The Course
Sociology is great for those who wish to learn more about institutions like
family, education, religion and crime and deviance. Sociology will enable you to
develop a range of skills that universities value and employers need, such as
the ability to think critically and develop an argument. You will become much
more socially aware and will start to see society in a whole new light as you
learn about culture, identity, social class, gender and race and ethnicity.
There are six main topics of study on the course which include:
- Families and Households: You’ll learn how the family has shaped the nature
of society and the economy. We also examine how government policy has
attempted to influence the family and examine whether women still take
responsibility for domestic chores and childcare or whether it is shared more
equally between both partners.
- Education: This focuses on the role of the education system and why
certain groups do better or worse than others in terms of performance.
Students examine the hidden processes that go on in the classroom concerning
roles, regulating behaviour and teacher student relationships.
- Sociological Methods: You’ll learn about the different ways in which we
actually generate knowledge about society. These methods might include
questionnaires, surveys, observation, experiments or interviews.
- Beliefs in Society: Learn about a range of systematic beliefs and how
science relates to religion. We debate whether religion promotes change in
society or keeps things the same. We look at different types of religious
organisations like churches, sects, cults and denominations. Students also
examine how religion influences the contemporary world and assess whether we
are becoming more secular (non-religious and rational) or not.
- Crime and Deviance: Here you’ll learn about who commits crime and to what
extent, by examining factors such as gender, race and ethnicity, social class,
age and locality. Prevention of crime, the criminal justice system, deterrence
and punishment are also covered. Other issues include globalisation of crime,
a sociological understanding of suicide and theories and methods used in
understanding crime and deviance.
- Sociological Theory: You will learn about key sociological perspectives
such as Marxism and Feminism and discuss debates such as ‘Is Sociology a
Science?’
Why study Sociology?
Sociology will enable you to develop
a range of skills that universities value and employers need. You will become
much more socially aware and will start to see society in a whole new light as
you learn about culture, identity, social class, gender and race and ethnicity.
Sociology is also great for those who wish to learn more about institutions like
family, education, religion and crime and deviance. You will be taught by staff
who have many years of experience working with the examination board and our
results are consistently above national benchmarks
What else can you do on this course?
You can take part in
different enrichment activities and trips to exhibitions.
