The reality of finding a job with a major in Social Science.

College Majors Humanities Majors
1

So I go to a small liberal arts college in NJ which has a college major in Social Science with a Concentration in Labor Studies. It is a contract major too.

I got stuck in this major because I switched from American Studies to this major in hopes of finding better job prospects. I was thinking about doing an Accelerated Nursing program since this major had very few classes required in it and I would just do Prerequisite courses in nursing (then I realized they do not give you financial aid for this program after you graduate college so I stopped).

Below is the requirements of the social science major:

FIRST YEAR
Fall Semester
Gen Ed: INTD 101 - FIRST YEAR SEMINAR (HRS 4)
Gen Ed/School Core: SOSC 101 - SOCIAL ISSUES (HRS 4)
Gen Ed: CRWT 102 - CRITICAL READING & WRITING II (HRS 4)
Gen Ed: MATH 108 - ELEMENTARY PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS (HRS 4)

Spring Semester
Gen Ed: GE-SCIENCE WITH EXPERIENTIAL COMPONENT CATEGORY (HRS 4)
Gen Ed: GE-HISTORY CATEGORY: HIST 101-110 (HRS 4)
Major: Level 100 Course (HRS 4)
Major: Level 100 Course (HRS 4)

SECOND YEAR
Fall Semester
School Core: Sustainability Course (HRS 4)
Gen Ed: AIID 201 - READINGS IN THE HUMANITIES (HRS 4)
Major: Level 200 Course (HRS 4)
Major: Level 200 Course (HRS 4)

Spring Semester
School Core: SOSC 235 - HISTORY OF SOCIAL THOUGHT (HRS 4)
Elective (HRS 4)
Elective (HRS 4)
Major: Level 300 Course (HRS 4)

THIRD YEAR
Fall Semester
Major: Research Methods Course (HRS 4)
Gen Ed: GE-TOPICS ARTS AND HUMANITIES CATEGORY (HRS 4)
Major: Level 300 Course (HRS 4)
Elective (HRS 4)

Spring Semester
Gen Ed: GE-INTERCULTURAL NORTH AMERICA CATEGORY (HRS 4)
Gen Ed: GE-INTERNATIONAL ISSUES CATEGORY (HRS 4)
PSYC, SOCI or SWRK Elective (HRS 4)
Elective (HRS 4)

FOURTH YEAR
Fall Semester
Elective (HRS 4)
Elective (HRS 4)
Elective (HRS 4)
Elective (HRS 4)

Spring Semester
Major: Level 300/400 Course (HRS 4)
Elective (HRS 4)
Elective (HRS 4)
Elective (HRS 4)

As a student that goes to this school and after talking with many students and faculty about this degree, it seems that this degree was created for 5 types of people.

  1. Failing Psychology students who could not handle Statistic math level coursework.
  2. Students who could not get into the social work program at our school which requires a high GPA. This major would allow them to still go to graduate school.
  3. Students who are failing or were below academic standing of 2.5 GPA.
  4. Transfer students who had credits that did not transfer completely.
  5. Students who just randomly switched into this major (me).

Anyways, I feel like the skills I learned from this major will not help me find a job after graduation since it does not have many other classes that make yourself marketable.

Plus I am sick and tired of this major. I realized I have no interest in this major or Social Services field. I actually took a Social Work class to see if I would like it and I didn’t. I freakin hate the subject, but it seems like I got to do it just so I can get out of this enslaving school of mine.

I realized I would rather go study business but I have so many credits that I would be a six or seven year student if I switched into the major at my school.

Had I made wiser decisions, I would not be in this mess. I do not have parents who went to college so I am learning all of this first time. Plus, father passed away when I was 2 years old. It’s been a struggle not having that guiding advice.

So I was thinking about doing an online college to study business instead.

That way I have a Major where I am more likely to get a job, plus I can work in school. Is this a good idea to do?

Or should I just graduate with this Social Science major anyways and “hope” I find a good paying job with benefits? (not interested in non-profits, I need to survive in this rough economy not be making pennies lol).

Also, can I get financial aid for Online colleges in-state? Thank you all who reply!

2

Honestly, it’s probably better to get a social sciences major from a brick-and-mortar campus than it is to get a business degree from an online for-profit college.

Why don’t you just minor in business or take a lot of classes in it? You can still do the social sciences major so you can graduate in 4-5 years, but take as many business classes as you can, take some statistics/finance/economics or whatever and then do some business-related internships in the summer.

3

There are a lot of electives – can you pick up some business courses with those? I am not sure what HRS4 means, or what is offered at your school. Can you try to get done summer experience working in a business environment to build your resume, or a part time job in that area? Temping can be a way to get a foot in the door in the business world, so consider that.

4

Which of the courses you display above have you already done?

5

First to the OP, my advice is similar to those above. Take the minimal number of courses in your major that you are required to take. Fill the rest of your schedule with as many business courses as possible. Try to get business related experiences-join business related clubs, seek internships or help out in businesses. Don’t go for an online degree. An undergraduate business major is valuable for what is learned not for the ability to write “business major” on your resume. At this point almost anything looks more credible than on-line degree from a on-line school. But you can certainly supplement your education with on-line classes from actual universities.

To those contemplating a social science degree: I used to be a big advocate for liberal arts degrees. I still think there is a place for them but things have changed quite a bit over the last 20 or so years. In contrast to the past, US high school students typically graduate with a broad education. It may not be perfect but most schools now provide most students with exposure to a much broader education than in the past because most schools allow most students to take honor level classes. Given that, the idea of going to college just to spend 4 years thinking is not as compelling as it used to be. You are probably starting college with a knowledge base that used to be established in the first couple of years of college (and this isn’t a function of AP classes but the fact that 5 years now learn what 7 year olds used to learn, and that continues, along with broad exposure to ideas via media).

A liberal arts degree in a field that does not pave the way to a career makes no sense for someone planning to enter the job market upon graduation. For those students, a liberal arts major is obsolete. Majoring in human development, sociology, psychology makes zero sense for those not planning on further training (No, Virginia there is no Job Fairy). Those are great majors for people who know they are going to seek further specific professional training or who plan to enter graduate school or for the very few people who exert effort to gain skills outside the major. They make little sense to people inclined to do little to prepare for a career and who know they don’t want further training.

Things don’t just fall into place. You have to plan for a career. Colleges don’t do that for you! High schools take responsibility for ensuring that you are exposed to the opportunities needed to become a competent college students (but not a member of the job force) but college does not take responsibility for ensuring you are exposed to the opportunities you need to enter the job market. They assume you have considered what you want as a career and have sought out those experiences.

6

Unfortunately, they do not have a Business Minor in this college. Instead, they have whats called a “Business Essentials Certificate” which includes four classes (Principles of Marketing, Principles of Financial Accounting, Business Law or Principles of Information Technology or Corporate Finance 1, and Managing Organizational Behavior.) Plus, you have to pay $100 which is a way for them to be a greedy college instead of offering it as a minor like most schools.

juillet I appreciate you trying to help here especially since you’re the moderator of this website, but I do not think your advice is practical for my situation because you do not know me and have to look at the full picture. I need financial aid to go to school and I have been relying on it since freshman year. I get plenty of financial aid and in fact if I take a break from school now and do something else, I can still get financial aid. Once I get my degree though, the Financial Aid Door shuts. Say I go back to school for something else cause I want to work in another field, well now I going to have to pay more money cause I do not get financial aid anymore. So I might as well change, especially if I am not passionate about the subject. I do not want to just graduate just for the sake of getting the degree.

As I was exploring here and other sites, I found an article that relates to my situation. I think you should read this too juillet because it is showing not everyone is meant for the liberal arts path.

"I only have 12hrs left in my major and 36hrs left in my degree. If I stay, I’ll graduate next spring with a BA in sociology. However, I hate my major, and it doesn’t really give you many career options except being a research assitant or a receptionist. Both of which sound like hell on earth.

I know the smart answer would be to cut my losses and switch majors. Except I really have no idea what I want to do or what I would want to major in.

Should I finish my degree in soc and try to find a career, or just take a break from school until I figure out what degree to get? How did you guys figure out what to major in?

Best Answer: As a former sociology major who was in a similar position, I say take some time off and figure out what you want to do, and here’s why: Financial aid! Once you have that diploma in hand, the financial aid door slams shut and it’s goodbye grants and scholarships. You still have the option of loans, but if you’re almost maxed out (like I am), it makes working toward another degree that much more difficult if you eventually settle on a field that requires higher education (and after age 25, you’re considered independent – if you’re working a low paying job at that time, or not at all, you’re pretty much looking at a free-ride to college).

I graduated with a B.A. in sociology in 2007. I worked as a victim advocate for 3 years before being laid off because a majority of social service positions are grant based (and when the grant is gone, so is the position). It was a difficult career with high stress, long hours, and very, very, very low pay ($33,000 a year in NYC which is about $1,500 more than was is considered low-income here – after paying rent, utilities, student loans, and buying groceries, I was left with about $50 a month to myself for incidentals…like cough medicine or Band-Aid’s, not the life I expected as a college graduate). After I was laid off, I was forced to make a career decision to either continue in the social service rat-race (the only field a sociology major is really qualified for) or go back to school for a direct entry career. And, that’s how I ended up in nursing – pretty much by process of elimination.

And you’re right, sociology majors are NOT in high demand. Essentially, the degree is not worth the paper it’s printed on so even with that degree in hand, your job prospects are pretty low. If you KNOW research is not your thing and you’re not completely sure the direction you want to take, then take a semester or 2 off. Focus on internships that will expose you to a variety of fields and hopefully narrow your interests. Try to find a job, any job, and see if that gives you direction. I had a friend who started college for entertainment management, she worked at a dental office and then ended up becoming a dental hygienist. I had a sorority sister who was an English major, took some time off, interned at a small company, caught a mistake on the paperwork that saved the company a large chunk of change and she was offered a full-time position – she ended up finishing in business and obtaining her MBA. I had another friend who started as an education major, he was a cart boy at a grocery store, and ended up entering their management training program and is working his way up the managerial ladder. Yet another friend was a philosophy major, on a whim she took a phlebotomy course, now she’s a phlebotomist.

Also, don’t underestimate the quality of life you hope to obtain one day (meaning do you want to own a home one day, or is renting fine; would you like to buy a car, or is public transportation okay with you; do you want to have money in the bank or is the air in your lungs all you need; are you expecting to support a family, or are you sure you’ll remain child-free, etc.). I say this because when I was an undergrad, helping people and “changing the world” was ALL I cared about and I didn’t think about how I would eventually pay my bills. It wasn’t until I was working full time for low pay that I realized exactly how important money was to my future career plan. That’s another reason why I ended up in nursing because while I DID enjoy helping people, I also enjoyed being able to put food on the table – and with a starting salary of $75,000 in NYC, nursing was the only field that filled my criteria of 1. Affordable education; 2. Maximum pay for minimum education; 3. Ability to help people; 4. Opportunity for advancement.

Bottom line, college will ALWAYS be there when you want to go back – ALWAYS. If I could do it all over again, I would have taken some time off to figure out what it is I really wanted to do before I wasted $70,000 on a useless degree. A lot of people will try to tell you a college degree is absolutely essential, and it pretty much is, but it’s not essential to obtain that degree at age 22 – you still have a lot of time to figure out a life plan. And when you do go back to finish, you’ll be amazed at how much more fulfilling it feels because you’ll actually WANT to be there."

https://■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/question/index?qid=20120423152000AAc1bUh

7

Also most of my electives got filled up with my previous degree classes such as classes from the American Studies field and Communications.

8

I completely agree with you lostaccount. Exactly, it was supposed to be giving you a broad education. I went in to college with a pretty broad, well rounded education about the world thanks to my good high school. I was planning on going to college to get a job afterwards.

I was coerced into this major from my advisors. They just have this stinken major just to graduate kids faster. What’s the point of it, if it does not even have any meaning to you? Plus, I am a very good student with 3.5 GPA that could be used for a major I am interested in.

I am just frustrated why people on this site who also comment on other threads for seniors in college struggling with dilemmas of major choice just keep telling people to graduate even though you hate the major. Like this thread.

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-life/1638922-i-hate-my-majors-and-i-have-one-semester-left-now-what.html

Does anyone not consider financial aid? I am saying this because my mom mentioned this to me, and I am sure there are plenty of parents on this website too who want to use the most with their money. It is just shocking why people just say finish a degree that you hate with that may end up costing you more if you graduate with a degree then go to school for something else.

9

HRS4 means 4 hours or 4 credits for that class. Each of our classes are 4 credits each at this school.

10

The professors need the students for their own careers.

11

Well…nobody on this site knows you :slight_smile: It’s the nature of going into an online forum. I can’t tell you what the best choice is for you. I can only give you my opinion, which is colored by my own experiences and preferences, just like everyone else’s.

Secondly, let’s address something: Financial aid does not last forever.

No college is just going to keep giving you financial aid until you decide you want to graduate. Most colleges cap the number of semesters you can draw financial aid from them. Federal student aid has lifetime limits and credit hour limits. You can’t receive the Pell Grant for more than 12 semesters (six years), and you can only borrow up to $31,000 in undergraduate federal student loans as a dependent student (which is just about four and a half years’ worth). Obviously if you take time off in between, the financial aid clock stops while you figure out what you want to do, so that’s a different story. But you can’t just keep attending and taking classes and trying to find your passion without financial aid running out on you. (I do agree, though, that taking time off to figure out what you want rather than spending a lot of money and running up loans is a good idea.)

Also, this

You still have the option of loans, but if you’re almost maxed out (like I am), it makes working toward another degree that much more difficult if you eventually settle on a field that requires higher education (and after age 25, you’re considered independent – if you’re working a low paying job at that time, or not at all, you’re pretty much looking at a free-ride to college).

is inaccurate. First of all, your undergraduate loan limit doesn’t count towards your graduate loan limit. Graduate PLUS loans are a different beast - even if you max out the $31,000 limit you can still borrow up to the cost of attendance of your grad program (not that it’s a great idea, but you can). Second of all, yes, after age 24 you are considered independent, but that doesn’t mean a free ride. That just means that your EFC is low. But if you are a transfer student, your chances of aid are lower than a first-year freshman. And most colleges do not have the resources to meet 100% of your financial need, so being low-income and 25 doesn’t magically conjure up free money for college.

Well, first of all, staying in school longer costs money. Financial aid sometimes (often) runs out after eight semesters, so a student who stays for an extra year to complete another major may be costing themselves a lot of money. Also, in the particular thread you linked, the student had no idea what she would want to change her major to. I personally think it’s a better idea for a student to spend four more months taking some classes they don’t like than it is for them to flounder around for a year or more trying to figure out “what they want to do with their lives,” which isn’t the point of a major to begin with.

A lot of the people commenting in that thread are adults with careers who realize that college major is not as deterministic as people seem to think it is.

And that’s really the tl;dr: A college major is not as deterministic as people seem to think it is.

You can major in social services and go and work in HR, or management, or market research, or finance, or any other variety of backgrounds. You also don’t have to go back to school to change fields, depending on what you want to change to - you certainly don’t have to go back to change to business. In fact, I daresay at many companies, you’d be much better off trying to get those jobs with a social sciences BA from (say) Indiana University than a business degree from the University of Phoenix. And after your first job, your work experience matters FAR more than your major in college. Some of my current friends, I don’t even know what they majored in in college.

I’d also like to point out that math, computer science, and economics are liberal arts majors.