IGCSE Sociology : Syllabus, Notes & More
IGCSE Online Academic Tutoring for Sociology and IGCSE Sociology courses, students explore aspects of social relations, processes, and structures; as a result, they develop a better understanding of human societies and the role of continuity and change in social life.Â
Students are trained to think critically about a wide range of social, economic, and political structures, and to engage with the sociological method. Emphasis is placed on developing the ability to interpret, evaluate, and apply different types of sociological data and evidence.
IGCSE Sociology Syllabus Units
The IGCSE Sociology syllabus is structured into the following seven units:
- Theory and Methods
- Culture, Identity, and Socialization
- Social Inequality
- Family
- Education
- Crime, Deviance, and Social Control
- Media
These units are supported by a range of study resources including IGCSE sociology notes, textbooks, and access to past papers to aid revision and exam readiness.
Skills and Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will have developed:
- A clear understanding of how social influences shape individuals.
- The ability to analyze human behaviour within both local and global contexts.
- An appreciation of different sociological perspectives across time and culture.
- Skills in evaluating sociological research methods and data.
- The confidence to question and assess societal norms regarding education, family, crime, and quality.
 Our tutoring links theoretical knowledge to real-life contexts, enabling students to apply sociological concepts to their lives and communities. With expert guidance, learners build a strong foundation not just for academic success, but also for becoming active, reflective members of society.
IGCSE Sociology Content Overview: Paper-Wise Syllabus Structure
| Paper | Units Covered | Topics |
| Paper 1 | Unit 1: Theory and Methods | Understanding sociological research methods, types of data, and how to analyze them |
| Unit 2: Culture, Identity, and Socialisation | Social norms, values, roles, identity formation, and cultural diversity | |
| Unit 3: Social Inequality | Class, gender, ethnicity-based inequality and social stratification | |
| Paper 2 | Unit 4: Family | Functions of the family, types of families, changing family roles and structure |
| Unit 5: Education | Role of education, formal vs informal education, educational achievement and inequality | |
| Unit 6: Crime, Deviance and Social Control | Definitions of crime and deviance, causes of crime, crime statistics, law enforcement | |
| Unit 7: Media | Role of mass media, media influence on public opinion, stereotyping, representation and censorship |
Cambridge IGCSE Sociology 0495 Assessment Structure (AOs)
The Cambridge IGCSE Sociology 0495 assessment comprises two externally assessed papers. Students who take both papers are eligible for grades A to G*. Each paper tests different units of the syllabus, helping candidates demonstrate understanding of key sociological concepts and apply analytical skills effectively.
 IGCSE Sociology Paper Structure and Marking Scheme
| Paper | Duration | Weighting | Marks | Content Assessed | Question Pattern |
| Paper 1 | 2 hours | 54% | 80 | Covers Unit 1: Theory and Methods, Unit 2: Culture, Identity and Socialisation, and Unit 3: Inequality | One compulsory data response question and one optional structured question (choice of two) |
| Paper 2 | 1 hour 45 minutes | 46% | 70 | Covers Unit 4: Family, Unit 5: Education, Unit 6: Crime and Deviance, and Unit 7: Media | Answer all questions. Structured and extended response format |
Key Highlights of IGCSE Sociology 0495 Assessment
- Cambridge externally assesses both papers.
- The total marks are 150 (80 for Paper 1 and 70 for Paper 2).
- Questions test a mix of data analysis, structured writing, and sociological evaluation.
- Designed to assess knowledge, interpretation, application, analysis, and evaluation skills in sociology.
Cambridge IGCSE Sociology Weighting in IGCSE and Components % for AOs
| Weighting in IGCSE and
Components % |
|||
| Assessment objective | Weighting in IGCSE % | Paper 1 | Paper 2 |
| AO1 | 35-40 | 38-44 | 35-43 |
| AO2 | 30-35 | 31-38 | 28-35 |
| AO3 | 25-30 | 26-31 | 22-28 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 100 |
