Sociology

Sociology is the study of human social activity, relationships, and social structures. It prepares you for a lifetime of change by developing one's appreciation of diversity, love of learning, writing and study skills, and knowledge base about human behaviour, social organisation, culture, and social change.

Sociology helps us look more objectively at our society and other societies. It directs attention to how the parts of society fit together and change, and the consequences of that social change. We are faced with ever increasingly complex and rapidly changing social conditions in modern industrial societies.

Though everyday life may seem chaotic and random, behind the buzz of activity it is possible to make out shapes and patterns of behaviour. Sociology is the study of people in society and taking on this course will provide you with an awareness of the society you exist within today.

Modules include:

Education: differential educational achievement in relation to social class, gender and ethnicity, the role of education and the impact of government policies on the education system.

Families and households: changing family patterns, childhood, demographic trends, changes in gender roles and the impact of government policies on family life.

The Media: media representations of social class, ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality and disability, the extent to which the media shapes our views and behaviour, the impact of globalisation on the media, and the process of selecting and presenting media content.

Crime and Deviance: the social distribution of crime and deviance, social order, social control, punishment, racism in the legal system, globalisation and crime, green crime, state crime and the role of the media in reporting and causing crime.

Research Methods: looking at the different ways sociologists investigate human behaviour, such as questionnaires, interviews, statistics, observations and experiments.

Sociological theory: debates about how society works and who it benefits, if Sociology can be classed as a science, and the relationship between Sociology and social policy.

Modern, specialist classrooms resourced with specialised displays
Visiting speakers from universities, alumni and professionals
Feminist society, Psychology society, Criminal Psychology short course
Trips including Chester Zoo (animal behaviour), residential to Goldsmiths University, Harrow Public School, Manchester Faith Walk and Sociology cinema
Support and extension classes

This course provides you with the opportunity to progress on to Higher Education, employment or further training. Our students have progressed to:

Sociology at the University of Huddersfield

Sociology and Criminology at the University of Manchester

Social Policy and Sociology at the University of Leeds

History and Sociology at the University of Manchester

Sociology with Criminology at the University of Liverpool

International Business Management at Manchester Metropolitan University

Primary Education with QTS at Liverpool Hope University

Law at the University of Law

Fashion Branding with Communication at the Leeds College of Art

Psychology at University City Chester

Social Work at the University of Nottingham