AQA
Level 3
QN: 601/3994/8
Curriculum Active
AQA Level 3 Advanced GCE in Sociology
Official qualification regulated by Ofqual, awarded by AQA. Classified as a GCE A Level.
Qualification Level
Level 3
Awarding Body
AQA
Syllabus Units
3 Units
Guided Hours
Flexible
Instant access to interactive lessons, quizzes, and spaced revision.
Course Syllabus & Study Modules
Complete breakdown of verified curriculum topics and learning objectives.
1
Beliefs in Society
Religion and social groups
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the relationship between religion and social class
- Analyse gender differences in religiosity
- Evaluate ethnic differences in religious participation
2
Beliefs in Society
Secularisation
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Define secularisation
- Evaluate evidence for and against secularisation
- Analyse the impact of globalisation on religion
3
Beliefs in Society
Religion, renewal and choice
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the growth of new religious movements
- Evaluate the concept of spiritual shopping
- Analyse the appeal of fundamentalism
4
Beliefs in Society
Religion and social change
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the relationship between religion and social change
- Evaluate the role of religion in social movements
- Analyse the secularisation debate
5
Beliefs in Society
Theories of religion
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain functionalist theories of religion
- Evaluate Marxist and feminist theories
- Analyse Weber's theory of religion
6
Beliefs in Society
Ideology and science
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Define ideology
- Evaluate the relationship between science and religion
- Analyse the social construction of scientific knowledge
7
Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Crime control, surveillance, prevention and punishment, victims, and the role of the criminal justice system
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate different forms of punishment
- Analyse the role of surveillance in crime control
- Discuss the impact of crime on victims
8
Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Theories of crime and deviance
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain functionalist theories of crime
- Evaluate Marxist and interactionist theories
- Analyse realist approaches to crime
9
Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Globalisation and crime
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the impact of globalisation on crime
- Evaluate the concept of global organised crime
- Analyse green crime and state crime
10
Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Crime, deviance, social order and social control
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Define crime and deviance
- Explain functionalist and subcultural theories of crime
- Evaluate the role of social control
11
Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
The social distribution of crime and deviance by ethnicity, gender and social class
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Analyse patterns of crime by ethnicity
- Explain gender differences in offending
- Evaluate the relationship between class and crime
12
Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Victims and the role of the media in crime
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Analyse the relationship between social class and the risk of victimisation
- Evaluate the impact of media reporting on public fear of crime
- Examine the stages of a moral panic using Cohen's model
- Assess the influence of news values on crime reporting
- Contrast left realist and interactionist views on victimisation patterns
13
Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Theory and Methods in the context of crime and deviance
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Apply functionalist, Marxist, interactionist and feminist theories to explain patterns of crime and deviance
- Evaluate the strengths and limitations of different research methods used to study crime, such as official statistics, victim surveys, and covert observation
- Analyse ethical issues in criminological research, including informed consent, confidentiality, and potential harm to participants
- Assess the reliability and validity of crime data in light of theoretical perspectives
- Examine the relationship between theoretical frameworks and methodological choices
14
Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Crime control, prevention and punishment
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate the effectiveness of situational and environmental crime prevention measures using relevant sociological theories and studies.
- Analyse the role of the police, courts, and prisons in enforcing law and order and maintaining social control.
- Explain and contrast functionalist, Marxist, and interactionist perspectives on the functions of punishment.
- Assess the impact of crime control policies on different social groups, drawing on evidence from labelling theory and critical criminology.
- Synthesise arguments for and against restorative justice as an alternative to traditional punitive models.
- Apply sociological theories to explain the rise of mass incarceration and the prison crisis in contemporary society.
15
Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Social distribution of crime and deviance by social class, ethnicity, gender and locality
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain sociological theories that account for class differences in crime rates, including strain theory and subcultural theory.
- Evaluate the extent to which ethnic differences in crime statistics reflect differential offending versus institutionalised racism.
- Analyse gender patterns in offending, considering both quantitative differences and the qualitative nature of crimes committed.
- Assess the relationship between locality, social disorganisation, and crime rates, using urban and rural contrasts.
- Critically compare official crime statistics with self-report studies to assess the validity of patterns by class, ethnicity, and gender.
- Examine how intersectionality of class, ethnicity, and gender shapes experiences of both offending and victimisation.
16
Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Globalisation and crime in contemporary society
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain how globalisation has created new opportunities for criminal activity
- Analyse the structure and operation of transnational organised crime groups
- Evaluate the extent to which the state remains effective in controlling globalised crime
- Assess the impact of globalisation on definitions and perceptions of crime
- Compare different types of transnational crime using contemporary examples
- Examine the role of global inequalities in fostering criminal networks
17
Education with Theory and Methods
The role and function of education
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the functionalist perspective on education
- Evaluate the Marxist view of education
- Analyse the New Right perspective on education
18
Education with Theory and Methods
Differential educational achievement by ethnicity
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Describe the statistical patterns of differential achievement by ethnicity at GCSE and A-Level
- Critically assess cultural deprivation theories, including the roles of family structure and attitudes
- Evaluate material deprivation explanations, considering the overlap between ethnicity and social class
- Analyse the impact of institutional racism on teacher expectations, setting, and disciplinary practices
- Synthesise internal and external factors to construct a balanced explanation of ethnic differences
19
Education with Theory and Methods
Educational policy and inequality
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate the impact of marketisation policies, such as league tables and funding formulas, on educational inequality.
- Analyse the extent to which privatisation has changed the nature of schooling and its effects on social segregation.
- Explain the role of compensatory education policies (e.g., Sure Start, Pupil Premium) in attempting to reduce inequality.
- Assess the effectiveness of gender equality policies, such as GIST and WISE, in closing the gender gap in subject choice.
- Critically examine sociological explanations for the persistence of inequality despite educational reforms.
20
Education with Theory and Methods
Theory and Methods in the context of education
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Compare and contrast functionalist and Marxist explanations of educational inequality
- Assess the value of participant observation for understanding teacher-pupil interactions
- Debate the ethical implications of using covert research in schools
- Justify the selection of quantitative methods for investigating attainment gaps
- Critique the use of unstructured interviews in studying sensitive educational topics
21
Education with Theory and Methods
Differential educational achievement by gender
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Outline historical trends in gender and educational achievement.
- Evaluate feminist explanations for the improvement in girls' educational performance.
- Analyse the role of laddish subcultures in boys' underachievement.
- Assess the impact of gender identity on subject choice at GCSE and A-Level.
- Discuss the influence of teacher expectations on gendered achievement patterns.
22
Education with Theory and Methods
Relationships and processes within schools
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Describe teacher-pupil relationships
- Explain pupil subcultures
- Analyse the hidden curriculum
23
Education with Theory and Methods
The significance of educational policies
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate the impact of marketisation policies
- Analyse the effects of the 1988 Education Reform Act
- Discuss the role of privatisation and academies
24
Education with Theory and Methods
Differential educational achievement by social class
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Identify factors affecting class differences in achievement
- Evaluate cultural and material explanations
- Analyse the role of labelling and self-fulfilling prophecy
25
Families and Households
Childhood and the changing status of children
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the social construction of childhood
- Evaluate the view that childhood is disappearing
- Analyse the impact of globalisation on childhood
26
Families and Households
Changing patterns of marriage, cohabitation, separation, divorce, childbearing and the life course
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Describe trends in marriage and divorce
- Explain reasons for changes in family patterns
- Analyse the diversity of family types
27
Families and Households
Gender roles, domestic labour and power relationships
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain the domestic division of labour
- Evaluate the concept of the 'triple shift'
- Analyse power relationships within families
28
Families and Households
Family diversity
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate the extent of family diversity
- Analyse different family types
- Explain the postmodernist view of family diversity
29
Families and Households
Demographic trends in the UK since 1900
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Describe changes in birth and death rates
- Explain reasons for an ageing population
- Analyse the impact of migration on population
30
Families and Households
The relationship of the family to the social structure
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain functionalist views of the family
- Evaluate Marxist and feminist perspectives
- Analyse the New Right perspective
31
Topics in Sociology
The Media
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Analyse the ownership and control of the media
- Evaluate the effects of media on audiences
- Discuss the representation of social groups in the media
32
Topics in Sociology
Culture and Identity
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Define culture and identity
- Explain different sociological perspectives on identity
- Analyse the formation of social identities
33
Topics in Sociology
Work, Poverty and Welfare
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Define poverty and its measurement
- Explain the causes of poverty
- Evaluate welfare policies
34
Topics in Sociology
Global Development
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain theories of development
- Analyse the impact of globalisation
- Evaluate aid and trade policies
35
Topics in Sociology
Health
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Explain social patterns of health and illness
- Evaluate the biomedical and social models of health
- Analyse the role of the NHS
36
Topics in Sociology
Stratification and Differentiation
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Define social stratification and differentiate between open and closed systems of inequality.
- Analyse historical and contemporary patterns of class inequality in the UK, including social mobility.
- Explain the relationship between gender and life chances, using evidence such as the gender pay gap.
- Assess explanations for ethnic inequalities in areas like education and criminal justice.
- Evaluate the functionalist theory of stratification, considering its strengths and limitations.
- Critically compare Marxist and Weberian approaches to social class and inequality.
- Justify the use of an intersectional approach when examining multiple, overlapping inequalities.
37
Topics in Sociology
Beliefs in Society
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Distinguish between substantive, functional, and social constructionist definitions of religion and their implications for sociological analysis.
- Evaluate the secularisation thesis using evidence from the UK and global contexts, including the growth of new religious movements and alternative spirituality.
- Compare and contrast functionalist, Marxist, and feminist explanations of the role and significance of religion in society.
- Analyse the contribution of Max Weber’s Protestant Ethic thesis to understanding religion as a force for social change.
- Assess the claim that religion inhibits change by examining theories from conservative to conflict perspectives.
- Apply theoretical perspectives to contemporary examples of religion’s impact on social movements, such as liberation theology or religious nationalism.
38
Topics in Sociology
Families and Households
Verified
Key Learning Objectives:
- Describe the key features of nuclear, extended, lone-parent, reconstituted, and same-sex families, providing contemporary examples.
- Critically evaluate Murdock’s and Parsons’ functionalist theories of the family, including the concepts of primary socialisation and stabilisation of adult personalities.
- Analyse the reasons for the long-term increase in divorce rates in the UK, referring to legal, economic, and cultural factors.
- Assess the impact of changing gender roles and women's increased economic independence on marriage patterns.
- Compare the functionalist perspective with feminist and Marxist criticisms on the role of the family in society.
- Explain the role of government policies and welfare provision in shaping family diversity.
- Examine statistical trends in marriage, cohabitation, and civil partnerships over the past fifty years.
Regulatory & Verification Details
- Qualification Number (QN)
- 601/3994/8
- Regulated Status
- Available to learners
- Awarding Body
- AQA
- Qualification Type
- GCE A Level
- Operational Start
- Sept 2015