A pyschology A level without coursework or practicals?

Is there a psychology A Level without coursework or practicals, even if it's an "international" one that can only be sat outside of Britain?

By this I mean an A Level for which there is

* no required coursework or practical experience

* no coursework or practical assessment that feeds into the grade you get, and

* no "practical endorsement" which is separate from the grade but which some universities require (as with the Edexcel A level in biology)

In other words, is there a qualification that is examined by written papers in an exam room only? It's fine if they ask about how you would do certain practical things such as setting up and conducting a survey etc.

Reply 1

username2488767

Original post by marers

As far as I'm aware, that's how most A Levels run now. The mainpsychology A Level board is AQA (which I sat last year) and it's 100% examined theory. They removed coursework and practicals for the new specification so if you don't want to shop around, go for AQA as most students on here will be doing that so there's lots of help available. It was examined in year 1 with 2 exams, and then 3 exams in year 2.

Reply 2

Compost

Original post by marers

Is there a psychology A Level without coursework or practicals,

All the Psychology specifications approved for teaching in England are 100% exam (and have been since 2008 at the latest). I'm not sure where you've looked?

Reply 3

marers

Original post by greghayes

Thanks for this.

When you say AQA is the main board for psychology A Level, does that mean the vast majority of candidates for A Level psychology (not necessarily on TSR) take it with that board? Edexcel, OCR and WJEB all offer it too. Is the AQA specification more highly thought of?

One consideration for me is having a fair number of past papers and mark schemes available. I'd be self-teaching and then sitting the exams as a private candidate.

Original post by Compost

All the Psychology specifications approved for teaching in England are 100% exam (and have been since 2008 at the latest). I'm not sure where you've looked?

Thanks. I have looked at the specifications for Edexcel, AQA, and OCR. I think I was misled by statements such as (Edexcel)

"Students must (...) Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures: ● in a theoretical context ● in a practical context"

and (OCR)

"Learners will be expected to carry out their own small scale practical activities and will reflect on their experiences".

And then there is a reference to an "extended project qualification" that I thought might work a bit like the practical endorsement in (non-international) biology A Levels.

@greghayes - Did you do practical work that helped you get marks in the papers you sat?

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 4

username2488767

Original post by marers

Thanks. I have looked at the specifications for Edexcel, AQA, and OCR. I think I was misled by statements such as (Edexcel)

"Students must (...) Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures: ● in a theoretical context ● in a practical context"

and (OCR)

"Learners will be expected to carry out their own small scale practical activities and will reflect on their experiences".

And then there is a reference to an "extended project qualification" that I thought might work a bit like the practical endorsement in (non-international) biology A Levels.

I'd be self-teaching and then sitting the exams as a private candidate.

@greghayes - Did you do practical work that helped you get marks in the papers you sat?

AQA is the main exam board in that (as I’ve been told anyway) it’s the exam board that the majority of A Level Psychology take so it has the largest number of students on their course. And no, there’s no practical work at all

Reply 5

marers

Original post by greghayes

That's interesting. Thanks.

Did you do the 7181 (AS) and 7182 (A2) specifications, for which A2 papers were set for the first time in 2017? I think in 2018 they may be the only specs that AQA examine: this page at their website doesn't mention any others.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 6

Compost

Original post by marers

Did you do the 7181 (AS) and 7182 (A2) specifications, for which A2 papers were set for the first time in 2017? I think in 2018 they may be the only specs that AQA examine: this page at their website doesn't mention any others.

2017 was the last year for the old specs for exam boards in England, so you would now have to take AQA 7182 or Edexcel 9PS0 or one of the other exam board's specifications.

(Just to clarify, these are A level exams, not A2 - they cover the full A level and there is no needd to take the AS exams as well)

Reply 7

National Extension College

Official Rep

Hi,
NEC offers a course for the Psychology A level from the AQA awarding body. It can now be studied online towards 2019 exams. There is no practical assessment.
Contact us at [email protected] or at our website nec.ac.uk for more info about our course.
Daniel