Sociology is a popular academic A-Level here at LMS, and is a highly respected qualification for Higher Education courses and employment.

Sociology is the study of the way people are affected by society, and how society is affected by people. As individuals, we spend almost all our time in groups, and in order to understand our behaviour we have to examine and assess the impact of those groups and institutions on us. By taking this subject, you become a much more informed, questioning and critical citizen..

Sociology is an academic subject yet it equips students with a range of skills. You will learn to think critically, to question common-sense assumptions, to solve problems and be able to work independently.

All of this is excellent preparation for future careers. Sociologists go on to work in the media, law and other institutions of criminal justice, public relations, market research, social work, foreign aid and development and teaching; many of course are inspired to stay in an academic environment researching aspects of sociology for the remainder of their careers.

Course Content and Methodology

Families and Households

The family is one of the most fundamental social institutions in our lives. It is a place where we learn values, roles and identities. We explore the way in which factors such as sexuality, ethnicity, social class and social expectations have all played a major part in changing the way we understand the nature and role of the family in contemporary society.

Education with Research Methods

In this part of the course, we examine the role of the education system in wider society. This section of the course also includes an investigation into research methods. Sociologists have to do research and provide evidence for the claims they make. We look at how sociologists do this and the usefulness of different methods in sociological research. For instance, how would one go about researching gangs in Glasgow?

The Media

This unit examines the relationship between ownership and control of the media. It looks at how people in society are influenced more than ever by the new media, how it is presented and who decides what is selected and portrayed in the media. We look at the media, globalisation and popular culture. This unit also examines media representations of age, social class, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and disability, as well as the relationship between the media, their content, presentation and audiences.

Crime and Deviance with Theories and Methods

A fascinating aspect of the course examining the causes, patterns and effects of crime and deviance in society. At this point in the course we also revisit the way that Sociologists research society as well as look at the range of Sociological perspectives that have formed Sociological theories. Various resources will be used to facilitate the learning process including TV documentaries, designing display boards, team essay writing, newspaper analysis and visiting speakers.

Assessment

This course is now linear, so is 100% examined at the end of Year 13. There will be three exams each 2 hours long and they are all weighted equally.

Exam 1: Education with Theory and Methods 2 hour written exam / 80 marks / 33.3% of A-Level.

Exam 2: Topics in Sociology – Families and Households and The Media 2 hour written exam / 80 marks / 33.3% of A-Level.

Exam 3: Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods 2 hour written exam / 80 marks 33.3% of A-Level.

Course Requirements

There are no specific requirements in terms of GCSE qualifications although a degree of competence in English – at least a level 5, preferably a level 6 is desirable as this will allow students to cope with the essay writing content of the course.

Sociology is an excellent complement to other subjects in the social sciences and humanities, such as Psychology, but it also provides a good balance if your other subjects are mainly science-based.

Facilities