Sociology

Course summary

Students will need to understand the ways in which sociologists work and the various schools of sociological thought. They will be required to apply that knowledge to a range of key institutions within society. Over the two years, students will study: Family and Households – What are the functions of the family? Who benefits from it? Does it work? Is there a dark side to the family? Does the family support and benefit all members equally? Are women exploited in the family? Education – What is the purpose of our education system? Does it achieve its aims? Why do different groups of students perform more or less well than others? The Media – How does the media portray different groups? Does it influence us? Who controls the media? Should we trust what we read, see or hear? Crime and Deviance – Is crime out of control? Why do some people commit crimes and others not? How do we solve the problem of crime? Why do people commit suicide?