Sociology

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This subtopic introduces students to foundational sociological concepts, including norms, values, and socialisation, and examines key debates such as the nature versus nurture argument. It explores how individuals learn and internalize societal expectations through primary and secondary socialisation processes. Understanding these concepts is essential for analysing the relationship between identity, culture, and social structures.

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The sociological approach

The sociological approach introduces students to the core debates, perspectives, and methodologies of sociology. It focuses on understanding social structures, processes, and issues within a UK context, emphasizing the work of classical sociologists and the application of research methods.

Social structures, social processes and social issues

This topic introduces students to the core sociological approach, focusing on the study of social structures, processes, and issues. It requires students to understand the work of classical sociologists (Durkheim, Marx, Weber), compare sociological perspectives (functionalism, Marxism, feminism, interactionism), and apply these to social phenomena such as socialisation, norms, values, roles, labelling, discrimination, power, and authority.

Families

The Families topic explores the functions of families, diverse family forms, conjugal roles, changing relationships, criticisms of families, and the patterns and consequences of divorce in the UK, analyzed through functionalist, feminist, and Marxist perspectives.

Education

The study of the role and functions of education, differential educational achievement, relationships and processes within schools, and the impact of educational policies, analyzed through various sociological perspectives.

Crime and deviance

The study of crime and deviance explores the social construction of these concepts, the various sociological explanations for criminal and deviant behavior, the role of social control, and the analysis of crime statistics and patterns in the UK.

Social stratification

The study of social stratification examines the hierarchical structure of society, focusing on patterns of inequality, the distribution of power, and the factors that influence life chances. It explores theoretical perspectives on class, poverty, and authority, and how these shape social mobility and social policy.

Sociological research methods

This topic covers the application of sociological research methods within the context of social structures, processes, and issues. It focuses on the research design process, the use of qualitative and quantitative methods, the nature of primary and secondary data, and the practical and ethical considerations involved in sociological investigations.