Welcome to A Level Sociology at New College! We are really looking forward to welcoming you to the course in September. In order to prepare you for the two year course, we have devised some preparation material, which should give you a flavour of what Sociology is all about. A Level Sociology is made up of five components, which are split over the two years. In year one, you will study the Sociology of Families and Households and Education. In year two, you will study the Sociology of Crime and Deviance and the Beliefs in Society. In addition, you will also be taught Social Research Methods and Sociological Theory.

Sociology tries to understand how these various social institutions operate, and how they relate to one another. For example the way in which the family might influence how well children perform in the education system. Sociology is also concerned with describing and explaining the patterns of inequality, deprivation and conflict which are a feature of nearly all societies.