Sociology

Course summary

Sociology is the scientific study of social behaviour. It is an academic subject with close links to anthropology and psychology. Sociology is concerned with real-world issues with policy relevance, such as social inequality, organised crime, the social basis of political conflict and mobilisation, and changes in family relationships and gender roles. Some theorists see certain individuals as powerful in shaping society, while other theorists look at the processes within society including, labelling individuals, as a crucially important factor in shaping society. What is undeniable is that, 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. There are five topic areas covered over the two-year course. Paper 1: Education with Theory and Methods (year 1) - this topic examines the function and role of education in society and the impact of educational policy changes over time. Within this topic area, students will also examine a range of research methods and their relationship with sociological theory Paper 2: Topics in Sociology: Culture and Identity (year 1) - within this topic area students will examine the key influences on human behaviour, from our genetic make-up, to our environmental experiences. Paper 2: Topics in Sociology: The Media (year 2) - students will examine and evaluate the role and influence of the owners of the media and what safeguards are in place to prevent bias or harmful information reaching the public. They will also examine the impact of globalisation on the media and the influence on British culture. Paper 3: Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods (year 2) - this option examines the nature of crime, deviance, social order and social control. Areas covered include: globalisation and crime in contemporary society; the media and crime; green crime; human rights and state crimes.