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Key details

Course areas
A LevelsHumanities and Social Sciences
Student types
16 - 18 coursesA Levels
Course type
A Level course
Course level
Level 3
Start date
Tuesday 1st September 2026
Location
High Pavement Sixth Form Chaucer Street, Nottingham, NG1 5LP
Course code
Parent course code:C000450 Child course code: Q000509
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Course introduction

Sociology is the study of society and the communities which make up our world. Why do certain groups of people behave in a certain way, how does this impact their lives and who ultimately benefits?

If you are interested in what makes society tick and how we are affected by the society we live in, this is the course for you.

You’ll study key concepts such as power, gender, ethnicity and culture, as well as mass media, education, crime, deviance and religion.

The research, study and written skills you’ll develop throughout the course will be an excellent foundation for university and your future career.

You’ll learn to question and challenge ideas and assumptions, critically examine evidence, and experience lots of discussion and debate.

The main topics that are covered are Family, Education, Research Methods, Methods in Context, Religion, Crime and Deviance. All of these topics break down into smaller areas, please see a few examples below:

  • Theories of the Family
  • Changing Family Patterns
  • Policies in Family
  • Childhood
  • Ethics and Research
  • Forms of Research
  • Theories and Education
  • Class and Achievement
  • Ethnicity and Achievement
  • Gender and Achievement
  • Religious Organisations
  • Theories and Religion
  • Globalisation and Religion
  • Theory and Crime
  • Media and Crime
  • Globalisation and Crime

You will study this course alongside 2 or 3 other A Levels and you will be able to select your chosen subjects when you apply online.

Subjects that go along well with Sociology are Psychology, Media, Geography, English Literature and Law.

Course information

2 years

AQA A Level Sociology

  • To study 3 A Levels you’ll need at least 5 GCSE’s at grades 9-4 including a grade 5 or above in GCSE English Language and Maths at grade 4 or above
  • To study 4 A Levels you’ll need at least 6 GCSE’s at grades 9-7 including GCSE English Language and Maths at grade 7 or above

The programme of study is for 2 years, and you will be expected to be achieving a minimum of grade D in all subject assessments by the end of year 1 to progress to your 2nd year.

Applicants with predicted GCSE grades 1 or 2 points below the entry requirement for an A Level:

If your predicted grades do not meet the entry requirements for either 1 or 2 of your chosen A Level subject choices, don’t worry we will still make you a conditional offer. We advise that you think about a second choice of course as a back-up plan. You can meet with us for a supportive, friendly and impartial discussion to look at other courses that Nottingham College has to offer. For more information contact High Pavement Sixth Form admissions by telephone on 0115 9100 100 or email at feadmissions@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk

There are three exams taken at the end of the course.

  • Paper 1 Education with Theory and Methods (2 hours)
  • Paper 2 Topics in Sociology (2 hours)
  • Paper 3 Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods (2 hours)

University routes can include studying Sociology, Criminology, Psychology, Policing, Social Work, Youth Work, Geography and Social Care.

In terms of careers students have gone into Policing, local Government/Council, care fields and businesses.

Students aged 16-18 don't have to pay tuition fees.

If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss National, please visit our EU Settled Status scheme page for more information.

Careers related to this course

Select career:

Clinical Psychologists

Potential Earnings

£57,750.68

Average Earnings

£39,303.93

Source: Office for National Statistics' Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).

Pathways

Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing

People in these occupations diagnose, assess, and treat health problems, operate medical technology, and care for patients.

Skills

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Learning Strategies

Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
View more about this career

Economic data for careers is provided by Lightcast and also available through our Career Coach app. Job postings, employment and earnings information is represented at the regional level for the East Midlands.

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