Sociology

A Level Sociology

About A Level Sociology

Entry Requirements – No specific requirements at GCSE beyond the standard entry requirements. Students should have a keen awareness of and interest in current affairs and the capacity to express themselves clearly in written work.  They will have to understand and compare and evaluate various theoretical explanations of social institutions and human behaviour. A minimum grade 6 in both GCSE English Language and Literature is strongly desirable.

Assessment: The A Level course includes three modules, which are assessed by 2hr written examinations in the summer of Year 13.  The AQA Examining Board is used.

Paper 1 Education with Theory & Methods

Paper 2 Topics in Sociology

Paper 3 Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods

Course Content: Topics studied in Year 12 are the Sociology of Education and the Sociology of Families & Households.  Year 13 focuses on the Sociology of Beliefs and the Sociology of Crime and Deviance.  Theories developed by and research methods used by sociologists are core themes that will be examined throughout the course.

Additional Information: It is very important that students understand the structure and demands of the subject, before deciding to study it. During Year 11, students contemplating studying this subject should discuss their interest with the specialist subject teachers and consult some of the excellent library resources, before reaching a decision.  The course is challenging and demanding because it assesses not just knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, but the application and evaluation of it also. 

Higher Educations and Careers: A Level Sociology is well established and very popular at Loreto and its successful completion offers access to a wide range of courses in Higher Education.  It has a high degree of relevance in today’s world and students should come prepared to participate actively in discussion work.  The subject provides excellent preparation for careers within Education, Social Work and the Criminal Justice System; but like most Social Science subjects it is useful preparation for a wide variety of graduate careers. Some key skills developed through this course are:

• Extended writing
• Essay writing
• Forming arguments
• Problem solving