A Level Sociology

Course Overview

This course can either be studied at Wakefield College or Selby College.

Sociology is the study of how social forces shape and mould human behaviour, usually without our consent or acknowledgement. It’s an ever-changing subject area that makes you question how the world works and often shines the spotlight on many different forms of inequality that exist in our world today. Approach it with an open mind and you may find yourself totally immersed in a very short space of time.

You will learn through a wide range of activities including including lectures, group work, working in pairs, class discussion, practice exam questions and independent study. You'll also be expected to conduct at least four hours of reading and independent study outside of lessons and complete regular homework tasks.

What You Will Study

You will study a variety of areas, including:

• The Family – What is a family? How has the family changed recently and what are the reasons for these changes?
• Education – What is the role of schools? What are the reasons why some people succeed in education and some do not?
• Crime and Deviance – Why do some people commit crime? How reliable are crime statistics? What is the role of the police, the courts and the prisons?
• Research Methods – The strengths and limitations of the different methods that sociologists use for investigating society
• Beliefs in Society – Has science replaced religion in modern society? What role does religion play in society?

In studying these topics you will also examine:

• The Influence of the Media
• The Impact of Gender, Social Class and Ethnicity
• The Impact of Globalisation on Modern Society

• How You Will Be Assessed

  At A Level there are three exams, each account for one third of your A Level.

  The three exams last two hours and are worth 80 marks each. The exams consist of a mixture of short answer and extended writing questions.

  These are:

  • Paper 1-Education with Theory and Methods (33%)
  • Paper 2- Topics in Sociology (The Family and the Beliefs in Society modules) (33%)
  • Paper 3- Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods (33%)
• Entry Requirements

  5 GCSEs at Grade 9-4 including, English Language and Maths.

  PLUS 

  Grade 5 in English Language or Literature

• Further Study

  Many of our students progress to study a university degree in Sociology, Criminology, Journalism or Humanities. In order to study Sociology at university, the following A Levels are considered to be useful to your application alongside Sociology: Psychology, Geography, Criminology, History, English Literature or English Language.