Sociology A Level
Sociology studies society, people and their behaviour. A Level Sociology aims to help you understand how society works. By looking at various topics in education, crime, and beliefs from different theoretical approaches, you will look at possible explanations for society’s patterns and individual behaviour. Alongside this, you will also learn how to conduct research into social issues and the strengths and limitations of different research designs.
Curriculum Intent
We believe all sociology students should be educated to be active, critical thinkers, who question the world around them, and do not accept things at face value. To be engaged and informed about social issues and understand a variety of different viewpoints on these social issues. Ultimately sociology should help students to be prepared for a variety of career paths, as we believe all careers can benefit from sociological insight.
AQA A Level Sociology Course Outline
Paper 1: Education with Theory and Methods
- Education
- Methods in Context
- Theory and Methods
Paper 2: Topics in Sociology
- Families and Households
- Beliefs in Society
Paper 3: Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
- Crime and Deviance
- Theory and Methods
You will be assessed by sitting external exams at the end of the two year course. There are three 2 hour exams.
What courses does A Level Sociology go well with?
Sociology complements many other subjects. The course goes particularly well with psychology, law and philosophy and ethics, and any subjects that require critical thinking and essay writing.
What degree/higher education courses and careers can I progress to?
Sociology is well respected and allows you to progress to a wide range of degree and higher education courses.
You will develop a range of transferable skills that will greatly benefit you in the future. This includes:
- Critical evaluation of evidence
- Research methods and statistics
- Written and verbal idea expression
- The ability to question and challenge ideas and assumptions and see often hidden meanings.
Sociology is beneficial for careers involving interaction with society and people. This includes jobs in the police, probation service, journalism, politics, social work, law, education and academic research.