Exam Board: OCR Duration: 2 years Entry Requirements: Grade 5 at GCSE in one of the Humanities subjects, Grade 5 in GCSE English and Grade 5 in GCSE Mathematics.
Reasons to study Sociology A Level
In Sociology, students critically analyse theories and research on the structure of society and the impact this has on human behaviour. You will develop skills that are applicable to a variety of university courses, such as critical and analytical thinking, written fluency, social awareness, information gathering and interpretation.
Explore what Feminists, Marxists and other Sociological perspectives think about identity, culture, media influence, inequality, crime and globalisation. If you enjoy discussions, formulating arguments and are good at written skill then this could be the course for you.
Course Outline
Component 01: Socialisation, culture and identity
Introduces students to key themes of socialisation, identity and culture, which are developed in closer study of one of three contexts
- Families and relationships
- Youth subcultures
- Media.
Component 02: Researching and understanding social inequalities
Explores the methods of sociological enquiry and uses the context of social difference and inequality to develop knowledge and understanding of contemporary social processes. This fosters the development of critical thinking around social diversity in terms of social class, gender, ethnicity and age.
Component 03: Debates in contemporary society
This component introduces students to contemporary theoretical debates and how they relate to global society. Section A is a compulsory topic, ‘Globalisation and the digital social world’, and in Section B students choose one of the three following options:
- Crime and deviance
- Education
- Religion, belief and faith.
Assessment Outline
Exams are taken at the end of year 13
Paper 1 Socialisation, culture and identity:
written exam (1 hour 30 mins, 90 marks) and is worth 30% of the A Level.
Paper 2 Researching and understanding social inequalities:
written exam (2 hours 15 mins, 105 marks) and is worth 35% of the A Level.
Paper 3 Debates in contemporary society:
written exam (2 hours 15 mins, 105 marks) and is worth 35% of the A Level.
Progression Routes and Career Paths
- Sociologist
- Social Researcher
- Social Worker
- Development Worker
- Policy Analyst
- Human Resources Officer
- Criminologist
- Youth Worker
- Counsellor
- Probation Officer
- Market Research Analyst
- Sociology Lecturer
- Urban Planner
- Diversity Specialist
- Health Educator
- Victim Advocate
The Romero’s Sociology Department
Mr L Davies, Head of Social Science is the primary Sociology teacher. Since reading Sociology at the University of Bristol, he has an extensive experience of teaching Sociology GCSE and A Level, and as an A Level examiner. Like all the social science subjects, Mr. Davies relishes the relevance and applicability of sociology. Moreover, it is a subject that facilitates an academically critical view of society and very much allows students to debate and challenge existing concepts, theories and evidence.
Further Information
For more information or if you have any questions about the A Level Sociology course please contact:
Mr L Davies – Head of Social Science [email protected]
