A-Level Sociology

Before submitting your application to Wilberforce Sixth Form College, please ensure the following information has been included:

• Personal Details – including your home address, email address, contact number and school.
• Predicted Grades – a full list of all your predicted grades.

Once your application is submitted, we will contact you via your personal email address. If you wish to change your course choices, this can be done at your interview—there is no need to submit a new application.

For further information or assistance, please contact liaison@wilberforce.ac.uk

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Sociology invites you to see the familiar world through new eyes. It encourages you to question the ordinary, explore the complex relationships within society, and think deeply about issues such as inequality, identity, and power. Whether you’re interested in how the media shapes our behaviour or why some groups experience more privilege than others, Sociology provides the tools to understand — and challenge — the world around you.

Through studying Sociology, you’ll develop strong analytical, evaluative, and communication skills. You’ll learn how to form balanced arguments, interpret evidence, and think critically about social issues. The subject complements Psychology, Law, Child Care, Media Studies, English, and History, and prepares you for a wide range of academic and professional pathways.

WHO IS THE COURSE AIMED AT?

This course is for you if you’re curious about people and the world around you. You’ll enjoy it if you like asking questions, analysing evidence, and exploring different perspectives. It suits students who can think critically, write clearly, and enjoy debate and discussion. It is particularly useful for students who are studying subjects such as Law, Psychology, Business Studies, English, Media, Communication and Culture, History and Religious Studies.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

Throughout the course, you’ll explore key sociological themes such as culture, identity, power, and inequality, while also learning how sociologists design and carry out research.

Year 1 Topics

In your first year, you’ll be introduced to the foundations of Sociology — the key theories, concepts, and research methods that help us understand how society works. You’ll explore the role of education in shaping people’s opportunities and experiences, as well as the impact of factors such as social class, gender, and ethnicity on achievement.

You’ll also study families and households, examining how family life has changed over time and how it continues to influence our identities, relationships, and social roles. Throughout the year, you’ll develop essential skills in analysis, evaluation, and essay writing, as well as learn how sociologists gather and interpret evidence.

By the end of Year 1, you’ll have a strong understanding of how individual experiences are shaped by wider social structures — and why things in society are rarely as simple as they seem.

Education with Theory and Methods

The role and purpose of education in society

How achievement differs by class, gender, and ethnicity

The impact of education policy and globalisation

How sociologists research education using different methods (e.g. questionnaires, interviews, observations)

Families and Households

Changing patterns in family life, marriage, and cohabitation

Gender roles and domestic labour

Theories of the family, including Functionalist, Marxist, Feminist, and New Right perspectives

Demographic trends such as birth rates, ageing, and migration

Year 2 Topics

In your second year, you’ll build on your understanding of sociological theory and methods by applying them to more complex areas of study. You’ll explore crime and deviance, investigating why people commit crimes, how society defines deviance, and how factors such as inequality, power, and globalisation shape patterns of offending and control.

You’ll also study the media, looking at how it influences identity, culture, and public perception. You’ll consider how social groups are represented, who controls the media, and the growing impact of digital and global communication.

Alongside these topics, you’ll revisit key theoretical debates in Sociology — such as whether sociology can be truly objective, how research should be conducted, and the relationship between sociology and social policy.

By the end of the course, you’ll have developed a deeper understanding of society, refined your analytical skills, and gained the confidence to question and evaluate the world around you — skills that are invaluable for university, work, and everyday life.

Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods

Sociological explanations of crime and deviance (e.g. Functionalism, Marxism, Feminism, Realism, Interactionism, Postmodernism)

Patterns of offending and victimisation by social class, gender, age, and ethnicity

Globalisation, green crime, state crime, and human rights

Crime control, punishment, and prevention

Key sociological debates on theory, value freedom, and the role of sociology in society

The Media

The media’s influence on culture, identity, and power

Ownership and control of the media

Representations of social groups (gender, ethnicity, class, age, sexuality)

The impact of digital media and globalisation

Theories on how media shapes reality and public opinion

You must have a minimum of five GCSEs grades 9-4, including English Language and Maths.

EXPERIENCES

We bring Sociology to life through enrichment activities and trips. Previous opportunities have included visits to the Whitby Goth and Steampunk Festival, university lectures, and guest talks from sociologists and criminologists. These experiences help you connect what you learn in class to the real world, like our cinema Wicked trip for our Media Unit.

PROGRESSION

A-level Sociology opens up a wide range of university and career pathways. It’s a great choice for students considering degrees in Sociology, Criminology, Psychology, Media Studies, Child Care or Education.

It also supports careers in teaching, social work, policing, journalism, marketing, public services, and healthcare — anywhere that involves understanding people and society.

OUTCOMES

Former Sociology students have gone on to roles such as:

Teacher or Lecturer

Police Officer or Probation Officer

Youth or Community Worker

Social Researcher or Policy Advisor

Journalist or Media Analyst

Charity or Advice Worker