Sociology

Taught at Kenilworth School & Sixth Form

Exam Board: AQA 

Assessment Method: Examined at the end of two years. 3X2hours.  

Why Should I Follow This Course? 

Students usually choose the course because of its interesting content. It helps students to explore both how they have become who they are, as well as gaining insight into the behaviour and beliefs of others in our ever-changing complex and multicultural society.  

What will I learn? 

Students learn the subject through topics and through the issues that are raging in society today.  We always start from students’ own experiences and beliefs but then examine the research evidence and theoretical approaches (like Feminism and Marxism) that enable us to have a more objective understanding of these issues.  

In ‘Family’ we look at questions such as why has marriage declined and divorce grown? How has childhood changed over the generations and why do we have a growth in different types of family today? We also examine the way couples are changing and the degree to which they are now equal. We also ask whether there is a ‘best’ type of family. 

In the Sociology of education, we focus on why some social groups (e.g. social classes, genders or ethnicities) tend to be more successful than others in achievement. We look at factors both inside and outside the school that may help explain achievement.  

In the topic of Crime and Deviance, sociologists are interested in developing theories about why some people are more likely to commit crime than others and why some are more likely to be involved in different types of crime than others. These theories usually lead to different strategies for reducing crime – we then look at how effective these strategies are.  

Finally, in the sociology of Beliefs, we look at what is happening to Belief Systems today. Are we giving up on religion?  Are we becoming scientific and rational thinkers or are we just moving to new forms of spirituality, such as New Age Movements like crystal healing or Wicca?!  We also try to explain why there has been such a rise in extreme movements in recent decades – whether they are religious extremes like Christian and Islamic Fundamentalism or non-religious movements like Nationalism.  Are they all a response to the pressures and insecurities of a newly globalised world?  

Where Will This Qualification Take Me? 

Sociology is an academic subject that is fully welcomed at all the best Universities in the UK. In the job market, Sociology is increasingly in demand because of the critical and persuasive skills that you develop.  The subject also demands that students try and see things from different perspectives and through the eyes of those who experience it.  This is a key skill in a society that is increasingly fragmented into many cultures and subcultures.  Sociology students can end up in a wide range of jobs ranging from the criminal justice system and journalist, to market research analyst and human resources officer, all the way to police officer and international aid worker.  

Entry Requirements: English Language Grade 5.  The course is examined on mainly full prose paragraph writing.  Our job is to develop those skills but the better your English ability is at the start of the course the easier it is to develop that appropriate style.