Criminology contains elements of Psychology, Law and Sociology; which will complement subjects such as History and English.

This is an applied general qualification. This means it has two internal assessment points and two external exams over two years.

Criminology is a fascinating subject which looks at issues such as:

• Analysing criminal behaviour
• Theories of why people commit crime
• How does a courtroom work?
• Cyber crime
• Hate crimes
• Honour crimes
• How the media influences which crimes we report

What units you study?

• Introduction to Criminological Theories
• Changing Awareness of Crime
• Crime Scene to Courtroom
• Crime and Punishment

Students must complete ALL units

Recommended watching:

• Making a Murderer Part 1 / Part 2 (Netflix)
• Mindhunter (Netflix Series) - Links to book.
• Amanda Knox (Documentary / Film)
• 24 Hours in Police Custody
• Louis Theroux Behind Bars

Recommended reading:

• The Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law & How It's Broken
• The Secret Barrister: Fake Law
• In Black and White
• Court Number One: The Old Bailey Trials that Defined Modern Britain
• Mindhunter (Inside the FBI's serial crime unit) - Links to Netflix series.

Recommended listening (Podcasts / Spotify):

• Crime Junkie
• LawPod
• Law in Action
• Unsolved Murders
   

What qualifications do I need?

• Standard College entry requirements: Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, must include Mathematics.

Where can Criminology lead me?

• Police,
• The legal system
• Teaching,
• Social work
• The Prison service
• The Probation service

Where could I study Criminology?

Top 5 (https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/courses/search/undergraduate/criminology?sortby=sub):

Bristol
Exeter
Bath
Lancaster
Loughborough

Examination board – AQA (7182)

AS and A-level Psychology Specification Specifications for first teaching in 2015 (aqa.org.uk)

• How does a seemingly calm person turn violent?

• Would you hurt someone just because you were told to?

• How does your childhood affect the adult you become?

What will I study?

• Social influence

• Memory

• Attachment

• Psychopathology

• Approaches in Psychology

• Biopsychology

• Research methods

• Issues and debates in Psychology

• Schizophrenia

• Aggression

• Relationships

How will I be assessed?

Paper 1: Introductory Topics in Psychology

• Written exam - 2 hours
• 96 marks in total
• 33.3% of total A-level assessment

Topics include:

1. Social influence
2. Memory
3. Attachment
4. Psychopathology

Paper 2: Paper 2: Psychology in Context

• Written exam - 2 hours
• 96 marks in total
• 33.3% of total A-level assessment

Topics include:

1. Approaches in Psychology
2. Biopsychology
3. Research methods

Paper 3: Issues and Options in Psychology

• Written exam - 2 hours
• 96 marks in total
• 33.3% of total A-level assessment

Topics include:

1. Schizophrenia
2. Aggression
3. Relationships
4. Issues and debates in Psychology

Subjects that compliment Psychology

• Biology
• PE
• Sociology
• Criminology

Recommended reading:

• Psychopath test by Jon Ronson

Recommended watching:

Recommended listening:

• Invisibilia Podcast

What qualifications do I need?

• Standard College entry qualifications: Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, must include Mathematics.
• Subject specific entry qualifications: 5 or higher in GCSE English Language alongside grade 5 in Mathematics.

Where could I study Psychology?

Best UK universities for psychology – league table | Education | The Guardian

• Cambridge
• Kings College London
• Bath
• Oxford
• York

Where can Psychology lead me?

Psychology graduates have one of the highest employment rates of any subject! You can use it for social work, the police, education, advertising, counselling, mental health nursing, and many more....

What do students say?

"Psychology is a really great subject as the lessons aren’t only interesting and engaging but also fun."

• 
  "Help and support is always available if I need it."
• "Lessons are relaxed, friendly and enjoyable but simultaneously stimulating and motivational."
• ‘Psychology is my favourite subject and I always look forward to it”
• “The topics are all really interesting and you get to see the world in a different perspective. The teachers are really helpful and supportive,”
• “I am so glad that I took Psychology. I was debating whether to take it at the beginning of the year but a few weeks into it I loved it. The teachers are so supportive. I would definitely recommend it.”

Contact: Mrs N Knight

Board – AQA

These are the sorts of issues you will be expected to write essays about on the newly restructured Sociology A level course, as well as studying the research methods used by Sociologists, ranging from questionnaires and interviews to ethically questionable undercover filming operations. Asking the right questions is at least as important as finding the right answers... and is there always a “right” answer anyway?

Where it leads

Sociology A level is recommended for careers such as Nursing, Teaching, Social Work and Police Work, but it also involves current affairs, political opinions and an element of philosophical speculation about human nature – it is one of the broadest A levels you can do and it goes well with almost any subject combination.

What students say

"It is a really interesting, fun and enjoyable lesson which all students are respected and treated like individuals. The teacher truly cares about the success and well-being of the students in his class. By doing so, all the students feel as if they are really cared about and that they can always talk and confide in the teacher.”

You will need normal College entry qualifications and will also need to attain 5 or higher in GCSE English Literature or Language and 4 or higher in GCSE Mathematics.

What qualifications do I need?

• Standard College entry qualifications: Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, must include Mathematics.
• Subject specific entry qualifications: 5 or higher in GCSE English Language.