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  • Sociology

    Key Stage 5

    Exam board

    AQA A-level Sociology 7192

    Description

    Sociology is the study of society and is a stimulating subject in which students achieve a greater understanding of the society in which they live. It will help to develop critical and analytical skills which are seen by employers and universities as essential for a changing world and an increasingly competitive marketplace.

    Content

    Year 1

    • Education – The study of the purpose and changes to the education system and how particular social groups achieve.
    • Research Methods – Studying the methods that sociologists use to understand society and the theoretical significance of them.
    • Sociological Theory – Core sociological perspectives and debates.

    Students can then choose to study either:

    • Families and Households – The changing nature of the family in society and gender roles
      OR
    • Health – The healthcare system and inequalities in this, with some focus on mental health.

    Year 2

    • Crime and Deviance – Explanations of crime in society and patterns of crime, looking at changes and possible prevention methods.
    • Beliefs in Society – The study of the changing nature of religion and its significance for society.
      Year 12 Year 13
    Autumn An Introduction to Sociology
    • Key concepts
    • Perspectives
    Education
    • The role of education
    • Social class and achievement
    • Ethnic groups and achievement
    • Gender and achievement
    • Education policy
    Crime and Deviance
    • Perspectives of crime – functionalism, Marxism, labelling theory and realism
    • Patterns of crime – social class, gender, and ethnicity
    • Contemporary crime – globalisation, media, green crime, and state crime
    • Prevention and Punishment – victimisation, theories of prevention and punishment, the role of the criminal justice system
    Spring Research Methods and Methods in Context
    • Experiments
    • Questionnaires
    • Interviews
    • Observations
    • Secondary sources
    Family
    • Sociological perspectives of the family
    • Changing family structures
    • Couple relationships
    • Childhood
    Health
    • The social construction of health, the body, disability, and models of health
    • Inequalities in healthcare
    • Access to healthcare
    Beliefs in Society
    • The role of religion and definitions
    • Secularisation
    • Changes in religion – globalisation, fundamentalism, sects, and cults
    • Patterns of religious belief – social class, gender, age, and ethnicity
    • Science and ideology
    Revision
    • Core themes
    • Exam skills
    Summer Family
    • Demographic changes
    • Social policy
    Health
    • Mental Illness
    • The health care industry and professions
    Sociological Theory
    • Perspectives – functionalism, Marxism, feminism, action theory, postmodernism
    • Debates – sociology and science, values and objectivity, social policy
    Examinations
    • Paper 1 - Education with Theory and Methods
    • Paper 2 – Topics: Health and Beliefs in Society
    • Paper 3 – Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods

    Extra-curricular Opportunities

    • A visit to Gloucester Crown Court in Year 13
    • A joint Politics trip to Parliament and the Supreme Court
    • Speakers and visitors
    • FemSoc – A lunchtime society focusing on feminism in contemporary society