A-Level

AQA A-Level Sociology Revision

Adaptive practice aligned to the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance specification. 8 topics, exam-style questions, and instant AI feedback.

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About AQA A-Level Sociology

AQA is the largest exam board in England, setting GCSE and A-Level exams taken by millions of students each year. Known for clear mark schemes and well-structured specifications across all major subjects.

A-Level Sociology provides a systematic study of how society is structured and how social forces shape individual behaviour, identity, and life chances. You will examine topics such as education, families and households, crime and deviance, media, beliefs in society, and sociological research methods. The course challenges you to question taken-for-granted assumptions about the world and to evaluate competing theoretical perspectives.

Topics in AQA A-Level Sociology

1 Education

2 Families & Households

3 Crime & Deviance

4 Beliefs in Society

5 Social Stratification

6 Research Methods

7 Theory & Methods

8 Global Development

Study Tips for AQA Sociology

For every topic, learn the position of each major sociological perspective (functionalist, Marxist, feminist, interactionist, New Right, postmodernist) and prepare evaluation points that compare them. Synoptic links between perspectives are essential for top grades.

Learn key studies with specific details — researcher name, date, method, key findings, and at least one evaluation point. For example, Bowles and Gintis (1976) used questionnaire data to argue that education corresponds to capitalist workplace values, but their Marxist framework can be criticised for being overly deterministic.

Master the research methods vocabulary and be prepared to apply it to unfamiliar scenarios. Know the difference between reliability and validity, and between positivist and interpretivist approaches, and be able to evaluate any research method in context.

Use point-evidence-analysis-evaluation paragraphs in all your written work. Every argument you make should include a sociological concept, supporting evidence from a named study or statistic, analysis of its significance, and a critical evaluation.