Sociology
A Level
Examination Board: AQA
Specification: 2190
Course Leader: Mrs L Chapman
Contact Email: lchapman@tgschool.net
What Will I Study?
Unit 1: Education with theory and research methods - You will learn about the role of the education system and why certain groups do better or worse than each other in terms of performance. You will learn to explain and evaluate different sociological perspectives on education, including Marxism, Feminism, Interactionism and Functionalism. You will examine some of the hidden processes that go on in the classroom, including the significance of interpersonal relationships, subcultures and social policies.
Unit 2: Topics in Sociology
(a) Families and Households - throughout this course, you will consider how the concept of family has changed over time, and how it varies in different cultures. Throughout your study, you will consider a range of questions that sociologists seek to answer - for example: What makes a family? How has the position of children and our attitudes towards childhood changed? How can the government shape our family lives through the policies they choose? How do different sociologists view the family? Are husbands and wives equal? How have constructs such as marriage, divorce and cohabitation changed over time? What impact does globalisation and migration have on our family lives? Overall, is the family a positive or negative construct?
(b) Beliefs in Society - Beliefs are ideas about what we hold to be true. They can result in profound understandings of the universe organised into religious faiths. They can drive ideologies that provide competing political outlooks, and they shape central aspects of our own identity and our relationships with others. Beliefs may reside in the mind but their impact on the world is physical.
Unit 3: Crime and Deviance with theory and methods - You will examine different sociological explanations of crime and deviance, including feminism, Marxism, Interactionalism and Functionalism. You will consider inequalities in the ways that different social classes, genders, ethnicities and ages are viewed in terms of crime and deviance. You will also look at crime control, prevention, punishment and the role of the criminal justice system.
Why Choose Sociology?
Sociology is the scientific study of society. It is the study of people: their relationships, values, beliefs and behaviours. Through the teaching of a wide range of topics, we aim to inspire students to have critical and enquiring minds - debating and discussing many different points of view about society and the world we all live in. Many students are interested in the inequalities that exist between different social groups in society, and our lessons provide a place to explore explanations and different viewpoints on this.
By asking challenging questions, sociology seeks to reveal that which is hidden. How did you become you? Why do some children fail in school, and some succeed? What causes crime, and can we ever eradicate it? What are the global causes of the environmental crisis?
Above all, sociology helps students to understand and explore their own identities and behaviours, and those of other people.
Entry Requirements
Students require a Grade 5 in English and Maths. Reading, writing and informal discussion are an essential part of the course.
Assessment
Written examination: Three papers of two hours each.
Where Next?
Sociology is a discipline widely studied at university and post graduate level. After completing a Sociology degree, you can go on to careers in fields such as law, criminology, social services, teaching and social research.
