GCSE Sociology is a useful academic subject that helps you gain an understanding of people and society. Through studying Sociology, you will develop the ability to analyse, discuss and evaluate different sociological theories, developing transferable skills for many other subjects.

AQA External Examination: Two examinations of 1¾ hours each

At Hall Cross Academy we study the AQA specification for Sociology which includes: The Sociological Approach – you will explore key debates within Sociology such as conflict versus consensus.  You will also look at different sociological perspectives on social structure, social processes and social issues. Families – you will learn about different types of families and also explore different sociological theories about the family such as Functionalism and Marxism. Education – you will learn about the history of education, government initiatives and why people achieve or underachieve in education. Crime and Deviance – you will learn about the difference between crime and deviance and who and why people commit crime.  You will explore sociological theories of crime and deviance and why some crimes are under-represented in the official statistics. Social Stratification – you will look at the inequalities that exist between different groups of people and the levels of social mobility in society.  You will also focus on sociological theories for the persistence of poverty in society today. Sociological Research Methods – you will be able to describe and explain various methods used by sociologists and consider the issues these raise.

Sociology is a popular subject to study at A level. GCSE Sociology is a very good foundation for further study and the A level course builds on the subject knowledge you will have acquired. There are also many university courses for which Sociology is an excellent subject for entry. These include politics, law, journalism, education, criminology and other social science subjects. People who study Sociology at A level and degree level will be interested in many types of career such as teaching, journalism, social work, policing, law, human resources and any occupation that involves working with and understanding people. The careers this subject could lead you to is :

• Criminologist
• Civil Servant
• Healthcare
• Human Right Lawyer
• International Aid Worker
• Investigative Journalist
• Lecturer
• Police Officer
• Politician
• Prime Minister
• Probation Service
• Social Researcher
• Teacher
• Youth Worker

From a Student Perspective I joined this course because I wanted to explore the way our society works and how it’s viewed from different people’s perspectives. Nearly a year into this course we have studied and covered the topics Family, Education and Crime. The hardest part about the course is remembering the key terms which is important because it gets you marks in your essays. We have also been taught essay techniques to help get the best marks. Overall, I have really enjoyed Sociology and am proud of what I have achieved. I came in knowing nothing and over a year later I have learnt a lot about the way society works and am still curious to know more. - Year 11 Student