Take a moment to imagine: You’re home for the holidays, catching up with family whom you haven’t seen in a long time. “Hellos” and “Welcomes” abound. “How are yous?” zing across the room. And, of course, the question is asked, “What are you going to do after you graduate?” The question heard ’round the world (or, at least by college students worldwide). For many students, this question is easy to answer. “I’m going to be a doctor,” or “I’m going to be an engineer,” or some other career option that is predetermined way before a student finishes school, especially considering that many college majors inherently funnel students toward a specific career path; however, if you are a sociology major, it is often difficult to determine your “endgame.” Unlike many other majors, sociology does not offer a one-size-fits-all answer due to its broad scope and reach. So, what can you do with your sociology degree? What is the “right path” for you? Thankfully, the answer can be easier to discover than one may believe.
Since the scope of sociology is so encompassing, studying it provides an ample breadth of possibilities. So, where can you go with your sociology degree? Academics? Yes! Government? Sure thing! Education? Absolutely! Anything involving people? Without a doubt! According to the American Sociological Association (ASA), in their 2012 Social Capital, Organizational Capital, and the Job Market for New Sociology Graduates Survey, 23% of graduates pursued work in social services and as counselors, 14% went into sales and marketing, 14% went into administrative support, 12% began careers as teachers, and another 12% went into service occupations, among other fields. As we hope to shed more light upon in this blog series, your sociology degree will open up many doors for potential career opportunities, which will help you better understand and discover different ways to make a meaningful impact in the world!
