Hello everyone! I’m planning on changing my major to sociology and wanted to see what I can do with a degree in sociology. If any sociology majors out there can give me any insight, that would be great!(:
I just graduated from UCLA with a degree in Sociology. There really is no job that’s looking for someone with a BA in Sociology. But anytime a job requires/ prefers a person with a BA, then you’re good. With the exception of jobs that require a degree in Business or STEM majors, you can pretty much go down just about any path career-wise. I also think Soc is a great foundation for many grad school programs.
My recommendation is once you transfer, take Soc electives that feel most relevant to you and your future goals. Also take other electives that may pertain to future goals. It will just be helpful as you’re navigating career possibilities down the road.
I’m a sociology major and there’s not a lot you can do with a BA, and expect most of your actual career happening once you get a Masters. I plan on getting a Masters in Social Work and trying to work for the city. My focus is poverty, homelessness, and income equality and want to do something in those interests.
I have a friend with a BA in Sociology and she works in a psychiatric clinic and works with individuals with addiction and schizophrenia.
You need to draw a distinction between vocational majors (engineering, accounting, nursing, etc) and those involved in exploring a body of knowledge like psych, history, sociology, etc. None of these liberal-arts majors lead directly to a career path (except perhaps as a professor in that subject) nor are they intended to. The reason to pick a liberal-arts major or minor is because of a strong interest in the subject. It may also be applicable to some career fields with an advanced degree. But that is not the main goal; if you want a degree that prepares you for a job, pick a vocational major.
As a prospective liberal-arts major it’s best to think of the career search as something that takes place in parallel with your college education. In college you will sharpen skills in writing, analyzing things you read, making strong arguments, working under deadlines, handling multiple tasks, have chances for leadership in clubs, and so on. Obviously the more you are challenged and the more you participate in your education (as opposed to picking classes with “easy” profs and multiple-choice tests, etc) the more you’ll learn.
But in addition to this you need to take steps to identify and prepare for a career. JYour plans may change after being in the working world a while, but its better to start with a goal than to graduate and wonder “what now?” ust about any field is open to you with a Sociology major provided you take steps to prepare while in college. You should become a regular at your career center. They have workshops, reference materials, interest batteries, can put you in touch with alums, etc. There are also 2 books I highly recommend. The first is “Major in Success” and explains with many stories how college students can discover their interests and prepare for jobs pursuing those interests while in college. The second book is the bible of the job-hunter, “What Color is Your Parachute”. This book also helps you discover what your interests are and how to determine where out in the working world you can do it.
The next step after you identify some fields of interest, and the most important to finding a job for the liberal-arts major, are internships. They set you apart from the thousands of other kids with the same degree, give you experience in the field, and usually lead to offers from the companies where you had internships. Other companies are impressed by the internships and take a much closer look at you. Internships give you actual exposure to the job and let you explain to potential employers why you would be a good fit in the career rather than just hoping its right for you.