Sociology is an exciting subject that challenges your everyday experiences. It is the study of the relationship between the individual and society. Have you ever wondered why people exhibit certain behaviour? How do we become the people that we are? Sociology provides an opportunity to develop a better understanding of the social world, by examining social influences, such as, families, schools, friends, and the media. Consideration of how and why such groups and institutions function enables students to explore how individuals both create society and are created by it. This demanding and fun course aims to develop valuable academic and social skills. It is highly valued and prepares students for a variety of courses in Higher Education which include Law, Politics, Criminology, Social Policy, Nursing and Journalism to name but a few. In fact, any career that involves the interaction of people is one that would benefit from sociological insight! Critical awareness, political literacy and informed opinion are encouraged with the ultimate aim of developing the whole person. Structure: Year 12 Research Methods We investigate how Sociologists do their social research. Do they use quantitative or qualitative methods? What sources of data do they use? What practical, ethical and theoretical issues do researchers have to consider? Education Theoretical perspectives on education and the role it plays in society. What is the social distribution of achievement? Do all social groups do equally as well at school? What influence do teacher/ student relationships have on performance? What government policies influence educational provision? Families and Households We examine the family's changing forms, internal power dynamics, the nature of childhood, and its relationship with wider social structures. Students learn about different sociological perspectives, like functionalism, Marxism, and feminism, and how state policies influence family life. The unit covers topics such as increasing family diversity, trends in marriage and divorce, and the social construction of childhood. Year 13 Pure Social Theory: We explore all the big social theories that seek to understand and explain human behaviour; consensus, conflict, structural and social action theories. Crime and Deviance: Theoretical perspectives on crime and deviance, including punishment and control. Who commits crime and why do they do it? What impact does globalisation have on the nature and extent of crime? The Media: We look at the impact of globalisation on the role of the mass media and global popular culture and the effect of mass media ownership on the media content we consume. We study the way in which the news is socially constructed and how different social groups are represented in the media. We examine the impact of these representations on audiences’ understanding of the social world and different groups’ experiences within it. We also look at the effect of media content on audiences including the potential harm caused by violent media content. Finally, we look at the role of new media technology in contemporary society. Please access the Ripley St Thomas Sixth Form courses section for more information https://ripleystthomas.com/sixth-form/courses/