Can you get A* and full UMS in A Level Psychology without sitting AS units?

I think I am a bit behind the times. A few years ago, to get a full A Level, at least in some subjects, you had to take exams in both AS units and A2 units.

Am I right that nowadays you can get A* and full UMS in an A Level without sitting any exams in AS units and only sitting them in the A2 units? The A Level I'm considering is the AQA one in Psychology, specifications 7181/7182.

Reply 1

999tigger

Original post by marers

A level Psychology follows a linear format and you are examined on all the syllabus for all the marks in one set of exams at the end of the course.

In most cases AS is a separate qualification.

Reply 2

marers

Original post by 999tigger

A level Psychology follows a linear format and you are examined on all the syllabus for all the marks in one set of exams at the end of the course.

In most cases AS is a separate qualification.

Got you. Thanks. But just to be sure: take three exams, the A Level ones not the AS ones, in the same May-June session, and only the marks I get in those three exams, once scaled, will determine the grade and overall mark I get at A Level.

And this is in fact the only way to get the AQA A Level in psychology, and whether or not someone has sat AS exams before, or sits them in the same session (not sure why they would want to), and if they sat them then what marks they got, is all completely irrelevant to their A Level grade and mark.

Have I understood this right?

Reply 3

999tigger

Original post by marers

Yes

Just download the spec and it shows you how the mark is calculated.

Reply 4

marers

Original post by 999tigger

Yes

Just download the spec and it shows you how the mark is calculated.

Thanks for your help.

Reply 5

999tigger

Original post by marers

Thanks for your help.

See 100% of the marks (unless AS was 0.1%).

Compare it to AS and you will see the same subjects are studied as the starter ones at A level.

P10

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/psychology/as-and-a-level/psychology-7181-7182

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 6

Good bloke

Multiple choice? How far has the A-level sunk?

Reply 7

marers

Original post by 999tigger

Thanks. I've now put some effort into understanding this, and made this diagram.

Reply 8

999tigger

Original post by marers

Thanks. I've now put some effort into understanding this, and made this diagram.

Bit puzzled as this is already in the spec.

Reply 9

marers

Original post by 999tigger

Bit puzzled as this is already in the spec.

Until a few days ago I was new to the spec. This is just me crunching down information from it.

Do they actually bother setting different questions on social influence, memory, attachment, and psychopathology for AS and A Level? (I would check but couldn't find the AS questions for 2017 to compare the A Level ones with.)

Reply 10

999tigger

Original post by marers

Compare exam papers.

Reply 11

marers

Original post by 999tigger

Original post by marers

(I would check but couldn't find the AS questions for 2017 to compare the A Level ones with.)

Compare exam papers.

Hey, that's an idea! Why didn't I think of that? :-) If someone would only tell this self-taught private candidate where she can get the 2017 papers either for AS or A Level. I've got the 2017 A Level questions with people's answers and with unofficial mark schemes, but that's all. I haven't found either set of papers online. It seems as though people are being good boys and girls. That said, documents such as the "third specimens", not freely downloadable at the AQA website, are widely available.