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GCSEFrom£29.99/mo

GCSE Sociology

GCSE Sociology is a Level 2 qualification, awarded here by AQA under specification 8192, covering families, education, crime and deviance, social stratification and research methods. It is assessed by two written exams of 1 hour 45 minutes, each carrying 100 marks and worth 50 per cent, with no coursework. Study is online and exams are sat at an approved centre.

Add to Basket: From £29.99/moSee pricing
  • 12 to 18 monthsDuration
  • OnlineStudy Method
  • Start any timeStart Date
Accredited qualificationUK awarding body
Start anytimeNo fixed term dates
Tutor supportExpert tutors, 7 days
14-day money backRefund if not loved
GCSE Sociology at a glance
Qualification levelRQF Level 2
Qualification number8192
Typical study time12 to 18 months
Study methodOnline
Start dateStart any time
Pay monthly£29.99 per month
Pay annually£287.90

This course is for you if…

  • ✓You are 18 or over and need a Level 2 qualification for a job, an apprenticeship or college entry.
  • ✓You work in care, education, housing, youth work or policing and want the theory behind your practice.
  • ✓You intend to progress to A Level Sociology, an access course or a social sciences route.
  • ✓You prefer discussion-based, essay-style subjects to numerical ones.
  • ✓You are supporting a home-educated learner who wants a recognised social science GCSE.
  • ✓You can attend an approved exam centre for two papers in a May or June series.

Your career after this course

  • ✓You want a qualification with no in-person exams. Both papers must be sat at an approved centre.
  • ✓You already hold A Level Sociology or a related Level 3 qualification and need something more advanced.
  • ✓You need a certificate within weeks, since AQA exams run on an annual May or June cycle.
  • ✓You are looking for a professional social work or counselling qualification rather than an academic GCSE.
About this qualification

What you'll learn

GCSE Sociology is the study of how society is organised and why people behave differently within it. You look at families, schooling, crime and inequality, and you learn how sociologists gather and test evidence about each of them. It is a subject about arguments and evidence rather than memorised facts.

The version offered here is AQA specification 8192, the AQA GCSE in Sociology, Ofqual accreditation number 603/0798/5. AQA sets and marks both written papers. The qualification is linear, so all exams are taken at the end of the course, and results are reported on the nine-point scale from 1 to 9, with 9 the highest grade.

RQF Level 2Online12 to 18 months100% onlineSelf-pacedTutor support
What you'll need

Entry requirements

There are no entry requirements. AQA states that specification 8192 has no previous learning requirements, and that any requirements for entry to a course based on the specification are at the discretion of the centre. You do not need existing GCSEs to enrol, and there is no requirement to hold GCSE English or Maths first.

You do need to be comfortable reading and writing at length in English, because both papers ask for extended responses that construct an argument and reach a conclusion. If you have not written essays for some years, working on GCSE English Language alongside this qualification is a sensible pairing, though it is not a condition of enrolment. You should be 18 or over, able to study independently online, and able to travel to an approved exam centre for the written papers.

Not sure if you qualify?

Our admissions team can talk you through your options.

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Assessment

How you're assessed

AQA assesses 8192 through two written papers and no coursework. Paper 1, The sociology of families and education, lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, carries 100 marks and is worth 50 per cent of the GCSE. Paper 2, The sociology of crime and deviance and social stratification, has the same length, marks and weighting. Both papers also assess relevant areas of social theory and methodology, and expect you to draw on the whole course rather than a single topic.

Each paper is divided into two sections. In both Section A and Section B you answer two multiple choice questions followed by a range of short and extended responses. The qualification is linear, so both papers are sat in the same series at an approved exam centre, and grades are awarded on the nine-point scale from 1 to 9.

01

Portfolio-based

Coursework and a written portfolio. No traditional written exams.

02

Submit online

All assignments submitted through your learner dashboard.

03

Tutor feedback

Detailed feedback in 3 to 5 working days. Refine and resubmit until you reach the grade you want.

04

Graded across units

Pass, Merit or Distinction on each unit. Top grades stack to the highest UCAS point total.

Careers

Where this can take you

Typical roles and salary ranges this qualification opens up.

Social worker

Typical salary range

£37,000 – £47,000

Assessing and supporting children, families or adults at risk, working with statutory and voluntary services. The range spans the ONS 2024 25th and 75th percentile full-time earnings for social workers. Registration requires an approved degree or apprenticeship, and this GCSE is a recognised starting point on that route.

Police officer

Typical salary range

£37,000 – £47,000

Frontline policing, investigation and community safety work. The range covers the ONS 2024 25th percentile and median full-time earnings for police officers at sergeant rank and below. Forces set their own entry requirements, and the crime, deviance and social control content is directly relevant to the role.

Youth and community worker

Typical salary range

£27,000 – £37,000

Supporting young people and communities through projects, advice and group work in local authority or charity settings. The range spans the ONS 2024 25th and 75th percentile full-time earnings for youth and community workers. Understanding education, family and inequality is core to the job.

Welfare or housing support officer

Typical salary range

£25,000 – £33,000

Advising tenants and service users on housing, benefits and welfare needs, and coordinating support. The range spans the ONS 2024 25th and 75th percentile full-time earnings for welfare and housing associate professionals. The stratification and poverty content underpins this kind of casework.

Pricing

Choose how you want to study

Every option includes the full course, UK tutor marking and study support. The difference is whether your exams are included.

Study

Full tuition, tutor marking and study support. You arrange and pay for your own exams.

£25.42/mo

£304.99 billed annually, save 15%

  • Full course content and tutor marking
  • AI Study Assistant and study support
  • You book and pay for your own exams
Most popular

+Exams

Tuition plus your exam entry and centre fees, booked and paid for by us.

£50.92/mo

£610.99 billed annually, save 15%

  • Everything in Study
  • Exam entry and centre fees included
  • Exam booking handled for you

7-day free trial on every option. Nothing is charged today and you can cancel from your account before the trial ends.

Everything else

What else you should know

Study support and platform

  • You get a personal tutor from day one
  • Log in any time from a phone, tablet or laptop
  • Marking is done in 3 to 5 working days
  • Talk to our support team by phone, email or live chat
  • See your progress and next steps on your dashboard
  • Join the learner community forum when you want to chat to others

Funding and finance

  • Pay monthly to spread the cost with no interest
  • Pay in full and save versus monthly
  • No credit checks and no contract. Pause or cancel anytime
  • We can send funding paperwork to your employer if they sponsor you
  • Our enrolment team will talk you through every option
  • 14 day money back guarantee on every enrolment

Accreditation and recognition

  • Awarded by a recognised UK awarding body
  • Regulated by Ofqual, the same standard as college courses
  • Accepted by UK universities, employers and professional bodies
  • You get a certificate when you finish
  • Listed on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications
  • Independently quality checked through IQA and EQA

How it works

  • Start any time. There are no set term dates or cohorts
  • Study at your own pace around work and family
  • No exams. You complete coursework, a portfolio and assignments
  • Resubmit your work at no extra cost to reach the grade you want
  • Use the optional study planner if you like a bit of structure
  • How long you study is entirely up to you. Most learners spend a few hours each week, but you can do more or less based on your own pace
What learners say

Trusted by thousands of learners

Real feedback from learners studying with Lift College.

The flexibility was a game changer for me. I studied around my shifts and my tutor was incredibly supportive throughout.
Sarah M. · Manchester
Access to HE Diploma
I was nervous about going back to study after 15 years, but the platform is so easy to use and the feedback I got on assignments was genuinely useful.
James P. · Birmingham
A Level Biology
Got into my first-choice university with a place on a Nursing BSc. The Access to HE Diploma gave me exactly what I needed.
Aisha K. · London
Access to HE Diploma (Nursing)
Good value and well structured. I appreciated that I could resubmit work without extra cost, really helped me improve.
David R. · Leeds
CMI Level 5
Customer service was excellent. Any time I had a question it was answered within hours. Highly recommend.
Emma L. · Glasgow
GCSE English
I needed a qualification that actually meant something to employers. Ofqual regulation was the deciding factor, and it delivered.
Tom W. · Bristol
CMI Level 7
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GCSE Sociology
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