A Level Sociology
Overview:
"Sociology aims to unleash every student’s sociological imagination, or “the quality of mind essential to grasp the interplay of individual and society, of biography and history, of self and the world,”
(C. Wright Mills)
From day one students are expected to engage critically with the structures and processes all around them that make social life possible. Scratching beneath the surface of taken-for granted assumptions and developing the skills to analytically question social phenomena are at the core of this A Level. Students are also expected to demonstrate sociological curiosity and contemporary awareness by linking subject knowledge to current affairs in both formal assessments and class discussions.
Sociology allows students to explore a range of contemporary issues from a variety of competing perspectives. We are interested in how experiences of class, gender and ethnicity impact the lives of members of our society both today and historically.
“I have really enjoyed studying Sociology, I like that every lesson has content which is relevant to daily life. I have enjoyed discussing and debating issues which interest me and also exploring the same issues from a variety of different perspectives.”
Course Structure and Content:
Five units taught over two years.
- Unit 1 - Education Exploration of the function of the education system in our society today and the impact of educational policies.
- Unit 2 - Families and Households Competing perspectives on the role of the nuclear family and how it affects the experiences of children growing up in contemporary Britain.
- Unit 3 - Crime and Deviance An exploration of a range of theories of who commits crime and why, including contemporary criminology theory.
- Unit 4 - Media The media unit focuses on issues of representation, production and reception of media texts whilst considering a range of theoretical perspectives.
- Unit 5 - Theory and Methods The grounding of all sociological theory, an academic exploration of competing theoretical perspectives and their impact on society.
Click here to download a course flyer
Assessment:
At the end of the Lower Sixth, students sit an exam on all of the Lower Sixth content. This does not count towards the final grade, but assesses the content at this half-way point before progression to the Upper Sixth. The final assessments at the end of the Upper Sixth are as below:
- Assessment 1 - 33% 2 hour written paper based on units 1 and 5 (80 marks)
- Assessment 2 - 33% 2 hour written paper based on units 2 and 4 (80 marks)
- Assessment 3 - 33% 2 hour written paper based on units 3 and 5 (80 marks)
Examination Board:
The course followed is the AQA A Level Sociiology 7192
AQA A Level Sociology (external link)
Complementary Courses:
- History
- Politics
- Psychology
- Economics
- Media Studies
- Religion, Philosophy & Ethics
- English Language
- English Literature
Future Career Opportunities:
Sociology can lead to further study in Sociology or a variety of wider subjects and careers, including but not limited to Medicine, Social Work, Healthcare, Education, Research, Politics, Law and Law Enforcement.