Sociology  (A Level)  

•  Assessment
• Year 1 & 2
  100% Exam
• Exam board
  AQA

What Will You Learn?

Ever find yourself questioning the world around you? If yes, then Sociology may be the subject for you!
Sociology is the study of society, a critical analysis of the way things are in Britain. You will gain new insights and
fresh perspectives on your own life and social experiences. You will debate and evaluate a range of sociological
theories on patterns of social behaviour in institutions such as education, the family, the media and the criminal justice system.

Modules

Year 1

• Education

We’ll look at why we have an education system and why it is that some groups in society seem to come away with better grades and qualifications than others. You’ll gain an understanding of the role of social class, ethnicity and gender in this and how what goes on inside the school can have an impact on achievement.

• Families and Households

What do we mean by a family and why is the family seen as a key feature of any society? Other areas we’ll look at include our changing views of childhood and the ways in which families are becoming increasingly diverse.

• Research Methods

This topic focuses on the different approaches we can use to find out about society. Whether it’s using questionnaires or undercover observations, each method has its strengths and limitations.

Year 2

• Beliefs in Society

How do people make sense of the world around them? Science and religion are two major areas we’ll look at here. What do we mean by “religion” and what role do traditional religions, cults and sects have in society today?

• Crime and Deviance

How can we explain people’s involvement in criminal and deviant acts? Are crime statistics to be trusted and how might we prevent crime? We’ll also look at environmental crimes and consider the ways in which governments may be involved in criminal activities.

• Theory and Methods

Which theory to explain how society works seems most useful? Here we’ll deepen our appreciation of some of the main sociological theories such as Marxism, Feminism and Postmodernism, as well as developing our understanding of the research approaches studied in year 1.

Special Features

• Critically analyse the world around you.
• In-college talks with sociologists covered on the course including Gary Wilson in the Education topic and Prof Simon Winlow and Dr Katy Snell in the Crime and Deviance topic.
• Trip to London to attend the UCL Institute of Education A Level Sociology Conference, West End show and sightseeing. 

Where Will This Lead?

Sociology is a good basis for any degree course and is highly regarded, particularly for careers in social work, teaching, the police and legal professions, research, journalism, welfare, management and human resources.

Sociology will also develop a range of valuable skills, including analytical, evaluative and communication skills, as well as greater self-awareness and understanding of others.

These skills are prized by Russell Group universities.