Who is this course for?
No previous experience in the subject is necessary and the course is open to anyone with an interest in the subject area.
What will I be studying?
The Certificate is divided into three termly units, and will be taught remotely for the 2023-24 Academic Year. Students are expected to attend all of the scheduled teaching sessions.
Unit 1 Sociology: Historical Origins, Insights and Value
Unit 1 introduces the key concepts, theories and methods of sociology which have been used to explore the relationship between the individual, institutions and society. The unit begins with a consideration of the characteristics and core concepts of sociology (for example the self, consensus, conflict, social class and social change) and the historical origins of the discipline. It proceeds to analyse the theoretical and methodological foundations of sociology by comparing the ‘classical’ ideas of Marx, Weber and Durkheim. Developments in sociological theory in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries are then explored by evaluating ‘modern’ approaches to society including structural functionalism, neo-Marxism, varieties of interpretive sociology (for example symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology) and feminisms. In addition, developments in quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research are examined to critically evaluate how sociologists have investigated social life. Throughout Unit 1 students will also be introduced to academic literacies and study skills for sociology including: reading skills; notetaking skills; critical thinking; evaluating empirical evidence; argumentation; and essay writing and referencing. The unit will highlight the historical origins, insights and contemporary value of sociology.
Unit 2 Social Inequality, Reproduction and Transformation
The degree of social change – that is the extent of social reproduction and/or transformation - constitutes a central concern of sociologists both past and present. Unit 2, therefore, defines some of the major forms of social inequality (gender, ethnicity and social class) in modern societies, examines how inequalities are measured, and analyses and assesses empirical evidence related to changing patterns of inequality (for example changes in the gender and ethnic gap in pay levels and the extent of social mobility in society over time). It will also highlight the intersection of forms of social inequality, as experienced in everyday life, and introduce students to the value of research evidence in relation to social policy making. For example, the relationship between studies of social mobility and education policy will be assessed. The unit provides an evaluation of the contemporary explanations and theories sociologists have developed to account for stability (and change) in patterns of social inequality. In so doing, it seeks to foreground the debate on research agendas, empirical evidence and the quality of explanations to assess the utility of sociology.
Additionally, the unit highlights the interplay of biographical, institutional and social experiences in the reproduction and transformation of social life in modern societies.
Unit 3 Contemporary Issues in Sociology and Social Policy
The purpose of sociology is to explain individual behaviour, patterns of social formation and – potentially – to provide an evidence base for social policy. Consequently, Unit 3 provides a critical introduction to the sociology of the life course, exploring the connection between biography and history, and to the sociology of education and the sociology of health and illness. Specifically, the unit will explore scholarly debates and research related to the social construction of the life course, the experience of childhood, adulthood and old age both past and present, and the experience of death and bereavement. Subsequently, the changing nature of educational provision, inequalities in educational attainment and the policy responses of specific governments to educational inequality will be examined. Unit 3 also introduces the sociology of health and illness focusing on the social construction of health, the measurement of health inequalities and policy responses adopted to tackle persistent health inequalities. In addition, these sessions will critically evaluate the potential link between research evidence, policy making and government commitments to ‘social justice’ or, more recently, ‘levelling up’. Finally, the unit concludes by exploring the social policy making process, policy research and by reflecting on the contemporary utility of sociology.
What can I go on to do?
Students who have completed the Certificate in Sociology may be able to progress to FHEQ level 5 provision within ICE at the discretion of the Academic Director.
Credit awarded by ICE can be transferred into the degree programmes of some other higher education providers. The amount of credit which can be transferred into degree programmes varies from institution to institution and is always at the discretion of the receiving institution.
