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GCE ADVANCED SUBSIDIARY (AS) AND ADVANCED (A) LEVEL SPECIFICATIONS

SUBJECT CRITERIA FOR SOCIOLOGY

1. Introduction

1.1 AS and A level subject criteria set out the knowledge, understanding, skills and assessment objectives common to all AS and A level specifications in a given subject. They provide the framework within which the awarding body creates the detail of the specification.

Subject criteria are intended to:

• help ensure consistent and comparable standards in the same subject across the awarding bodies;
• define the relationship between the AS and A level specifications, with the AS as a subset of the A level;
• ensure that the rigour of A level is maintained;
• help higher education institutions and employers know what has been studied and assessed.

Any specification which contains significant elements of the subject Sociology must be consistent with the relevant parts of these subject criteria.

2. Aims

2.1 AS and A level specifications in Sociology should encourage students to:

• acquire knowledge and a critical understanding of contemporary social processes and structures;
• appreciate the significance of theoretical and conceptual issues in sociological debate;
• understand sociological methodology and a range of research methods;
• reflect on their own experience of the social world in which they live;
• develop skills which enhance their ability to participate more effectively in adult life.

There should be a focus on contemporary society. Where appropriate, comparative and/or historical materials may be introduced.

2.2 In addition, A level specifications in Sociology should enable students to:

• demonstrate a deeper understanding of the connections between the nature of sociological thought, methods of sociological enquiry and substantive sociological topics.

3. Specification Content

3.1 AS and A level specifications in Sociology should:

• build on the knowledge, understanding and skills established at GCSE, but also accommodate the needs of candidates who may not have studied Sociology at this level;
• enable the reasoned and rigorous study of social life, structure and processes;
• provide for the study of at least one substantive area;
• encourage candidates to develop their capacity for critical thinking, to see relationships between different aspects of the subject and to see their field of study in a broader perspective.

3.2 AS and A level specifications in Sociology should require candidates to acquire the essential knowledge and understanding of central aspects of sociological thought and methods, together with the application of a range of skills.

At A level, the range and depth of the issues listed in 3.3 a) and 3.3 b) will be more substantial than at AS, and at A level candidates will be expected to show more highly developed skills of analysis and evaluation.

3.3 Knowledge and Understanding

a) The nature of sociological thought

AS and A level specifications should require candidates to study the following concepts and theoretical issues:

• social order, social control, social changes;
• conflict and consensus;
• social structure and social action;
• macro and micro perspectives;
• the nature of social facts;
• the role of values;
• the relationship between Sociology and social policy.

b) Methods of sociological enquiry

Sociological research involves the use of a range of methods and sources of data. All AS and A level specifications in Sociology should require candidates to be familiar with these methods and sources, and to understand the relationship between theory and methods, particularly the way sociologists deal with:

• the acquisition of primary and secondary data through observation, asking questions, and the use of documents;
• the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data using appropriate concepts;
• factors influencing the design and execution of sociological research;
• ethical issues arising in sociological research.

c) Themes

AS and A level specifications should require candidates to study two themes:

• Socialisation, culture and identity;
• Social differentiation, power and stratification.

The themes should be understood and applied to particular substantive areas of Sociology. However, these themes are to be interpreted broadly as threads running through many areas of social life and should not therefore necessarily be regarded as discrete topics.

For example, the theme of ‘Socialisation, culture and identity' might be addressed through aspects of ‘the family', but equally through aspects of the ‘the mass media' or ‘youth culture'. Similarly, the theme of ‘Social differentiation, power and stratification' might be addressed through aspects of ‘social class' but equally through aspects of ‘gender'.

3.4 Skills

The skills outlined in this section relate to the acquisition and production of evidence, the interpretation and evaluation of evidence, the presentation of evidence and its application to sociological debates. The term ‘evidence' should be interpreted as including both primary and secondary sources as well as qualitative data. In order to demonstrate a firm grasp of the skills, candidates should relate them to their sociological knowledge and understanding, including that specified in sections 3.3 a) to 3.3 c).

a) The analysis of research design

AS and A level specifications should require candidates to demonstrate their ability to:

• identify facts, opinions and value judgements;
• analyse and evaluate the design of a range of investigations;
• analyse and evaluate the methods used to collect, select and record relevant evidence accurately.

b) The interpretation and evaluation of evidence

AS and A level specifications should require candidates to demonstrate their ability to:

• select and apply a range of relevant concepts and theories;
• interpret qualitative and quantitative data;
• identify and evaluate significant social trends;
• evaluate different theories, arguments and evidence.

c) Presentation of evidence and the nature of sociological debates

AS and A level specifications should require candidates to demonstrate their ability to:

• organise and communicate arguments in a coherent manner;
• display an awareness of theoretical debates in sociology;
• use evidence to support and sustain arguments and conclusions.

3.5 In addition, A level specifications should require candidates to study either the core themes (paragraph 3.3 c) across a wider range of areas and/or theoretical issues, or consider additional themes. A level specifications should also require candidates to:

• cover the issues in 3.3 a) at a depth that extends and enhances the coverage at AS level;
• adopt a more critical, evaluative and interpretative approach to the range of methodological issues in 3.3 b);
• demonstrate more highly developed skills of critical appraisal and reflection on debates based on a broad and diverse range of sources;
• study the nature of sociological thought and methods of sociological enquiry in greater range and depth, and demonstrate more highly developed critical appraisal, evaluative and reflective skills.

4. Key Skills

4.1 AS and A level specifications in Sociology should provide opportunities for developing and generating evidence for assessing the Key Skills listed below. Where appropriate, these opportunities should be directly cross-referenced, at specified level(s), to the criteria listed in Part B of the Key Skills specifications.

• Communication
• Information Technology
• Application of Number
• Improving Own Learning and Performance
• Working with Others
• Problem Solving

5. Assessment Objectives

5.1 The assessment objectives and the associated weightings for AS and A level are the same and should be weighted in all specifications as indicated.

Specifications should require that all candidates demonstrate the following assessment objectives in the context of the content and skills prescribed.

Assessment Objectives		Weighting
AO1	knowledge and understanding of the theories, methods, concepts and various forms of evidence outlined in paragraphs 3.3 a), b) and c), and of the links between them; communication of knowledge and understanding in a clear and effective manner.	45-55%
AO2	acquisition and appropriate application of skills of identification, analysis, interpretation and evaluation as indicated in paragraphs 3.4 a), b) and c).	45-55%

The assessment objectives apply to the whole specification.

6. Scheme of Assessment

6.1 Internal Assessment

A level specifications in Sociology may have a maximum internal assessment weighting of 30%.

6.2 Synoptic Assessment

All specifications should include a minimum of 20% synoptic assessment. All synoptic assessment units should be taken at the end of the course and be externally assessed. Synoptic assessment will draw on both assessment objectives.

The definition of synoptic assessment in the context of Sociology is as follows:

• the drawing together of knowledge, understanding and skills learned in different aspects of the course. It involves the explicit assessment of understanding of the connections between one or more substantive areas of Sociology, and the nature of sociological thought and methods of sociological enquiry using the higher level skills identified in Section 3.5 above.

Examples of synoptic assessment tasks might include:

• internal assessment, for example, a piece of sociological research in which sociological theories and methods are applied to an area of interest to the candidate;
• external assessment, for example, a written examination consisting of, or containing, an essay title which assesses candidates' understanding of the links between sociological theories and methods and substantive topics studied during the course. It can include a choice of questions;
• external assessment, for example, a written examination consisting of, or containing, a stimulus question based on at least one prose passage and/or numerical data making connections between different parts of the course and involving questions assessing understanding of these connections.

6.3 Key Skills Assessment

The Key Skill of Communication must contribute to the assessment of Sociology at AS and A level as stated in paragraph 13 of the Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced level qualification-specific criteria.

The requirement for all AS and A level specifications to assess candidates' quality of written communication will be met through assessment objective 1.

7. Grade Descriptions

7.1 The following grade descriptions indicate the level of attainment characteristic of the given grade at A level. They give a general indication of the required learning outcomes at each specified grade. The descriptions should be interpreted in relation to the content outlined in the specification; they are not designed to define that content. The grade awarded will depend in practice upon the extent to which the candidate has met the assessment objectives overall. Shortcomings in some aspects of the examination may be balanced by better performance in others.

7.2 Grade A

Candidates display a detailed knowledge and understanding of a range of sociological theories, concepts and methods, and of the links between them. They demonstrate a well-developed ability to select and interpret different types of evidence from a range of sources, and make detailed and valid evaluations of evidence and arguments from a variety of contexts. They show a well-developed and refined ability to organise material from diverse sources, where appropriate, and use it to present and sustain sociological arguments of some complexity.

7.3 Grade C

Candidates display a good knowledge and understanding of some sociological theories, concepts and methods, and some recognition of the links between them. They demonstrate the ability to select and interpret different types of evidence from a range of sources, and are able to show some evaluation of evidence and arguments from different contexts. They show some ability to organise material from diverse sources and use it to present a sociological argument.

7.4 Grade E

Candidates display an outline knowledge and understanding of sociological theories, concepts and methods and the links between them. They demonstrate a basic ability to select and interpret evidence presented in different formats, and they are able to make a partial evaluation of evidence and arguments. They show an ability to organise material and present a basic sociological argument.