A Level Sociology

Sociology fosters the development of critical thinking, a respect for social diversity and encourages an awareness of the importance of social structure and social action in explaining issues.

On this course you will develop skills to help you understand and analyse topical issues such as crime and deviance, education and family and household.

It will prepare you for making informed decisions about further learning opportunities and career choices. It is a good subject for those wishing to work in a people focused environment.

In Sociology we critically analyse key topics in contemporary society. These are some of the questions you will be addressing.

Education - What is the point of education?

Why are there differences in educational achievement of social groups by class, gender and ethnicity?

How can we do research in the classroom?

Crime - What makes an act deviant?

How does the media represent crime?

How has the process of globalisation caused change in the types and levels of crime?

Families and Households – What is the impact of our aging population?

What is the future of childhood?

What are the reasons behind the rising divorce rate?

A-level Assessment:

Paper 1: Education with Theory and Methods
Written Exam Paper (2 hours) 33.3%

Paper 2: Families and Households; Mass Media or Social Stratification
Written Exam Paper (2 hours) 33.3%

Paper 3: Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Written Exam paper (2 hours) 33.3%

The exams consist of a mixture of short answer and extended writing questions.

The minimum requirement is 7 GCSE or equivalent passes at grades 9-4 in an appropriate range of subjects, including Maths at grade 4 or above and English or an essay based subject at grade 5 or above. .

The college will accept one BTEC at Merit level as one GCSE equivalent.

You could take this course to complement other advanced level courses which could lead you onto higher education in one or more of the Social Sciences such as Sociology, Social Work, Development Studies, Anthropology or more general higher education courses. With further training, you could go into a job related to Sociology and people such as a Social Worker, Teacher, Social Researcher or a more general position working within the Social Services. You could also go straight into a job as the A-level is a recognised qualification that will help you develop the skills, understanding and knowledge that many employers across lots of industries are looking for, especially in the health and social care sectors.