Sociology

Course summary

Component 1: Education with Methods in Context Students will explore the nature of the education system and the differing opportunities of success for certain pupils, based on social class, gender, and ethnicity. Why are some people less likely to succeed in school than others? Students will also consider new ideas such as ‘the hidden curriculum’, what do we really learn in school? In addition to this, Component 1 consists of learning the various research methods used by sociologists and relating those methods to the Education System. Component 2: Families and Households and The Mass Media Families and Households: Students will see the patterns and trends of societal changes regarding the family from 1900 until the present, resulting from attitude changes and Government Policy changes – gender equality being a good example. How equal are the UK’s families in 2018? The Mass Media: When studying the media, students will explore ideas such as the power of the media in shaping the way that we think and feel. Students will consider how the media reinforces stereotypes – and if those stereotypes pose wider problems in society. Do you control the ideas that you read, watch, and hear? Or can you only see what is available? Do you believe everything that you read in the newspapers? Component 3: Theory and Methods and Crime and Deviance Theory and Methods: During the course, students will become familiar with sociological perspectives such as Marxism, Feminism, Functionalism, and Postmodernism. Students will have the opportunity at this point to explore these ideas in greater depth, with some new ideas linked in! Crime and Deviance: Students will consider how the state aims to control peoples’ behavior and what happens when this does not work. Students will research how certain social groups (such as social class, gender, and ethnicity) appear on crime statistics in a disproportionate way and the reasons behind this. They will also debate on how society should deal with offenders.