Sociology
A Level Sociology explores human behaviour and social structures through a range of theoretical perspectives.
You will study how society is organised and how inequalities shape everyday life. Students need to be prepared to write weekly essays and learn lots of content.
- Qualification
- A Level
- Duration
- 2 years
Why study Sociology at St Brendan’s?
This course has most similarity with the study of History and Politics. It is appropriate for students who are interested in modern society and who enjoy conveying their ideas in writing. Sociologists produce theories to explain human behaviour (functionalism, Marxism, feminism, etc.) and students must be prepared to study these theories and the related research in detail.
There is a great deal of reading and essay based assessment; students must be able to interpret essay titles and produce coherent, fluent essays. It is essential that they develop analytical and evaluative skills in relation to both empirical and theoretical data.
Entry requirements
- 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above
- GCSE English Language at grade 4
- Evidence of success in essay-based subjects (e.g. History or Religious Studies)
- GCSE Maths at grade 3 or above
Course examination breakdown
What else do I need to know?
5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above
GCSE English Language at grade 4
Evidence of success in essay-based subjects (e.g. History or Religious Studies)
GCSE Maths at grade 3 or above
You will study topics including:
Families and households and social change
Education and patterns of achievement
Research methods in sociology
Social inequality (class, gender, ethnicity and age)
Crime and deviance
skillsDeveloped
Essay writing and structured argument
Analytical and evaluative thinking
Interpretation of data and research
Understanding of theory and evidence
Students learn through:
Lectures and class discussions
Written assignments and essays
Use of videos and presentations
Regular testing and feedback
The course will be examined in the following pattern:
PAPER 1:
Socialisation and Culture
Cultural diversity and subcultures
Socialisation and identity
Families & Households
Family diversity in the UK
Social change and how it has changed family structures
Patterns and trends relating to families and households e.g. marriage, divorce and our ageing population
Theoretical perspectives of families and households: Functionalist, Marxist, Feminist, Postmodernist, New Right
Education
The role and function of education
Patterns and trends of achievement; factors affecting achievement by class, ethnicity and gender
Social policy and education
Theoretical perspectives of education
2 hour 30 written paper
(40% of total A-level)
PAPER 2
Methods of Sociological Enquiry
Key concepts of research, such as validity, ethics, reliability, objectivity
Primary and secondary research methods
Methodological approached to research
Sampling
Ethical, practical and theoretical issues with research
1 hour 45 written paper
(20% of total A-level)
PAPER 3
Power and Stratification
Inequality related to social class, gender, ethnicity and age
Changing patterns of inequality including the distribution of income, wealth and social mobility
Theories and explanations for inequality: functionalist, New Right, Marxist, neo-Marxist, Weberian, neo-Weberian, feminist, postmodernist and theories of racism
Crime and Deviance
Patterns of crime and deviance
Measuring crime; official government statistics including police statistics and the British Crime Survey, victim studies and self-report studies
Definitions of crime and deviance as social constructs including the role of the media
Theories and explanations of crime and deviance: functionalist, Marxist, neo-Marxist, interactionist, right and left realism, postmodernist, feminist, sub-cultural
2 hour 30 written paper
(40% of total A-level)
Students benefit from:
Access to extensive Teams documents and video extracts
Use of the Library with internet access
A wide range of sociology books and reference materials
Students will be advised on recommended textbooks for their studies.
Sociology can be studied alongside most academic subjects.
This course supports progression into:
Higher education in sociology or related subjects
Careers in areas such as social research, education, public services and policy
No specific enrichment activities are listed.
Progression opportunities
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