Sociology is the study of society. In Sociology you will learn about different aspects of society including the family, education, beliefs and, crime and deviance. For example in the family you will learn whether women still do an unfair share of domestic work or if the emergence of the ‘new man’ has made their lives easier. In education you will learn about social factors such as class, ethnicity and gender that affect student performance. Sociologists study these different aspects using different research methods and you will learn about the strengths and weaknesses of using such research methods.
Sociology both requires and develops literacy skills in particular sociology develops students essay writing ability, and ability to maintain a clear line of argument throughout an extended piece of writing. You will also learn how to apply strengths and weaknesses of various research methods to novel situations. Throughout your studies you will consider theoretical debates as to whether or not society is organised in a fair way in which everyone has an equal chance of success or an unfair way which benefits the wealthy and not the poor.
Sociology develops students’ understanding of the world in which we live, it is a highly versatile subject and is very useful for many career paths and university courses. Former St Benedict’s Sociology students have gone on to study law at Oxford, began training as teachers and nurses, and embarked on careers in journalism to name but a few. Sociology is classed as a humanities subject but also uses scientific methodology therefore it combines well with any other subject.