Careers
Job Prospects for People with B.A. Degrees in Sociology
Given the breadth, adaptability, and utility of sociology, there are a wide range of employment opportunities for B.A. graduates. Perhaps most commonly, graduates get entry level positions in sociological practice or research.
Sociological Practice - This broad category of career activities refers to positions that involve "applied," or "clinical" sociology. Applied sociology is knowledge directed to understanding immediate problems and their solutions. Clinical sociology, also concerned with the application of sociological knowledge, extends its involvement in the world by intervening in social settings using a wide range of techniques to help guide the process of change. Clinical sociologists may carry out interventions at the individual, group, organizational, community, and societal levels. They work in counseling, social and environmental impact assessment, evaluation, facilitation, mediation, and conflict resolution. All of these approaches have one thing in common: they help citizens, groups, organizations, or government to identify problems and deeper causes and to suggest possible strategies for solution.
Research - There are as many research specializations as there are content areas and methods of sociological inquiry. Methods range from field work or questionnaire and interview surveys to working with census materials, from analysis of historical documents to actual experiments, whether in laboratory simulation or out in society. One form which is equally important is evaluation research. Here the investigator uses a variety of sociological methods to assess the impact of a particular policy or program.
Typical Jobs and Graduate Study Fields
Large sectors for employment are: corrections - in probation, parole, or other criminal justice work; in health and the social services - rehabilitation, case management, group work with youth or the elderly, recreation, or administration; community work - in social service organizations and community development organizations. In business, one can move into advertising, marketing and consumer research, insurance, personnel work or training. One can obtain entry level positions in family planning, substance abuse, youth or rehabilitation counseling. Publishing, computing, and public relations are also possible fields. In addition, there are a variety of federal, state and local government jobs in such areas as transportation, housing, agriculture, and labor.
Finally, sociology majors frequently go on to graduate work in sociology as well as other areas including social work, education, public health, business administration, urban planning, law, medicine, and religion.
Source: The American Sociological Association, Careers in Sociology.
Sociology Graduates' Stories
-- Teaching with the Peace Corps
"Sociology wasn't my first choice as a college major. I spent my first year of college studying to become an engineer. Then one semester, I took a sociology class. After that, I knew what I wanted to study.
Sociology had all my interest as it combines history, economics, and psychology. More over, sociology is the study of people, groups, society as well as culture. Sociology was a partial influence on me to join the Peace Corps after I graduated. I served for two years as an English teacher in Kazakhstan. Skills I took from sociology, especially cultural awareness, helped me to be successful.
Since I've been back, I've been teaching here in Minnesota. I've gone back to school to get my teaching licenses. My sociology background is very comprehensive and it always is applicable to any topic discussed in my classes. More importantly, sociology is applicable to any topic or discussion in life."
Joel Gullickson - Sociology Graduate 1997
-- Graduate Work in Sociology
"After graduating from CSP in 1995, I started my graduate studies in sociology at the University of Minnesota in the fall of 1996. My areas of interest are law, crime, and deviance. Specifically, my Ph.D. revolves around mental illness and how the legal system deals with the mentally ill.
I have worked as a research assistant for two members of the U of M faculty. In my first two years in graduate school I worked with Elizabeth Heger Boyle on a project entitled "Human Rights Claims, Human Rights Abuses: The Influence of National and International Factors on Citizens' Resort to the International Arena." We explored the relationship between human rights abuse claims to the European Court of Human Rights and the level of integration into the international system. I also worked with Christopher Uggen on a project entitled "A Life Course Model of Careers in Crime and Substance Abuse." In this project we explored the relationship between drug use and legal and illegal earnings over the life course of the individual offender.
As for my standing in the graduate program, I have completed the qualifying procedure and my course work, and now am working on my dissertation research. Sociology continues to be a fascinating field."
Melissa Thompson - Sociology Graduate 1995
-- Social Service
"Since graduating from CSP in 1998, I have been working as the residential supervisor at the ACR Home on Redwood. Redwood is a group home for four adults who have developmental disabilities. I am responsible for the selection of Redwood staff and I assist with the recruitment of staff for ACR. I supervise ten to fifteen staff at Redwood and ensure that Redwood Program Counselors are fulfilling the requirements of their positions and job descriptions. I oversee scheduling of staff, facilitate monthly staff meetings, and ensure that staff are up-to-date with their training.
There are four residents with developmental disabilities who live at Redwood. I make sure that all of the residents' needs are being met and that staff are helping them achieve the goals which are important to them. I work approximately ten hours of direct care with the residents each week, which is the most rewarding piece of my job. This includes helping them get ready for work some mornings, taking them to medical appointments, and going out on activities with them. I also facilitate resident medical care.
In addition, I manage the household operations, which include planning and organizing the household budget and resident finances, purchasing for the house and residents, and ensuring that the household meets all regulatory requirements. I also facilitate meetings and contacts with resident case managers, guardians, family members, and friends."
Tiffany Hanan - Sociology Graduate 1998
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