Sixth Form Course Guide 2013-14 - The Purbeck School

Sociology
Sociology is the study of how we live in modern industrial societies; of how we create social structures and how we
interact with them and each other. As a social science, in the same intellectual family as Economics, Politics,
Anthropology or Psychology, it offers a new and stimulating challenge, encouraging students to think analytically
about those areas of their own lives and issues raised in the media that they might otherwise have taken for granted.
A good student of Sociology is well-informed and well-read, with an inquiring mind
and the ability to relate theoretical arguments to both the world around him or her
and the realities of social research. Independent learning is an important part of the
course and the school’s Moodle platform is used to provide both reinforcement and
extension materials – please feel free to have a look at what is up there
(http://moodle.purbeck.dorset.sch.uk/ and follow the links to Sociology).
Summary of course content
We follow the AQA specification, which allows us to start with the familiar at AS Level, the sociology of families and
households followed by the sociology of education, before moving into the less familiar territory of beliefs in
society and the sociology of crime and deviance in Year 13. At each stage the student will assess the contributions
of great thinkers from the past, like Karl Marx and Max Weber, and current social scientists, like David Gillborn and
Anthony Giddens, to our understanding of social issues like gender roles or domestic violence (SCLY1), racism in
schools or why girls do better in most subjects than boys (SCLY2), religious fundamentalism or the appeal of sects
and cults (SCLY3) and the reasons that might explain criminal actions or the way we come to terms with the difficult
and sensitive concept of suicide (SCLY4). We also study the methods used to research social issues and learn how
method can be matched to results; how would you go about investigating bullying in
schools? Research methods are examined as part of SCLY2 and SCLY4. One of the
most popular elements of the course is the case study on the Whitechapel murders
that we undertake in Year 13 to help us understand concepts like moral panics and
the role of the media in defining crime and deviance…….. footsteps in the fog!
Where the course leads
Sociology is a subject for those of you who are fascinated by the human condition; for those who want to know why
things happen in society. A good proportion of our students go on to study Sociology at university and others embark
on degree courses in Criminology (SCLY4) or Anthropology (SCLY3). Those interested in a career in teaching have
also benefitted from studying Sociology (SCLY2). Although Sociology is an academic rather than a vocational subject,
its links with social work and Social Policy as a degree course are clear (SCLY1).
Entry requirements
Sociology is a subject that requires a facility with words and the ability to handle theoretical thinking and writing, so
a B grade in GCSE English would be a distinct advantage; a similar grade in Mathematics and the science subjects
would indicate the required capacity for careful and logical thought. An awareness of current affairs is an essential
attribute of the successful Sociology student, particularly if that knowledge can be applied to the topics covered in
the course.
For further advice contact: Mr Broad
“Sociology definitely has
the best beards of any A
Level subject.”
Freidrich Engels