Sociology

Do you want to know more about how society works? Are you the sort of person interested in social issues such as sexism, racism and class inequality? Then Sociology might just be the course for you.

We look at how various sociological theories have explained the role of various institutions in society. Does education brainwash us into becoming obedient workers, or prepare us to work in a skilled, technological economy? Are families there to teach us how to become functioning members of society, or to make women second class citizens by preparing them for a life of domestic servitude? Is the legal system there to treat us all equally before the law, or is there one rule for the rich, and one for the poor? Does the growth in social media allow us to share our views and ideas on a global scale, or do they allow a few billionaires to decide what we have access to online?

Sociology also explores how the various groups we belong to affect our life chances. Why do women live longer than men? Is institutional racism in the police behind the higher stop and search rates among black and Asian people? Do students from wealthier backgrounds do better in education due to parental aspirations or by having the money to pay for better resources? Through examining these issues, we understand how inequality is part of everyday life, and the barriers some group face compared to others.

As Sociology is the study of society, we look at how we study people in society through various research methods, and the debates around this area. Can we really understand how people think and feel by asking them to fill out questionnaires? Will interviewees be honest when discussing sensitive issues in a face-to-face setting? Is it ever ok to do undercover observations of a group, especially is there’s no other way of studying them? By looking at how we gather data, we debate the best ways to truly understand human behaviour.

is a mixture of short exam questions, smaller essay questions and larger essays, to prepare you for the three exams that form the basis of the A-Level qualification.