This course has most similarity with History, Politics and Psychology. It is appropriate for students interested in the functioning of modern society, human behaviour and contemporary social issues. Lively debate, supported by theoretical underpinning, will then be filtered into informed and focused written arguments under exam conditions.
Will
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. Wider reading is essential; students must be able to interpret essay titles and produce coherent, fluent written answers. It is essential that they develop analytical and evaluative skills in relation to both empirical and theoretical data.
Topics studied
Families and Households
Education
Research Methods with Theory
Beliefs in Society
Crime and Deviance
Methods of Assessment
The course will be examined in the following pattern:
|
Paper 1 Education, Theory and Methods |
2 hour exam |
33.3% of total A level |
|
Paper 2 Topics in Sociology : Families and Beliefs in Society |
2 hour exam |
33.3% of total A level |
|
Paper 3 Crime and deviance with Theory and methods |
2 hour exam |
33.3% of total A level marks |
Meet the Sociology teachers and students
Methods of Teaching and Learning
The course is taught by specialist, experienced teachers. Lectures, discussions, written assignments, videos, presentations and tests are all part of the learning programme.
Course Combinations
Sociology combines well with any other academic subject, particularly humanities-based subjects like Psychology, Law, Politics and History. Many students combine the course with Health and Social Care to help prepare for work in the caring professions. Some also use Sociology to contextualise their studies in Film, Media or the arts. It is a very flexible subject in terms of relevance.
Resources
Support for student learning is provided by extensive Moodle documents and video extracts. The Learning Resource Centre is well stocked with Sociology books and reference works. Students will be advised which textbooks are most useful to support their studies.
Progression
The full Advanced Level in Sociology provides a strong basis for students wishing to proceed to Higher Education. It is also a useful background for multiple careers, including: nursing, social work, health care, education, public relations, the media, human resources,police, law and the leisure industry.
Resources
Support for student learning is provided by extensive Moodle documents and video extracts. Textbooks written by the AQA examiner are available to all.
Charges
Students will need to purchase a text book costing approximately £25 for the first year of the course. Beyond this there may be occasional visits or conferences.
