Sociology

Course summary

Sociology is the study of society and social institutions. Within each topic area we examine the role each institution has played in the past, its current role in society and its influence on society as a whole. We also examine how each institution influences groups as well as individuals. These ideas are explored from a range of different perspectives such as Marxism and Feminism. Key topic areas and examples of what will be studied across the two years include the following: Year One Families and Households - What do we mean by ‘the family’? How have families and relationships within them changed? Education - Why do girls now outperform boys at all levels of education? Does the education system prepare young people for work? Research Methods - How can we study society and collect data? What are the advantages and disadvantages of different research methods? Methods in the Context of Education - Here we examine how can we use the different research methods available to us to study the education system. Are some methods more suitable than others when studying teachers or students? Year Two Beliefs in Society - What are religions for? What impact do they have? Crime and Deviance - What is the difference between crime and deviance? Do men really commit more crime than women? Sociological Theory - How do different sociological theories and perspectives explain society? Are we living in a modern or post-modern era, what are the key debates around this?