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Psychology Fast Track A levels

AQA

Structured Fast Track A level Psychology pass rate image

Complete the course within a year and gain the all-important grades you need with our Structured Fast Track A level Psychology course.

Multi-buy Structured Fast Track A levels:

  • 10% off 2 Structured Fast Track Courses (online enter code: SFTMB2)
  • 15% off 3 or more Structured Fast Track Courses (online enter code: SFTMB3)

Complete an online A level in a year and fast track your journey to success.

Enrol now for the September 2024 start date and be ready to sit your exams in Summer 2025.book a call with our Course Advice Team or email info@nec.ac.uk, phone 0800 389 2839.

Our Structured Fast Track A level Psychology course has been written and developed by experts, and specially designed to give you extra support in order to ace your A level within a year. Through access to group forums and live seminars covering each section of the course, you will be able to share ideas with your fellow students and ask questions of your tutor ‘in-class’.

Enrol before the September start date and hit the ground running with our specially designed GCSE to A level transition materials and an interactive quiz that finds (and plugs!) any learning gaps.

Watch the video to find out more:

Each Structured Fast Track A level features:

  • Introductory section to help you transition from GCSE to A level study, including an interactive quiz that identifies any learning gaps and directs you to tailored refresher topics.
  • A comprehensive induction programme starting early September.
  • Course activities and learning objectives which have been carefully considered to help you complete the course within a year.
  • Expert tutor support; our tutors are qualified teachers, experienced in online learning and examinations, and committed to supporting our learners. Your tutor will be available to answer questions and provide academic support through the learn@nec messaging system throughout your studies.
  • Regular live seminars with your tutor; ask your tutor questions ‘in-class’ and interact with your fellow students studying the course (also available to watch back on-demand).
  • Tutor-led forums; actively engage in discussions with your tutor and peers. Your tutor will clarify discussion points and lead debate that will advance your understanding of the key ideas raised during the course.
  • Innovative and Interactive course materials.
  • Past paper marking by a qualified tutor.
  • A mid-course review; your tutor will review your progress on the course and provide detailed feedback that will identify gaps in your learning and offer actionable advice to improve your outcome.
  • Student Support team on hand to support you throughout the duration of your studies.
  • UCAS Application service; if you are heading to University, NEC will support you in your UCAS application. Our application service includes a predicted grade and personalised reference from your course tutor.

Why study Structured Fast Track A level Psychology?

“I found distance learning with NEC to be an ideal way to study and gain the knowledge needed to make the transition into a new career path.” – Darius, Structured Fast Track student

Our Structured Fast Track A level Psychology course has been specifically designed to follow a carefully considered 36-week study programme, providing you with the extra support you need to gain the all-important grades you require. The A level takes approximately 250-300 hours to complete, which works out at about 15-20 hours per week over the 36-week study programme.

You and a small cohort of fellow students will attend regular live seminars with your course tutor and actively engage with the subject through tutor-led forums, interactive learning activities and quality course materials.

The course is fully online and can be studied anywhere, anytime, to fit in with your lifestyle. Included within the course is a mid-course review, past-paper marking and UCAS service to make sure you are fully prepared for the exams and the next stage of your learning journey.

Find more FAQs here.

Course content

NEC’s Structured Fast Track A level Psychology course will follow the same topics as AQA’s Psychology A level but has a set schedule, allowing you to complete the course within one academic year rather than two.

Start: Introduction to studying A level Psychology

  • Introduction and progress checker
  • Introductory quiz
  • Refresher topics
  • NEC introductory topics – Are we all psychologists?, Psychology as a science, Essential writing skills

Section 1: Approaching psychology

  • Introduction to psychology and its origins
  • Learning and cognitive approaches
  • The biological approach and biopsychology

Section 2: Memory

  • Multi-store model of memory
  • Working memory model
  • Explanations for forgetting
  • Eyewitness testimony

Section 3: Social influence: conformity and obedience

  • Conformity
  • Obedience
  • Resistance to social influence
  • Minority influence and social change

Section 4: Developmental psychology: attachment

  • Development of attachment
  • Explanations of attachment
  • Types of attachment
  • Maternal deprivation

Section 5: Psychopathology

  • Definitions of abnormality
  • Phobias, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • The behavioural approach to phobias
  • The cognitive approach to depression
  • The biological approach to OCD

Progress Review

Section 6: Research methods

  • Research methods
  • Scientific processes
  • Data analysis and presentation
  • Maths resources

Section 7: Approaches and debates

  • The psychodynamic approach
  • The humanistic approach
  • Further biopsychology
  • Gender and culture in psychology
  • Free will and determinism
  • The nature–nuture debate
  • Holism and reductionism
  • Idiopathic and nomothetic approaches
  • Ethical implications of research studies
  • Comparing approaches

Section 8: Schizophrenia

  • Classifying schizophrenia
  • Explanations for schizophrenia
  • Therapies for schizophrenia
  • The interactionist approach

Section 9: Cognition and development

  • Piaget’s theory of cognitive development
  • Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development
  • Baillargeon and early infant abilities
  • The development of social cognition

Section 10: Aggression and further research methods

  • Biopsychological explanations of aggression
  • Ethological and evolutionary explanations of aggression
  • Social explanations for human aggression
  • Institutional aggression
  • Media influences on aggression
  • Psychology as a science
  • Inferential testing
  • Choosing a statistical test

Past Paper Marking and Revision

  • Three past papers
  • One revision seminar

 

There is one Ebook included with the course:

  • Jean-Marc Lawton, Eleanor Willard (2020), AQA A level Psychology, Hodder, ISBN 978-1-5104-8275-3

Exams and assessment

Assessment

Exams (three):

  • 33.3% of marks  (2 hours)
  • 33.3% of marks  (2 hours)
  • 33.3% of marks  (2 hours)

Need help booking exams?

With our exam booking service, you are guaranteed an exam place at one of our partnership centres. When the time comes, simply fill out an application form and we’ll do the rest.  Find out more.

Additional support if you’re under 18

We know that our younger students often need an extra helping hand with their studies.  In our experience, learning online works best when the parents are involved, so when you enrol your child with NEC, you’ll have a unique set of services to help you to support your child.

This includes:

  • Your own log in to learn@nec to access the course so you can view the course materials and other information for yourself.
  • Access to your child’s gradebook to help you to monitor progress and provide appropriate and timely intervention and support
  • You’ll receive emails and forum posts so that you have all the examination and assessment updates/information provided by the NEC team
  • Dedicated Progress Portal Pages and targeted blogs with updates/information/help and advice on many aspects of home education.

Read more about how we work with young students who are studying at home or through a school.

Arrange a call back from a member of our Course Advice Team.

Would you like to talk to our Course Advice Team about the best route for you? Visit our Contact Us page, fill in the form and a member of the team will get back to you!