Sociology

Course summary

Sociology explores society and the interaction between institutions and individuals. You will explore how sociologists use a range of research methods to gather data; you will then critique those methods. Sociology enables students to gain a deeper understanding of the way society works and to explore the power struggles within society. In Year 1 you will study areas that you are already familiar with: Families and Households and Education. You will then look at these areas with a sociological gaze and begin to realise that the power relations in society have a huge impact on the ability of individuals to succeed. Why is it that 7% of the population attend private schools and yet account for approximately 60% of top professional careers? In Year 2 the foci are: The Media: Who owns it? How much does it influence our identity? Is surveillance capitalism a real phenomena? Also, Crime and Deviance: why are crimes committed? Why are some crimes reported more than others; how does the nature of deviance change over time? All study areas are changing continuously and you will be encouraged to ensure that you too ‘keep up to date’ by exploring the news on a range of platforms but also to question, critique and consider who benefits from the way the news is presented.