SOCIOLOGY

LEVEL 3: A LEVEL
EXAMINING BOARD: AQA

If you enjoy questioning society and exploring why people behave the way they do, Sociology could be the right subject for you.

Sociology is a challenging and intellectually stimulating A Level that encourages you to investigate how society works using academic theory and research evidence.

You will explore big questions such as why some cultures are more valued than others, why social class affects educational success, why men are more likely to enter the criminal justice system, and how social media shapes identity and behaviour.

The course develops strong analytical, evaluative and essay‑writing skills, preparing you to think critically and argue confidently.

Sociology is consistently one of the UK’s most popular A Levels, taught here by a department that consistently outperforms the national average.

This course provides an awareness of the importance of social structure and action in explaining a range of sociological issues.

Focusing on contemporary society, you will develop both reflective and critical thinking about the world around you and embrace respect for diversity within society.

You will study:

  • Education – What is the role of education in society? Why do different social groups achieve different grades in education? What impact has social policy had on the experience of education?
  • Theory and methods – What are the main sociological theories and how do they view society? Is Sociology value free? Is Sociology a science? What research methods do sociologists use to investigate society?
  • Methods in context – What are the practical, ethical and theoretical considerations for using research methods to study education?
  • Crime and deviance – Why do people commit crime? What impact does globalisation and the media have on crime? How is crime distributed between social groups in society? How can we prevent crime?
  • The media – How has the media changed? How are different social groups represented in the media? What impact does the media have on its audiences?
  • Culture and identity – What are the different types of culture? How are people socialised in society? What are the key influences on a person’s identity? How does identity influence our consumption of goods?

 

As a minimum, you will need (or equivalent to):

  • GCSE Mathematics grade 4
  • GCSE English Language grade 4
  • plus three more GCSEs at grade 4

 

Sociology is 100% exam based.

There will be three exams, each one is 2 hours in duration.

The subject is essay based and most (91.6%) of the marks come from extended writing questions.

For this reason, we spend a significant amount of time developing your essay writing technique with practice assessments so you feel well-prepared and confident for your exams.

Sociology opens up a wide range of careers in areas such as Welfare, Education, Social Research, Business, Marketing and Health Care.

It will provide you with a wide range of the skills that employers look for, including communication, interpersonal, problem-solving and analytical skills.

Past students have progressed to study courses such as Sociology, Criminology, Social Work, Nursing, Psychology and Business.

Do I need any prior knowledge?

No formal prior knowledge is required, just a genuine interest in the world around you. Regularly consuming the news and having an awareness of current affairs is a real advantage, as Sociology often explores contemporary social issues and debates.

Are there any trip opportunities?

We run regular EnRICH events as a department. For example, annually students have visited Shepton Mallet Prison to experience being a prisoner for the day, a university to experience a higher education setting, and they have participated in charity work.

We have been to London, Berlin, Prague and Poland to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom to the real world.

We have had many guest speakers including Keith Trobe, Author of the A Level Sociology textbook.