistics and evaluate evidence. You’ll also explore important debates, including nature versus nurture, free will versus determinism, and how gender and culture can influence psychological research.

Exploring specialist topics

You’ll also study three specialist topics, selected by the department. These give you the opportunity to explore particular areas of psychology in greater depth. Possible topics include:

Relationships – attraction, romantic relationships and online relationships.

Gender – gender development, identity and the influence of biology and society.

Cognition and development – how children’s thinking and understanding develop.

Schizophrenia – symptoms, explanations and treatments.

Eating behaviour – food preferences and psychological explanations of eating disorders and obesity.

Stress – the effects of stress on the body and mind, and how we cope with it.

Aggression – biological and psychological explanations of aggressive behaviour.

Forensic psychology – criminal behaviour, offender profiling and approaches to reducing offending.

Addiction – why addictions develop and how they can be treated.

Following the AQA A-Level Psychology course, you’ll explore fascinating theories, classic research studies and real-world applications across three exam papers.

5 GCSEs at C or above in different subjects. A demonstration of relevant skills at GCSE will also be required.

A-Level Psychology provides a strong foundation for further study in psychology, criminology, sociology, education, healthcare, business and other social sciences.

It can lead towards careers such as clinical or counselling psychologist, forensic psychologist, educational psychologist, teacher, social worker, researcher or human resources professional.