Sociology

Sociology explains human behaviour by examining how the social groups that people belong to influence their actions and beliefs.  It therefore covers such questions as:

  • is juvenile crime really on the increase?
  • does violence in the media influence behaviour?
  • why do wealthier people live longer than poorer people?
  • why does racism exist?
  • why are women expected to take most of the responsibility for childcare?
  • why do some pupils do better than others at school?
  • how has computer technology changed the way in which people work?

Much of the subject matter of Sociology is controversial.  People have strong feelings about issues such as racism, the causes of crime and delinquency, the extent of poverty or the position of women in society.  Even Sociologists themselves do not agree with each other all of the time!  Our students are therefore encouraged to develop their own point of view and show how to base them on reasoned argument.  They also learn how sociologists carry out research into human behaviour and the methods they use.

Sociology combines well with all other subjects offered in the Sixth Form.  Because its subject matter deals with Contemporary Britain it can also give a good basic grounding in political and economic awareness.  Reading the newspapers and watching the news becomes a ‘must’ on this course, particularly as students are regularly required to present a current news item from a sociological point of view.

A Level Course

Sociology is a popular subject at Dunottar. Students embark upon the course with no prior knowledge, as the subject is only offered at A Level. This means that the students are all starting on a level playing field, which often gives them confidence.

The A Level specification we follow is AQA. At AS level, students study two examined units covering The Family and Education and Sociological Methods. There is no coursework component.

At A2, students consider the Sociology of Beliefs in Society and Crime and Deviance. They then further develop their AS work on Theory and Methods. Again, there is no coursework component and both A2 units are examined.

Rooms and Resources

We have a dedicated teaching classroom and a wide range of available resources. Textbooks are regularly updated. Given that the subject is about contemporary British society, students often use and have access to the computer suite in the School. We also encourage the girls to keep abreast of what is happening in the world by reading newspapers regularly.

Educational Visits

The students will attend A level Sociology conferences in one or both of their AS and A2 years if they are deemed to be of educational value.

For the first time this year, the Sociologists went on a successful joint trip to Euro Disney where the impact of globalisation was considered as well as research methods.