Sociology A Level
Course Overview
Sociology is the academic study of social behaviour, attempting to answer questions about why society works the way it does, and why people behave the way they do. Studying sociology is inherently interesting. It gives you the tools to understand behaviour and how the world operates. You will never be the same again!
In Year 1 you will study the role and purpose of education; educational policies, teacher-pupil relationships; and educational achievement of different social groups. You will investigate different sociological views on the role of the family, the changing experience of childhood and relationships between couples. You will also learn about the way in which sociologists study society, and the methods they use to do this.
In Year 2 you will study the causes of crime and why some groups are more likely to break the norms of society than others. You will examine green crime, state crime as well as media representations and influences on crime. You will study the social role of religion, including explanations of the rise of religious extremism, the debate about whether the world is becoming more secular, and new religious movements including cults and sects.
Sociology forces you to look at the world in new ways. You will study the theories of key sociologists and have the opportunity for discussion, drawing on your own experiences and opinions, enabling you to relate to relevant sociological ideas and evidence. We make use of outside speakers and arrange trips, which have included visits to the universities of Liverpool and Manchester, film screenings and a Crime Conference in which ex-prisoners talked about their offending and experience of prison.
You will develop a range of transferable skills, including the ability to think sociologically, by placing yourself in the shoes of others, developing essay skills of analysis and evaluation and presenting information academically. The study of Sociology at this level can lead to a range of further studies and possible careers. These include: law, police work, journalism, teaching, the medical profession, human resources, social work, management, civil service, probation work and the world of business in general.
Year 1 Modules
- Education with Theory and Methods
- Families and Households
Year 2 Modules
- Crime and Deviance
- Beliefs in society
Key Info
Minimum Entry Requirements
- Five GCSEs at Grade 5 including:
- Grade 5 in GCSE English Language
- Grade 5 in GCSE Sociology if taken, or another Humanities subject
- Grade 4 in GCSE Maths
Assessment
- 100% Exam
- Exam Board: AQA
325
Total students
20
Average class size
Why choose this course?
You enjoy extended writing tasks and enjoy reading texts and news articles. Sociology forces you to look at the world in new ways. You will have the opportunity for frequent discussion, drawing on your own experiences and opinions and enabling you to relate these to relevant sociological ideas and evidence. A wide range of teaching methods are used, including individual, small group and whole group tasks.
In Spring 2024, we went on a residential trip to Denmark, visiting a range of places of sociological interest, including investigating the Danish education system. We take students to conferences, and visiting speakers come in to college; these have included a Crime Conference in which ex-prisoners talked about their offending and experience of the criminal justice system, a speaker from the university of Lincoln talking about the relationship between policing and the community. We have also hosted former Sociology university students talking about both their research, for example, into the political sociology of music and working for an anti-knife crime charity.
Skills you'll gain
You will develop a range of transferable skills, including the ability to think sociologically, by placing yourself in the shoes of others, developing essay skills of analysis and evaluation and presenting information logically.
After Long Road
The study of Sociology at A level can lead to a range of further studies and careers including:
- Law
- Police work
- Journalism
- Teaching
- Marketing
- The Health Care Professions
- Personnel work
- Social Work
- Probation Work
Some degree courses being taken by students who have recently completed their studies are:
- Sociology at Warwick
- Sociology at Newcastle
- Rehabilitation Science at Keele
- Society, Culture and Media at the University of East Anglia
- Social Work at Leeds.
- Social Policy at University of Bath
- Social Anthropology and World Philosophy at SOAS
I chose Sociology because I’m interested in the study of society and our relationship with it, and how it shapes us. You can gain a lot of skills from Sociology including writing essays, using analysis and evaluation, as well debating which will be invaluable in all areas of life, particularly university or future job roles. I'm excited to learn about the crime and deviance topic next year.
