Career Opportunities

One of the most frequent questions students ask about sociology is, "What can I do with a sociology degree?" The answer is that the career potential of sociology majors is almost limitless. Sociologists are employed by research institutes, the criminal justice system, public health and welfare organizations, private businesses, law firms, international agencies, medical centers, educational institutions, advertising firms, survey and polling organizations, and beyond. Students with a bachelor?s degree in sociology often secure employment as social researchers, case workers, paralegals, public relations workers, administrators, community organizers, public policy researchers, and data analysts. Sociology also provides great preparation for going on to law school, medical school, business school, and for graduate degree programs in social work, education, public policy, religious ministry, mass communications, public health, non-profit administration, and international affairs. 
 

Liberal Arts Education for Success in Today's Economy

The days when young people learned specific technical skills for one lifetime career are long gone. Today?s economy and labor market demand employees who are creative, versatile, and adaptable. The best employers are looking for people who are broadly educated in the kind of critical, analytical, organizational, and communication skills that will enable them to master new tasks and solve new problems many times over throughout their careers. Sociology is exactly the kind of major in which to learn those skills. Sociology offers its students a broad education in critical thinking, analytical problem solving, reasoned judgement, and effective communication. It helps to form its students into a well-rounded person, equipped with valuable intellectual and communication skills and abilities with which to pursue a host of possible vocational callings and careers, and a thoughtful, purposeful life. The issue is not only what you can do with it, but what it does to you. This is the great career advantage of a broad liberal arts college education over a mere technical or professional education at the undergraduate level. 
 

Preparing for Graduate School

Many people share a misconception that graduate professional schools require that applicants have majored in a particular subject?such as politics for law school, or economics for business school. In fact, professional schools value and admit students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many of our recent sociology graduates have gone on to law, medical, and business schools. The critical social awareness and research and analytical skills gained through a sociology major also provide a solid foundation for students planning careers in architecture, urban planning, public health, or education. Of course the sociology major prepares interested undergraduates for graduate studies in sociology, should they choose to continue in the field to become researchers or teachers in either high schools, two-year colleges, four-year colleges, or research universities. 
 

Career Advising

Besides discussing their interests and goals with an advisor within the Department of Sociology, students are also encouraged to seek career information and advice from the University Career Services, 211 Hanes Hall; 962-6507.
 

Course Concentrations

The UNC Department of Sociology does not offer formal minors or concentrations in specific fields (although it is home to the new UNC minor in Social and Economic Justice).  However, the Department does offer the following classes especially relevant to these career areas:
 

CAREERS IN EDUCATION:
Soc 12: Social Interaction
Soc 24: Sex and Gender in Society
Soc 80: Socal Theory and Cultural Diversity
Soc 123: Education and Stratification
Soc 140: Socalization

CAREERS IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND DEVELOPMENT:
Soc 11: Human Societies
Soc 21: Population Problems
Soc 68: Social and Economic Justice
Soc 80: Social Theory and Cultural Diversity
Soc 113: Social Inequality Across Cultures
Soc 118: European Societies
Soc 120: The State and Society
Soc 150: Theory and Problems of Developing Societies
Soc 153: Social Change in Latin America

CAREERS IN LAW:
Soc 22: Black-White Relations in the United States
Soc 23: Crime and Delinquency
Soc 33: Sociology of Politics
Soc 68: Social and Economic Justice
Soc 120: The State and Society
Soc 124: Law and Society
Soc 141: Social Deviance
Soc 143: Conflict and Bargaining

CAREERS IN PUBLIC POLICY:
Soc 33: Sociology of Politics
Soc 68: Social and Economic Justice
Soc 114: The City and Urbanization
Soc 115: Economy and Society
Soc 120: The State and Society
Soc 122: Sociology of Health
Soc 124: Law and Society
Soc 129: Race, Class and Gender
Soc 168: Poverty and Policy

CAREERS IN COMMUNITY SERVICE:
Soc 20: Social Problems
Soc 68: Social and Economic Justice
Soc 111: Social Movements and Collective Behavior
Soc 112: Social Stratification
Soc 121: Religion and Society
Soc 141: Social Deviance
Soc  143: Conflict and Bargaining
Soc 168: Poverty and Policy
Careers in Business and Industry: 
Soc 31: Social Relations in the Workplace
Soc 51: Measurement and Data Collection
Soc 52: Data Analysis in Sociological Research
Soc 68: Social and Economic Justice
Soc 110: Formal Organizations and Bureaucracy
Soc 115: Economy and Society
Soc 127: The Labor Force
Soc 143: Conflict and Bargaining

CAREERS IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY:
Soc 31: Social Relations in the Workplace
Soc 51: Measurement and Data Collection
Soc 52: Data Analysis in Sociological Research
Soc 68: Social and Economic Justice
Soc 110: Formal Organizations and Bureaucracy
Soc 115: Economy and Society
Soc 127: The Labor Force
Soc 143: Conflict and Bargaining

CAREERS IN ADVERTISING, MARKET RESEARCH, MASS COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA:
Soc 12: Social Interaction
Soc 24: Sex and Gender in Society
Soc 31: Social Relations in the Workplace
Soc 51: Measurement and Data Collection
Soc 52: Data Analysis in Sociological Research
Soc  111: Social Movements and Collective Behavior

CAREERS IN PERSONNEL AND PUBLIC RELATIONS:
SOCI 12: Social Interaction
SOCI 31: Social Relations in the Workplace
Soc 110: Formal Organizations and Bureaucracy
Soc 127: The Labor Force
SOCI  143: Conflict and Bargaining
Soc 145: Socology of Emotions

CAREERS IN MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH:
Soc 20: Social Problems
Soc 51: Measurement and Data Collection
Soc 52: Data Analysis in Sociological Research
Soc 122: Sociology of Health
Soc 131: Aging
Soc 168: Poverty and Policy
Soc 169: Medicine and Society

CAREERS IN RELIGIOUS MINISTRY, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND ADVOCACY:
Soc 10: American Society
Soc 20: Social Problems
Soc 68: Social and Economic Justice
Soc 111: Social Movements and Collective Behavior
Soc 121: Religion and Society
Soc 125: Family and Society

CAREERS IN SOCIAL WORK, GROUP WORK AND FAMILY COUNSELING:
Soc12: Social Interaction
Soc 20: Social Problems
Soc 30/125: Family and Society
Soc 121: Religion and Society
Soc 141: Social Deviance
Soc  143: Conflict and Bargaining
Soc 145: Sociology of Emotions