A
sociology degree opens the door to various career opportunities in law,
education, medicine, and more.
If you are a liberal arts student with a sociology degree
, you may be wondering, "What can I
do with a sociology degree?" A Bachelor of Arts in sociology prepares you for
the rigors of graduate school studies, but you also have a solid education and
skill base for many other professions like law, education, social work,
medicine, and counseling. The knowledge you gain through your degree will have a
direct effect on your performance in these fields.
A sociology degree
helps students explore human behavior within the guidelines of an organizational
structure. Sociology is important because interaction between humans is so much
more complex than interaction between animals. Human behavior is influenced by
many external factors—social, religious, and legal, to start. Sociologists study
and observe these behaviors and influences that preserve some behaviors and
change others. Social status, class and criminal deviance are just a few that
come to mind.
Sociology is a very
broad science that touches on other social sciences such as anthropology,
archaeology, and linguistics. These social disciplines are much more focused.
The skills sociology students learn provide valuable preparation for the
business world. A sociological perspective on things is crucial when you
consider today's diverse business environment. Even an undergraduate has insight
about a variety of social factors like religion, race, ethnicity, gender, age,
education, social class, how they affect the workplace, and how organizations
operate.
Graduates may
choose to enter non-academic settings such as human resources management,
employee and leadership training, marketing, advertising program evaluation, and
public policy, just to name a few. Positions like these require an understanding
of human culture and behavior.
A sociology degree
provides you with the perfect skills for the social services field. Positions in
this field include rehabilitation, group work with youth or the elderly, or
administration positions.
Health services is
an extension of the social services field. You can work in family planning,
counseling patients about birth control and unplanned pregnancy. Counselors are
also needed for substance abuse and rehabilitation counseling centers, health
planning, hospital admissions, and insurance companies.
A sociology degree
comes in handy in business with advertising, marketing, sales, or consumer
research. Understanding human nature is a big part of finding success in these
fields.
Government
positions at the local, state, or federal levels can also be ideal careers in
such areas as transportation, agriculture, housing, and
labor.
Securing an
internship before or immediately after graduation gives you an opportunity to
gain hands-on experience in a particular field of interest. It also allows you
to try a career to see if you really like it, all the while building your
resume. There is a wide variety of internships available if you have a sociology
degree. You can usually find an opportunity through social and government
agencies and institutions that regularly offer internships, and maybe even
receive college credit for the experience. Even if it's an unpaid position, it
can be invaluable for the experience, skills learned, and getting your foot in
the door of a career you love.