Sociology is the systematic study of groups of people in society. This course looks at the various influences on the individual and how socialisation into a culture impacts on their identity. Studying Sociology will enable you to consider the impact that institutions and agencies such as the Government, Media, Education and the Criminal Justice System have on our behaviour. An integral part of your study of each topic area will be an appreciation of sociological theories, perspectives and the methods used by sociologists, as well as their associated strengths and limitations. Component 1: Within this component you will study ‘Education with Theory and Methods’ where you will learn about sociological research into a variety of social issues within education such as why some children succeed in the education system and some do not. You will also apply sociological research methods to the study of education. Component 2: Here you will apply your understanding of the core themes to two topic areas in Sociology. ‘Culture and Identity’ and ‘Stratification and Differentiation’. In ‘Culture and Identity’ you will assess how self and identity is constructed. In addition, you will evaluate the concept of culture and the interplay between cultures, such as high and low culture. In ‘Stratification and Differentiation’ you will assess the impact of social class, gender, ability and ethnicity on life chances and the problems with addressing and defining poverty in the UK. This topic is highly contemporary and relevant to current sociological discussion. Component 3 In this component you will study Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods. Here you will look at explanations for rises in particular crimes over the past 50 years and patterns of offending amongst certain groups differentiated by age, gender, ethnicity or social class. You will also examine core sociological debates, such as action vs structure.