Academic Departments - Sociology

There is hardly a news item or topical issue that is not encompassed by Sociology, a subject which was introduced at St. David's in response to requests from the students. It has become a popular subject at AS and at A2.

Sociology is the science of the workings of society, and of how that society impacts on the lives of the individuals who form a community. 

It is effectively a combination of Politics, Social History and Economics.  Studying Sociology offers students the opportunity to develop the rigorous skill of evaluation and of applying both quantitative and qualitative research methods to real-life issues such as policies on crime, education, health, welfare and poverty.

The course gives students a thorough introduction to the main approaches in Sociology. At AS we investigate the process of socialisation, by which the individual learns an identity, including aspects of gender, class, ethnicity and nationality, and the norms and values of their society relating to the family, to childcare and to youth culture.

At A2, society's systems of power and control are investigated by learning about theories that influence government policy.  We take a more detailed look at how research techniques are applied to the problems in society, including how this research informs government policies on employment and the family.

The aim is to encourage students to develop their powers of expression through dialogue and discussion, and to develop the skills of evaluating evidence in scientific terms.

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