Sociology

Sociology A Level

Course Content

Likely areas of study:

• Education with Sociological Research Methods:

The study of education covers the social construction of intelligence and sociological views of education and looks at how provision varies between social, racial and gender groups and the role of the state.

• Crime and Deviance with Theory & Method:

This unit covers what it means to be deviant and how society treats its deviant or criminal members. Causes of crime, crime prevention and how crime affects victims are all studied.

• Culture and Identity:

This unit involves the study of different cultures and explores identity in great detail. Areas such as ethnicity, gender and how the media impacts who we are and how we behave are all studied.

• Work, Poverty and Welfare:

This unit covers the nature and persistence of poverty and how wealth is distributed amongst different groups in society. Responses and solutions to poverty are studied as well as the changing nature of work.

Learning Methods and Assessment

An awareness of current social issues and independent research and reading skills are necessary for this course. Lessons include formal teaching and discussion based tasks. Students work on assignments as well as essay questions and structured questions.

Paper 1

Education with Theory and Methods, comprising a mixture of short answers and extended writing.

2 hour exam.

Paper 2

Topics in Sociology, comprising of extended writing answers.

2 hour exam.

Paper 3

Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods, comprising a mixture of short answers and extended writing.

2 hour exam.

Expectations of Students

Students will organise their work to meet homework and exam preparation deadlines. It is essential to be actively aware
of current social issues.

Careers Prospects

Sociology develops social awareness and critical thinking; it will combine well with most A Level courses. A Level Sociology is accepted as an entry qualification for higher education courses and is an asset in a large number of employment areas where social understanding is important. Sociology is a popular subject at degree level.

For more information contact Mr E Georgeou

Awarding Body: AQA

Entry Requirements

Grade 5 or above in GCSE English. APS 5+