Exam Board Specification
AQA
Description of course
Students will learn the fundamentals of sociology, studying people of society and their behaviour. Students will study various sociologists who have created theories to explain human behaviour and the workings of society. The theories are explanations of the patterns we find in society for example; we may have a theory as to why there are differences in girls’ and boys’ achievement levels in school.
Studying sociology will enable students to discuss social issues in a more informed and systematic way and it will help them to make sense of their own and other people’s experiences. These skills students develop will enable them to think logically about the world. Additionally students will also develop skills valued by higher education and employers, including critical analysis, independent thinking and research.
How the course is assessed
| Paper and topics | Length of exam | Marks awarded | Type of questions |
| Paper 1: Education with methods in context | 2 hours | 80 marks | Education: Short answers and extended writing Methods in context: Extended writing |
| Paper 2: Families and households and Beliefs in Society | 2 hours | 80 marks | Families and Households: Extended writing Beliefs in Society: Extended writing |
| Paper 3: Crime and Deviance and Theory and Methods | 2 hours | 80 marks | Crime and Deviance: Short answers and extended writing Theory and methods: Extended writing |
Topics:
| A level paper 1: Education and methods in context | |
| Year 1: Family | Year 1 and Year 2: Research methods |
| Class differences in achievement – internal and external factors | Various research methods to investigate education – experiments, questionnaires, interviews, observation and secondary sources |
| Ethnic differences in achievement | Education – the research context |
| Gender differences in achievement | |
| The role of education in society | |
| Educational policy and inequality | |
| A level paper 3: Crime and Deviance and theory and methods | |
| Year 2: Crime | Year 2: Theory and methods |
| Theories of crime | Methods – qualitative and quantitative research methods |
| Class, power and crime | Theories - Functionalism, Marxism, Feminism and Action |
| Gender, crime and justice | Sociology as a science |
| Ethnicity, crime and justice | Objectivity and values in sociology |
| Crime and the media | Globalisation, modernity and postmodernity |
| Globalisation, green crime, human rights and state crime | |
| Control, punishment and victims | |
Higher education, future careers and progression routes
Sociology is designed to prepare students for a whole range of further study and occupations. Sociology students often progress into careers such as public sector welfare work for example the probation service or social work, work in human resources and teaching. Sociology as an A level is compatible with subjects such as English, Government and Politics, History and other essay based subjects. This is because it allows students to practice their essay writing skills and use knowledge from other subjects to build upon their own.
2015 Examination success rates:
Pass rate 100%
A*-B 76%
A*-C 89%Entry Criteria:
Entry criteria:
Students must meet the Consortium minimum entry criteria for A Level courses, that is, a GCSE grade 5 or above in English Literature, grade 4 or above in English Language and grade 4 or above in Maths, as well as a point score of 44.5 or higher.
Additional information:
Ask a question:
subjectlead@southernconsortium.org.uk
