Sociology

Course summary

“It’s all just common sense, isn’t it?” – How do we make common sense knowledge? – Garfinkel Sociology is far from common sense, it is trying to explain how society operates, answering the original Hobbesian question: “Why do we co-exist and not all kill each other?” Sociologists question: Why do girls get better GCSE grades than boys? Is religion on the decline? Why is Islam the fastest-growing religion? How can we prevent crime from occurring?; We use sociological theory which is rooted in social philosophy to try and explain social phenomena. This can be from a top-down perspective; where individuals are influenced by social institutions such as Education or the Family, or from a bottom-up approach; where the interactions between individuals affect how people behave. Sociologists also use various research methods to produce epistemological evidence to prove their explanations as to why social phenomena occur. We critically evaluate these and also have an opportunity to practise carrying out our research. Sociology is a rigorous, academic subject that provides A level and Degree level students with critical thinking, evaluation and verbal and written communication skills. Many businesses, public services and further educational establishments actively recruit sociology graduates. Cambridge University, the top university in the country, and second in the world ranking, offers Sociology at the undergraduate level. All Russell Group universities have Sociology faculties and therefore all universities perceive Sociology to be a highly valuable and credible A-level.