Sociology
Sociology is the study of society and of people and their behaviour, where an awareness of the importance of social structures and social action in explaining social issues will be acquired. It promotes an understanding of contemporary society and to foster the development of critical and reflective thinking with a respect for social diversity.
Curriculum Aims
Through the study of Sociology, students will examine social phenomena that affect people's lives in profound ways and how social relationships and society can be understood by cultural and social structures.
The curriculum enables students to appreciate how human social relationships, culture and institutions can shape the world they live in as well as supporting students in career pathways such as the police, government and public relations.
Our curriculum aims for Sociology are framed around the exam specifications we follow and is rich, broad and varied and carefully sequenced to allow a focus on contemporary society and foster the development of critical and reflective thinking with a respect for social diversity. It offers students the opportunity to show understanding, respect and tolerance of a range of beliefs, opinions and cultures. Our curriculum aims to provide an awareness of the importance of social structure and social action in explaining social issues.
The curriculum aims to develop a student's own sociological awareness through active engagement with the contemporary world encouraging students to become inquisitive about the wider world in which they live. Students will develop knowledge and understanding of the structure of society and issues and processes within society, as well as exploring how sociologists study society.
Students will explore a range of areas that are directly relevant to their lives, including the structure and function of the family, education in society, the role of the media in society and crime and deviance.
Curriculum Design
Our curriculum starts with students studying the foundation theories that underpin explanations of how families, crime, health and media are shaped. These theories are then explored more deeply as students progress on their learning journey and are applied specifically to explain, for example, crime and punishment and the structure of the family.
Please click the link to view our Sociology Curriculum Year Overview
Future Pathways and Next Steps
Through the study of Sociology we aim to unlock each students' potential and inspire them to achieve excellence by being the best they can be. This can lead to a wide range of future opportunities, some of which include:
University Degrees: Criminology, Economics, Gender Studies, Health and Social Care, Sociology
Apprenticeships: Civil Service, Market Researcher
Careers: Local Government, Police Officer, Probation Officer, Youth Worker
Students can find out more about the subject and careers above by logging into their Unifrog account at https://www.unifrog.org/sign-in and using the Subject Library and Careers Library tools.