Examination Board : AQA
Link to Specification : http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-2190-W-SP-10.PDF
Units Taken : SCY1 Families and Households and SCY2 Education and Sociological Methods

AS Sociology
Unit 1
Families and Households:
What is the family? Changing patterns of marriage, cohabitation, divorce, gender roles, domestic division of labour, status of children.
Exam: 1 hour

Unit 2
Education and Sociological Methods:
What is the function of education? The history of education, explanations of different achievement by class, gender and ethnic group.

Sociological Methods: Quantitative and qualitative methods, questionnaires, interviews, statistics, theories, ethics and limitations of research.
Exam: 2 hours

A2 Sociology
Unit 3
Beliefs in society:
Theories of religion, cults, sects, denominations, churches, new religious organisations, the decline of religion - secularisation
Exam: 1 hour 30 mins

Unit 4
Crime and Deviance and Theory and Methods
Explanations of crime, the social distribution of crime, the relationship between power, social control, reactions to crime and sociological issues arising from suicide.

Theory and Methods
AS material plus concepts of modernity, post modernity, is Sociology a science?
Exam: 2 hours

Clear logical thinking
Critical evaluation
Literacy and expression
Negotiating
Organising
Planning
Problem solving
Researching
Meeting deadlines

Entry Requirements (all A2 subjects carry a minimum requirement of a D-grade AS level)

The school offer for entry is 5 GCSEs at B Grade and above with English Language or Literature and Mathematics at A* - C grade.

5 GCSE's A-C, with a B in English

Entry Suggestions

Students must be able to write logically and organise their thoughts methodically. They will need to recall, describe and analyse sociological studies. They must use concepts appropriately. They will need to understand and be able to explain and apply theoretical perspectives and approaches.

If you are made an offer and meet the required grade, you will be expected to complete the following before your first lesson in September:


1. Write a description of what Sociology is (no more than 50 words).
2. Find and comment on one news story which relates to Sociology. Bring this to the first lesson.
3. Find and comment on one Sociological study which relates to either Family and Households or Education.

Resources needed for this course (Books, Field-trips etc)

Sociology in Focus for AS £15
Sociology in Focus for A2 £17