Bachelor of arts in Sociology

If you are intrigued by how and why people interact as they do with others, then maybe sociology is the major for you. Sociology majors learn to think critically about social problems and social phenomena. 

The major is very broad. Everything in the social realm is open for study, including family, marriage, deviance, criminology, group interaction, gender roles, sexuality, work roles, public policy, aging, social inequality, attitude development, and much more.

Once you graduate with a degree in sociology, there are a number of careers that will fit your skills and knowledge. Read below for more information on the types of jobs that might be right for you, as well as a list of sociology skills.

To choose the best possible career, you will need to consider your other skills, interests, and values as well as the sociology major. Here are some common job possibilities to explore as you think of ways to apply your sociology major to the work world.

Guidance counselors use knowledge of the sociology of learning to help students navigate the academic world. They also communicate with families to devise strategies to support the achievement of their students. Guidance counselors utilize interview and counseling techniques to help students make academic and career choices.

Guidance counselors use problem-solving skills to mediate conflicts and resolve social problems within schools. They facilitate group sessions and instruct students about social issues like bullying, substance abuse, and safe sex.

HR representatives need to have finesse with people and interact effectively with a broad range of individuals and groups. They must be able to analyze work roles and assess the suitability of candidates for jobs. Interviewing skills learned by sociology majors are essential for this evaluation.

HR staff members use problem-solving skills to mediate conflicts and resolve personnel issues. HR representatives use analytical and decision-making skills to evaluate alternative structures for employee benefits.

Lawyers use critical thinking and analytical skills to research and litigate their cases. Many areas of legal practice, such as divorce, child custody, adoption, criminal law, personal injury, worker compensation, and employment law benefit, are related to sociology.

Lawyers draw on research and writing skills to carry out their work. They must gather facts and evidence to support a thesis, just as sociology majors do with their position papers. Lawyers must present their findings in a compelling manner in order to convince a judge, jury or opposing attorney of their position. This is similar to presentations in sociology classes.

Management consultants analyze business issues, research possible remedies or enhancements, and present solutions to clients. New college graduates often start out in positions like research analyst, research assistant, or junior consultant, where they support the work of more senior staff.

Sociology majors develop the qualitative and quantitative research skills to understand a business problem. Their problem-solving skills help them to generate viable solutions to these issues. Writing and public speaking skills are also critical when constructing reports and presenting analyses and solutions to clients.

Market research analysts test products and services and evaluate the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. They utilize social science research techniques, including interviews, surveys, and focus groups, to gather data. Market researchers employ statistical methods mastered by sociology majors to analyze data.

Market researchers often track preferences for specific consumer groups. The sociologist’s knowledge of gender, youth, aging, race, ethnicity, and social class helps to inform these assessments.

An understanding of group process and advanced communication skills help sociology majors facilitate focus group interactions and conduct interviews with consumers.

Media planners assess the advertising needs of clients and design a media plan to enhance sales to various groups. Like sociology majors, they must be able to interpret research and analyze the preferences of their target population.

Media planners are aided by sociological knowledge, as they study the characteristics of various groups in order to select the best possible media to advertise their product.

Policy analysts research issues that affect the public. They recommend legislation to address those problems. Knowledge of sociology helps analysts to assess the impact of legislation on social problems and various populations.

Sociology majors have the foundation to analyze issues like welfare, poverty, substance abuse, job training, education, healthcare, and gay marriage. Policy analysts, like sociology majors, rely on strong writing skills to represent the findings of their research and convince legislators and the public of the viability of their recommendations.

PR specialists need to be the ultimate communicators. As such, they must have the sociology major’s ability to understand an audience and its attitudes, needs, and preferences. Writing skills are critical for crafting high-impact press releases.

Public relations staff must have the interpersonal skills to talk to the media and convince them to cover stories about their client or organization. They need to convey ideas clearly to staff and clients and engender support and consent for their ideas.

Social workers apply the knowledge of social dynamics and social institutions learned as a sociology major to assess client issues and help resolve problems. They make referrals to appropriate community agencies to leverage resources on behalf of individuals and families.

Survey researchers and pollsters measure attitudes and opinions in areas familiar to the sociology major, like social and political issues, health, culture, and consumer products. They carefully compose survey questions to elicit clear answers. Survey researchers use the data collection and statistical analysis techniques that sociology majors learn. They write and present reports to share their findings with clients.

Survey researchers use knowledge of groups and sub-cultures as they assess the opinions of targeted demographics. They must be curious about a social phenomenon in order to conduct background research about survey topics.

Sociology majors learn to conduct research about the social world. They gather and analyze data using both qualitative research methods and statistical tools.

Students who major in sociology write reports to convey research findings and present their perspective on social issues. They learn to think globally about issues as well as to attend to details. Sociology majors refine presentation skills by sharing findings with faculty and peers. All of these kinds of assignments help students develop strong communication skills.

Sociology majors are taught to identify problems that exist in the world around them. They apply problem-solving skills to these social dilemmas and exercise their creative abilities to find remedies. Sociology majors learn to take a position on an issue and construct a rationale to support their perspective.

Below is a list of skills most sociology majors develop over the course of their academic careers. When applying for a job, consider which skills on this list are important for the job. Highlight your experience with these skills in your resume, cover letter, and interview. Think of examples of times you demonstrated these skills in coursework, internships, and jobs.

Skills vary by job, so also review these skills lists for a variety of different occupations.