This fall, I am entering my second year at a small liberal arts college. Coming in, I was pretty sure I would study math or computer science. I chose my school partly because it is very supportive of women studying STEM subjects. I took one math course last semester, did really well, and am currently registered for math and CS next semester. I also took an intro to sociology class.
Since the end of last semester, I have been thinking about what I want to study. I have to declare a major by the spring of next year. I feel like I should do STEM, but I’m really really interested in a certain field of sociology (studying gender in STEM fields), and my dream job/path is getting my PhD and then working in that field, doing research or advising companies. I have volunteered with some related efforts but haven’t done research in the field, although I did research in a lab in HS. Anyway, that whole path just feels like a really unattainable goal, since it’s so specific and since PhD jobs are rare (I think), whereas doing CS or math feels more realistic. I also feel that I’ve internalized a narrative that STEM is the only good path toward a career.
I am considering dropping politics for a sociology seminar and/or math for a sociology research methods class (required for the major). I can see myself majoring in soc and minoring in CS or math/stat, or maybe double majoring, to get the quantitative background needed for research. I just need some advice on whether that’s a smart change to make from straight up math/cs, and whether my “dream career” is at all realistic.
It’s not true that you can’t get a job with a sociology degree, or even that your employment opportunities will be very limited. STEM majors are not the only good paths to careers. There are millions of paths, and most people simply aren’t aware o the many paths you can take with social science degrees. There are far more of them employed in jobs that do things similar to what you describe than people realize.
I work in a similar field - I got my PhD in psychology, and I work for a major tech company helping them evaluate their products. Some of my work does involve looking at race and gender in STEM fields and advising my corner of the company what routes they should take in that arena. One of the jobs I chatted with a recruiter at another major tech company about was a job in their HR department doing personnel research on diversity in their hiring practices. That’s a real job.
Pair sociology with CS and/or math? You can write your own check. Data science is exploding right now, and I work with data scientists every day. What data scientists often do not have is an understanding of the behavioral, the sociological. They can create statistical patterns in the data but they often can’t explain the reasonings for those patterns. You combine your understanding of sociology with some skills in CS and/or math, and there will be lots of jobs for you interpreting data and coming up with solutions to thorny problems that companies face.
If you want to study sociology, do it! Just remember that the key to employment in the future is skills, and experience that will help you develop those skills. Major in sociology and then minor or double major in math or CS, if you like. Learn the skills that employers want out of quantitative analysts and data scientists, and do some summer internships. If you want a PhD, you’ll need research experience too - but you can get both.
Conventional wisdom about which field has more job opportunities doesn’t really matter as much as your personal satisfaction and interest in your career. Think about what you would rather do for the next 20-30-40 years. Not that you can’t change careers at some point, but still should go with what makes you interested and excited. Much easier to get up each morning that way!
@juillet Thank you so much for your post! It’s really really helpful to hear about your work (and that what I want to do is an actual career).
In terms of research experience, what is the best way to go about finding a position? I go to a school in a consortium and there’s a larger university with professors doing more related research (women in STEM, women in the labor force, etc). Should I reach out to them? Would it make more sense to ask my intro to sociology teacher for advice (although her research is very different)? Finally, there’s a professor who researches almost exactly what I want to do but is a professor of psychology. If a PhD in sociology is my eventual goal, does it make sense to reach out to her as well?
Many sociology majors are less interested in math or science, so you could bring a great skill set to any number of employers, whether in public policy, health care, education, or a corporate field. Definitely talk to your profs about where your interests and skills intersect and see about internships that will help you see how your skills can be used in different environments. And yes, @juillet rocks!
Yes, absolutely! Professors are used to this kind of thing.
Yes! They’re not mutually exclusive. Do both! It’s good to have multiple mentors who can guide you in different capacities.
Yes! But with a caveat. A lot of sociology programs are going to be interested in whether or not you take a sociological approach to research - the sociological and psychological approaches are related, but different. If that’s exactly what you want to do, go for it. But you’ve got to find a way also to demonstrate your knowledge of the foundations of sociology. I’d even have a conversation with this professor and with your intro to soc professor about your concerns.