We aim to create young Sociologists who evaluate society around them and allow them to gain an appreciation of how and why society works in the way that it does. Sociology allows students to participate in the globalised world by examining social phenomena that affects peoples lives in may ways.  

Student will be able to apply their sociological knowledge, understanding and skills to develop an understanding of relationships and tension between social structures and individual agency within a UK and global context eg how the rich exploit the poor. They will critically analyse information and use evidence in order to make informed arguments, reach substantiated judgements and draw conclusions for eg looking at crime statistics and investigating the dark figure of crime. Student will use and apply their knowledge and understanding of how social structures and processes influence social control, power and inequality for eg are people in power always looking out to help the disadvantaged or further reinforcing the inequalities and divide between social groups. They will use sociological theories to understand social issues, debates, social changes and continuities over time such as the role of material deprivation in educational achievement. Finally they will understand and evaluate sociological methodology and a range of research methods such as interviews and observations. 

The Social Sciences department work by the principle that every individual student may achieve personal excellence. The department continues to develop students understanding of people and the different worlds in which they live in their past and present day lives. The department also aims to develop students understanding of the influence of the natural environment on human activity by studying the diversity of people from historical and contemporary perspectives.