Skip to Main content

Sociology Careers

Video By: Candidcareer.com

Sociology at Angelo State

Sociology Career Information
Area Employer Information/Strategies

Human Services

  • Counseling
  • Case Management
  • Advocacy
  • Mental Health Services
  • Programming
  • Administration
  • Community service agencies
  • Advocacy groups
  • Federal, state, and local government
  • United Way agencies
  • Local branches of national non-profit organizations
  • Religiously-affiliated service organizations
  • Private foundations
  • Adoption and child care agencies
  • Nursing homes and retirement communities
  • Hospitals and wellness centers
  • Halfway houses
  • Vocational services
  • Educational information services
  • Insurance companies
 
  • Gain experience and develop helping skills through volunteer positions.
  • Spend summers working at camps, YMCA’s, or other social service agencies.
  • Gain experience working with a variety of populations.
  • Develop excellent communication skills.
  • Concentrate course work in an area of interest such as youth, gerontology, or poverty.
  • Learn a second language in order to interact with non-
  • English speakers and increase marketability.
  • Serve as a peer mentor, resident assistant, or other student leader.
  • Earn a master’s degree in social work, counseling, or other related field to increase employment opportunities.
  • Most states require licensure or certification for positions involving the direct provision of therapeutic services to clients.

Criminal Justice

  • Corrections
  • Rehabilitation
  • Law Enforcement
  • Judiciary
  • Correctional institutions
  • Court systems
  • Federal, state, and local government (especially law enforcement agencies)
  • Gain practical experience via part-time or summer jobs, internships, or volunteer work.
  • Volunteer to work with troubled youth.
  • Obtain a graduate or law degree for advancement.
  • Consider obtaining experience in a branch of the military.

Education

  • Teaching
  • Research
  • Public and private schools
  • Colleges and universities
  • Adult education providers
  • Obtain certification/licensure to teach grades K-12.
  • Become certified to teach multiple subjects and age groups for increased job opportunities.
  • Earn a graduate degree for post-secondary teaching opportunities.
  • Assist a professor with research.
  • Take extra courses in research and statistics.
  • Develop exceptional written and oral communication skills.
  • Volunteer as a tutor.
  • Secure strong personal recommendations, particularly from professors.

Government

  • Social Statistics
  • Demography
  • Public Administration
  • Policy Analysis
  • Research
  • Program Development
  • Human Services
  • City Planning
  • Law Enforcement
  • Federal departments and agencies such as:
    • Departments of Agriculture, Education, Interior, Commerce, Defense
    • Health and Human Services
    • Drug Enforcement Administration
    • Environmental Protection Agency
    • Housing and Urban Development
    • Veteran’s Administration
    • National Institutes of Health
    • National Institute of Aging
  • State and local government
  • Peace Corps
  • Supplement curriculum with coursework in statistics and social research.
  • Develop exceptional computer, communication, and research skills.
  • Gain work experience via government internships, part-time jobs, or summer work.
  • Develop a specialty such as aging, family, criminal justice, or healthcare.
  • Learn the federal job application process.
  • Obtain a graduate degree for advanced positions.
  • Consider beginning a career with the government by joining the military.

Social Science Research

  • Research
  • Data Analysis
  • Demography
  • Market Research
  • Information Sourcing
  • Universities
  • Government agencies
  • Research institutes
  • Non-profit agencies
  • Community organizations
  • Private industries
  • Advertising and marketing firms
  • Consulting organizations
  • Information brokers
  • Newspapers, magazines, news agencies
  • Public opinion research polls
  • Develop exceptional quantitative, statistical, and writing skills.
  • Learn to use statistics software packages as well as database, spreadsheet, and desktop publishing programs.
  • Volunteer to help a professor with a research project.
  • Obtain an advanced degree in sociology for research administration positions.
  • Earn certification in applied social research by The American Sociological Association.
  • Network with professionals working in areas of interest.
  • Gain experience working on teams.

Environment and Society

  • Waste management firms
  • Health agencies
  • Local planning agencies
  • Environmental advocacy groups
  • Environmental periodicals
  • Federal government
  • Regional, state, and local agencies
  • Consulting firms
  • Private industry
  • Enhance curriculum with courses in ecology, environmental science, and statistics.
  • Join environment-related student organizations.
  • Volunteer to work on environmental clean-up projects.
  • Find a related internship, part-time, or summer job.
  • Obtain a graduate degree for advancement.

Business

  • Human Resources
    • Training and Development
    • Recruiting
  • Management
  • Sales
  • Marketing
  • Public Relations
  • Office Administration
  • Insurance firms
  • Retail stores
  • Banks
  • Staffing agencies
  • Manufacturing companies
  • Service industries
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Healthcare organizations
  • Earn a minor in business or supplement curriculum with courses in general business, accounting, and finance.
  • Gain business experience through part-time jobs, summer work, and internships.
  • Develop excellent computer skills.
  • Learn to use software applications such as spreadsheets, databases, and word processing.
  • Hone written and oral communication skills.
  • Join related professional associations.
  • Seek leadership roles in student organizations.

General Information and Strategies

Links:

* = Recommended Sites

© 1992 - 2009 The University of Tennessee