Sociology
Entry requirements: GCSE grade 5 In Sociology
If the subject has not been studied at GCSE: GCSE grade 5 in English Language or English Literature
Students cover the following theory: Consensus, Conflict, Structural and Social Action theories, the concepts of Modernity and Postmodernity and the following debates – Is Sociology a Science? , Can Sociology be value free? , What is the relationship between Sociology and social policy? All topics will be examined at the end of Year 13 Sociologists are popular with employers because they think critically and independently and have a deep understanding of the complex and interlinked nature of society. Sociology is a people based subject and is relevant to a wide range of careers including teaching, medicine, health and social care, media, politics, police and law.Year 12
Education: The role and functions of the education system, differential educational achievement of social groups by social class, gender and ethnicity; teacher/pupil relationships; pupil identities and subcultures; the hidden curriculum; the significance of educational policies and the impact of globalisation on educational policy.
Methods in context: Application of sociological research methods to the study of education.
Research Methods: Quantitative and qualitative methods of research; research design, sources of data, relationship between Positivism, Interpretivism and sociological methods, theoretical, practical and ethical considerations influencing choice of topic, method(s) and conduct of research.
Changes to the family and household structure; changing patterns of marriage, cohabitation, divorce and childbearing; changes within the family e.g. gender roles, domestic labour, power relationships; childhood, and changes in status of children in the family and society; demographic trends in the UK since 1900 including ageing population and migration.Year 13
Relationships between ownership and control of the media, new media and its significance in contemporary society, the media, globalisation and popular culture, media representations of age, social class, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and disability, the relationship between the media, their content and presentation, and audiences.
Different theories of crime, deviance, social order and social control; the social distribution of crime and deviance by ethnicity, gender, age, locality and social class, including recent patterns and trends in crime; Globalisation and crime; the media and crime; Green crime, human rights, and state crimes; Crime control, surveillance, prevention and punishment; victims and the role of criminal justice system and other agencies.Assessment
Career Opportunities
