A guide to careers in sociology

Earning a sociology degree can lead to a job that deals with the behaviour and interactions of people. There are many different careers in sociology that one can choose from. The topics covered by this degree can be used in many different career fields, from working with criminals to doing environmental research. Here are some examples of jobs in sociology.

Criminal and Human Welfare

A sociology degree can lead to a career in the criminal justice system. The course of study required to obtain this degree teaches one about how people interact in social settings. This knowledge can be helpful in a career in corrections, probation and parole. People who hold a sociology degree can also become a police officer, a criminal investigator, an FBI agent or legal assistant. With this degree, you could also choose to go into advocacy. Jobs that would fall under this category include positions in child welfare, environmental welfare and victims rights.

Human Resources and Social Services

People who major in sociology can use their expertise to work in the field of human resources. They can find positions working for private companies or corporations. Many employers hire human resources staff to hire additional personnel, to train their employees and to resolve workplace conflicts. You may also choose to work in social services with a sociology degree. You can find a job with a private agency or a government agency as a counsellor, substance abuse specialist, caseworker or social worker.

Education

With a sociology degree as your base, you could go into education. If you enjoy teaching, you can enter into a career as a college professor teaching sociology. You could also use your sociology degree to work as an administrator or in admissions.

Research and environment

Since sociology centres around groups of people and how they interact, you can use your sociology degree to help to gather information for government agencies, corporations, public relation firms, non-profit organisations, labour unions, and any other company that would require information on certain groups of people and the types of people whom their businesses reach. You may also opt to use your degree to work with environmental organisations. You can look into a career as an environmental research analyst or an environmental advocate.