Course Location

College

Trafford College

Location

Altrincham Campus

Further Details

Age

College 16-18

Department

A Levels

Course Start Date

Monday 1st September 2025

Course Duration

Full-time, 1 Year

Course Time

Course Fee

£ 1987.00
You may be eligible for support with your tuition fees - please visit the college website - funding and finance page for further information

Course Code

AFQ-AL3L-1104

Course Overview

Our A Level Sociology course is a comprehensive and engaging program that provides students with a deep understanding of sociological concepts and theories while focusing on a range of key modules, including youth culture, media, crime and deviance, and stratification.

The Youth Culture module explores the complex dynamics of young people in society. The Media module delves into the powerful influence of media on society. Crime and Deviance allows students to explore the nature of criminal behaviour, societal reactions to deviance, and the operation of criminal justice systems. Whilst Stratification examines the unequal distribution of power, wealth, and resources in society. Students analyse class, gender, and ethnicity as key factors contributing to social inequalities. They also study the impacts of stratification on life chances and social mobility.

Students follow the WJEC A Level Sociology specification.

Course Requirements

PLEASE NOTE – YOU MUST APPLY FOR 3 A LEVELS

Standard A Level entry requirements: 5 x GCSE grade 5’s or above (must include Maths and English Language).

What you will Learn

During your first year you will study key concepts and theories about social order, social control, social change, conflict and consensus. You will also look at social structure and social action theories and the influence of research on policies.

Firstly you will study Acquiring Culture where we look at family and households; how the family has changed and why, and also how childhood is influenced by cultural factors such as child soldiers.

Afterwards you will study Understanding Society and Methods where you will look at applying your knowledge of research methods to a particular piece of research material. Within this you can approach three areas: education, media or religion.

Assessment

You will be assessed at the end of the 2-year course on three components:

Component 1: 120 marks (40% of A Level grade)
Component 2: 60 marks (20% of A Level grade)
Component 3: 120 marks (40% of A Level grade)

Externally assessed exam papers are made up mainly of long essays that require knowledge, application, and evaluation.

Progression

A large number of students go on to study Sociology or a related subject at university. The skills you acquire are transferable to a number of professions. Some options for Sociology students are: Counsellor, Social Work, Human Resources, Youth Worker, Teacher, work within the Police or Prison Service.

Career Options

The skills you acquire are transferable to a number of professions. Some options for Sociology students are: Counsellor, Social Work, Human Resources, Youth Worker, Teacher, work within the Police or Prison Service.

Sociology is useful to any career in which you work with people and need an understanding of equality and diversity.

Mandatory Units

In Year 1 we examine the institutions of the education system and the family unit, considering the context of how and why these cornerstones of society have changed over time.

Students will also study the development of social and educational policy. The methodological and theoretical practices undertaken by sociologists are studied across both years and are central to the A Level examinations.

In Year 2 students will build upon their existing knowledge and apply it to the criminal justice system and the various theories pertaining to criminal and deviant activity, as well as considering the role and impact of the mass media in contemporary society. To be successful within this discipline students must be capable of constructing arguments and applying and evaluating theoretical concepts.

Component 1:
Socialisation and Culture
Youth Culture
Media

Component 2:
Research Methods

Component 3:
Stratification
Crime and Deviance

Contact Details

For further information please contact T: 0161 886 7070 or E: info@trafford.ac.uk

Extra Costs Involved

Exam Validation Body

Hours Per Week

How Long To Complete

Programme Structure

Contact Details

Disclaimer

Although every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained within this document is accurate, there may be changes to this programme and provision. We will endeavour to keep prospective and current students updated where appropriate and when the information becomes available.
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