SOCIOLOGY AQA

Sociology A level looks at theories and methods: ways to do social research and ways to explain change in society. Sociology also explores how life in modern Britain varies according to social differences, such as age, gender, religion, ethnicity and social class.

AS Unit 1 Wealth, Poverty and Welfare 1 hour exam worth 40% of total AS

Why do some people earn far more than others?
How do experts explain income inequality?
Who are the main social groups in poverty?
How can social policy decrease the numbers of poor people in the UK?
How does welfare provision by voluntary organizations help informal carers?

AS Unit 2 Health and Sociological Methods 2 hour exam 60% of total AS

Why do some groups in society suffer more from ill health?
Why are women more likely than men to visit the doctor?
Why are some ethnic minorities more likely to have mental illness?
What are the problems of sampling for a survey?
Are interviews better than questionnaires?

A2 Unit 3 Beliefs in Society 1 hour 30 minutes exam 20% of total A level

How can we explain the rise of New Age beliefs in Britain?
Have we become a secular (non-religious) society?
Why do people join religious sects and cults?
What is the social role and function of religion?
Why do some people turn to fundamentalist beliefs?

A2 Unit 4 Crime and Deviance + Sociological Theory and Research Methods
2 hour exam 30% of total A Level

Do men really commit more crime than women?
Do the working class really commit more crime than the middle class?
Are some ethnic minorities really more criminal than the white population?
What are the difficulties of doing research by joining a street gang?
How does the media label gays and the mentally ill as deviant?

Sociology studies the society in which we live and the ways this society is changing.
Sociology combines well with subjects which study different aspects of British society, such as economics, politics, media studies, psychology, law, business studies, history, geography and philosophy.
Sociology is useful for those considering a career in the media. As well as journalism, sociology is also relevant to the caring professions, such as nursing, medicine, social work, teaching, law and the police.
Are you interested in the sort of social problems and political policy issues covered on TV programmes like Panorama and Question Time?