Courses - Social Sciences

How does Apple persuade people to pay so much more for an iPhone than an android phone? Why did Thomas Cook collapse? How do businesses balance today’s environmental, political and ethical issues with the needs of their employees, shareholders and customers? How do businesses remain competitive in an ever-changing world? Why are some companies successful and others fail?  

A Level Business covers a range of topics including: Different business types; What managers do; The role shareholders play; How businesses make decisions; How products and services are marketed; How businesses are financed; What human resources decisions businesses need to make; Competition and the markets in which businesses operate; and Business strategy.

You will develop good written communication, problem-solving, analytical and research skills.  A Level Business is an excellent choice for a wide variety of careers such as accountancy, law, finance, marketing, human resources and management.

Economics is a subject concerned with balancing our wants and needs against limited resources. It asks students to consider how much we can produce, for whom and how much it is worth as a result. During the course, students examine microeconomics, investigating the concepts of supply and demand, looking at individual markets and analysing the causes of market failure.

Macroeconomics is also introduced, providing the chance to consider how the economy functions as a whole, how financial markets work and the impact of globalisation. The course includes a study of the policies used by government and central banks to maximise welfare and maintain economic stability.

Students of Economics do not necessarily need to combine the subject with Maths A Level, unless they want to study pure Economics at degree level. Economics can complement arts subjects such as History and Philosophy and Theology, it can also combine well with Geography or contrast with Sciences.

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind. Students will have the opportunity to explore human behaviour and cognitive processes, such as thinking and memory. 

The course content includes social, cognitive, developmental, clinical and biological psychology. At A Level students will be assessed by three exams involving a mixture of multiple choice, short answer and essay questions.

The course involves the application of psychological skills and research methodology, including mathematical skills, for example hypothesis testing and statistical analysis. It is therefore recommended that students are competent in their knowledge of mathematics before undertaking this course.

Psychology is a fascinating subject in its own right but it also encourages the development and application of many transferable skills, such as communication, team working and research. These skills are highly valued by further education establishments and employers.

Students who study this subject may wish to pursue traditional careers in psychology, such as educational, forensic, clinical or occupational psychology. However, the subject is also well suited to a broad range of careers beyond the traditional fields of psychology.