- Sociology gives students a broad understanding of the social processes and social change that affects everyday lives.
- Sociology students will work in partnership to develop their knowledge, understanding and critical evaluative skills in order for them to reach their potential and their learning goals
- Sociological teaching and learning activities consist of class activities, whole class teaching, practical lessons, individual, paired and group work.
- Sociology learning materials are mostly produced in-house
- Sociology students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning early on in the course
- Sociology at The Bushey Academy is examined by the AQA examining board- the market leader in GCE Sociology.
What are the course requirements?
Five GCSE’s at Grade A-C including English and if students do not have Mathematics GCSE at A-C, they will be required to obtain this whilst completing AS level.
Sociology students are also asked to keep their understanding of sociological issues up to date by reading newspapers and researching on the internet. (See guidelines below)
Students are expected to do about 4-5 hrs study on their own, each week. Homework is set every week and the majority of internal assessments are done through essay work and stimulus response questions. Students will have the opportunity to take examinations in their AS units in January and June.
Am I right for this course?
If you have enthusiasm, drive and the ability to discover new forms of learning, then Sociology is for you.
Course outline for AS
Sociology is the study of individuals and groups in society. We look at sociological research methods and at different social institutions such as the family, education, crime and deviance and religion and compare the experiences of different groups of people (social groups) with them.
e.g. The impact of social class on educational achievement.
e.g. The impact of gender and peer pressure on crime
The AS specification has two units:
Unit 1:
Culture and Identity/Families and Households/Wealth, Poverty and Welfare
Assessment: Written paper 1 hour
Weighting: 40% of total AS/20% of total A level
Students choose one topic from three and answer one question. Each question has five parts.
Unit 2:
Education, Health, Sociological Methods
Assessment: Written paper. 2 hours.
Weighting: 60% of total AS/30% of total A level marks
Students choose one topic, education or health, and answer:
a) one question on the chosen topic. This question consists of four parts
b) one question on sociological research methods in the context of the chosen topic. The question consists of one part.
In addition students answer one question on free-standing sociological research methods. This question consists of four parts. (This is instead of coursework)
A2 Sociology.
- Sociology is a very popular subject nationally
- Sociology is a subject that students can relate to. It is relevant to their everyday lives so they can immediately engage with the topics.
- Sociology encourages students to develop critical and reflective skills and to respect differences between people. Useful skills for HE and working life.
- Sociology gives students a broad understanding of the social processes and social change that affects everyday lives.
- Sociology students will work in partnership to develop their knowledge, understanding and critical evaluative skills in order for them to reach their potential and their learning goals
- Sociological teaching and learning activities consist of class activities, whole class teaching, practical lessons, individual, paired and group work.
- Sociology learning materials are mostly produced in-house
- Sociology students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning early on in the course
- Sociology at Bushey Academy is examined by the AQA examining board- the market leader in GCE Sociology.
What are the course requirements?
A satisfactory grade in AS Sociology to continue to A2. This would normally be a grade D at AS and overall DDE on the AS programme to progress to the FT A2 programme.
Sociology students are also asked to keep their understanding of sociological issues up to date by reading newspapers and researching on the internet. (See guidelines below)
A2 students are expected to do a minimum of 4-5 hrs study on their own, per week. Homework is set every week and the majority of internal assessments are done through essay work and stimulus response questions. Students will have the opportunity to take examinations in their A2 units in January and June.
Course outline for A2
Sociology is the study of individuals and groups in society. In the second year we look at Sociological Theory and Research Methods and at different Social Institutions such as Religion and Crime and Deviance and compare the experiences of different groups of people (social groups) with them.
e.g. The impact in the growth of Sects and Cults on the established Church in the UK
e.g. The impact of Gender and Peer pressure on Crime and Deviance
The new A2 specification has 2 units:
A2 outline
At A2, candidates will continue to focus on contemporary society but they should demonstrate a wider range and greater depth of knowledge and understanding and more highly developed skills of application, analysis, interpretation and evaluation.
The A2 specification has 2 units:
Unit 3: Beliefs in Society; Global Development; Mass Media; Power and Politics
Topic list
- Beliefs in Society
- Global Development
- Mass Media
- Power and Politics.
Assessment
Written Paper: 1 hour 30 minutes
Weighting: 20% of total A Level marks
Candidates choose one topic from four and answer one compulsory question and one question from a choice of two. The compulsory question consists of either two or three parts and the optional question consists of one essay.
Unit 4: Crime and Deviance; Stratification and Differentiation; Theory and Methods
Topic list
- Crime and Deviance
- Stratification and Differentiation
- Theory and Methods.
Assessment
Written Paper: 2 hours
30% of total A Level marks
Candidates choose one topic (Crime and Deviance or Stratification and Differentiation) and answer:
(a) one question on the chosen topic. This question consists of two parts.
(b) one question on sociological research methods in the context of the chosen topic. This question consists of two parts.
In addition, candidates answer one question on theory and methods. This question consists of one essay.
Please note: the last opportunity to resit the above units will be in January 2010. The NEW A2 specification will then be the ONLY specification available for examination to students.
Where next?
Students who have studied sociology at A level have gone on to enter a diverse range of careers ranging from education, policing, social work and legal justice to business, counselling, market research and recruitment consultancy. Sociology is often taught within health related degrees such as physiotherapy, radiography and nursing.
Recommended text book and other sources of information
The most important resource of all for sociology students are books. The students recommended text book will be discussed in the first few weeks of the course and students will also be provided with a comprehensive reading list.
Sociology students are always encouraged to build up their social awareness and knowledge from a variety of sources including the following:
Television.
Almost all television programmes have sociological value. From soaps & Big Brother to current affairs and documentaries. Ones to look out for include:
- Panorama (BBC1)
- Channel 4 News
- Cutting Edge (C4)
- Secret History (C4)
- Have I Got News For You
- News Night
Films
Films are an extraordinary resource for Sociology students. E.g. ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ starring Jack Nicholson looks at the concept of Deviancy, Mental illness and Total Institutions
Resources
Due to the fact that Sociology is the study of human social behaviour and society we are literally surrounded by resources. All forms of human communication can be considered resources. Key resources for AL/AS students include:
Newspapers
All media texts are valuable resources for students. A number of key newspapers have sociologists writing articles, and cover stories in a very sociological in-depth way. Key newspapers include:
- The Guardian.
- The Independent.
- The Times
- The Observer
- The Telegraph
- The Financial Times
The Guardian and Independent are probably the two most popular papers amongst sociologists.
Magazines
Key magazines would include:
- Sociology Review.
- New Internationalist
- The New Statesmen
- The Economist
Radio
Radio 4 (94.4 FM) is the only talk based radio that has no commercial adverts. There are a wide range of different programmes but Radio 4 News 6.30am - 9.00am and 5.00pm -6.00pm is an extraordinary resource for students. The Frontline programme at 7.15pm -7.45pm Mon- Fri is also very useful. Radio 4 also does a wide range of documentaries and specialist programmes that are fascinating and useful for Sociology students.
Key internet sites
The following sites include resources, activities and links to even more sociology sites. Students should ensure that they are using the Internet on at least a weekly basis. More sites will be recommended to students during the course. Meanwhile here are a few recommended sites that students may wish to look at
AQA Home Page:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/sociology_new.php
S-Cool Revision Site:
http://www.s-cool.co.uk/topic_index.asp?subject_id=64
Sociology Central:
http://www.sociology.org.uk/
National Statistics:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/glance/
Sociology Resources
http://www.ruthssociology.com/