Sixth Form Sociology

SOCIOLOGY

Board:     AQA

Type:       GCE A Level

School:    Sturminster Newton High School

Contact: Miss K Allen

Why study Sociology?

Do you want to know why our society is the way it is?  How does it change? What different ideas exist within our society?

Sociology is about society – how it changes structure, what influences there are in society and how understanding it can affect the future.

What will I learn?

We look at how society has impacted us and our families; how society has influenced our education systems; the different ways we interpret criminal or deviant behaviour and how different beliefs are followed within society.

What are the entry requirements?

Minimum: GCSE grade 5 in English; GCSE grade 5 in Sociology (if studied).

To be able to access the A Level Sociology course, you will need to get a good pass in GCSE English as you are expected to write extended answers and create arguments. 

Secure English skills are essential to being able to write acceptable responses in Sociology.

How will I be assessed?

AQA A Level Sociology (7192).  We study 4 topics in this course:

Paper 1 – Education with Theory and Methods

Paper 2 – Families & Households/ Beliefs in Society

Paper 3 – Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods

Each exam paper is marked out of 80 and lasts 2 hours.  There is no coursework element.

All exams require extended written responses referring to the key words and clear understanding of sociological theories and their key sociologists. 

What do students do after studying Sociology?

A level Sociology provides a good foundation for further study of Sociology and related subjects at university such as social care, law, psychology. Universities particularly recognise the research skills developed during the study of social sciences at A level.