What do sociology majors learn

For example, volunteering opportunities exist in schools, community education and social work departments, or with groups including young people, victims of crime or homeless people. If you're looking for a career in an area such as law or the Civil Service, internships offer the chance for more structured work experience. Competition for places is strong, so research the company well before applying. Opportunities and resources are advertised by the British Sociological Association.

You can also get student membership with them, which provides access to a community of sociologists, networking events and reading material. Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships. You may be thinking of entering a career within the areas of social or welfare but there are also opportunities with a range of other employers throughout the public and private sector.

They include:. Find information on employers in charity and voluntary work , public services and administration , social care and other job sectors. Studying sociology provides you with a range of skills that employers look for, including communication, interpersonal, problem-solving and analytical skills.

You learn to:. Read more: Best universities for social science degrees. Wh at is sociology? Join the THE Student community and unlock free benefits.

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October 2 Sociology majors learn how to clearly and briefly express an idea, while still including enough detail to back up their claims. People who study sociology learn how to evaluate one another's work and fact-check information effectively. Sociologists give and receive feedback regularly as they engage in discussions about social issues, so many sociology majors develop the ability to be objective and evaluate projects and situations accurately and professionally.

Sociology majors spend a large part of class time analyzing social situations and coming up with a hypothesis about human behavior, requiring them to learn critical thinking skills that they can apply to any situation. Integrity is an important part of working in the sociology field, and sociology majors learn about how to make ethical choices and show trustworthiness.

Sociology majors study sensitive topics in their classes, where they learn how to be respectful in difficult situations and make responsible choices. Sociology majors develop strong organizational skills to keep track of complex policies and case studies.

They learn how to categorize and access information to assist in their research and how to coordinate and plan projects with many different participants and subjects. All sociology majors take courses that provide an overview of common sociological theories and practices, then go on to take higher-level courses that specialize in particular areas of society if they choose.

Sociology majors must have a strong grasp of how to analyze different situations and take basic courses to learn how to create surveys, develop observation methods, conduct research and evaluate societal structures. Sociology majors also take other liberal arts courses to develop their skills. Some common examples of courses for sociology majors include:.

Sociology majors usually have the opportunity to research higher-level courses, where they look at specific intersections of various social factors. Someone interested in the sociology of families would likely take different courses than a sociology major interested in business structures.

Advanced sociology courses can include:. Sociology majors can work in a variety of fields due to the flexibility of the skills they learn while studying sociology. Their ability to adapt to new situations, analyze information and respond appropriately makes sociology majors ideal candidates for working on a team or handling delicate information.

Depending on their job, they can spend time working in an office or doing fieldwork and research in their community. Some of the common places sociology majors work are:. Sociology majors are prepared for a wide variety of graduate programs and jobs.

Career advancement in an increasingly diverse global society requires the ability to work cooperatively and effectively with people from different cultures, ethnicities and nationalities. The good news for sociology majors is that your studies are uniquely suited to help you develop the skills you need for a successful 21st-century career.

Sociologists study social life, social change, diverse communities and their interactions, and they use scientific methods to find empirical answers to complex social questions. Studying sociology can help foster your creativity, innovation, critical thinking, analytic problem solving and communication skills.

As a graduate with a sociology degree, you will have a foundation for better understanding and engaging with the globalizing world.