Careers+in+Sociology

= = Sociology = = ====Of the many disciplines and practices similar to psychology, sociology is unique in that it is focused on the study of society. Sociology incorporates studies of science involving human social lives, behavior, aggression and patterns in society. The study of sociology and its many different branches within it help us adjust and cope with one another in society. With sociology comes opportunities. There are opportunities of friendship, well being, and even jobs. Sociology is such a broad topic that many different occupations fall into its definition. ==== == ==

====There is a wide variety of jobs available for a graduate with a degree in Sociology. Teaching, researching, social work, community and educational planning, and developing methods are very popular in this field. ====

__Research__
====A job in research would involve a sociologist observing human behavior, perhaps in other countries or living environments, asking questions, drawing conclusions, and eventually reporting the findings. Topics of interest to the researching sociologist would be: gender roles, different forms of human interaction, crime, poverty, age, race, etc (Sociologist, Pt. 3). ====

__Human Services__
====Those that graduate with a sociology degree may also go into human services. Some job titles would be caseworker, therapist, probation officer, and medical social worker. In these jobs, the sociologist would be working directly with other people that need help or guidance. Therapists and medical social workers would typically work in an office or building, while caseworkers and probation officers are often going to their clients’ houses, places of employment, or meeting them elsewhere (Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2007-2011). ====

__Teaching__
====A graduated sociologist can find work in universities as professors. In these jobs, they would be working with and teaching students about sociology. They may help the school with research and analysis as well. Just by teaching human subjects, the sociologist would learn even more about the field (Sociologist, Pt. 3). ==== ==== ====

__Collaboration and Discussion__
====Sociologists also collaborate with co-workers and other researchers. Together, they would analyze data and form conclusions. They might try different forms of data collection, like interviews and surveys. They would also develop new approaches to issues based on research data. Overall, they are furthering the advancement of science (Sociologist, Pt. 3). ====

__Other Pathways__
====There are many ways to get creative with a sociology degree. If a business career is on the horizon, a background in sociology is very beneficial when it comes to understanding employees, other companies, other countries, and consumers. Also, a person could work to find different ways to increase production, consumerism, and employee motivation (IUP, 07-11). ====

__ Schooling __
==== People interested in the study of sociology have potential for many different career paths associated with it. Sociologists study many different social dynamics. There are many different colleges and universities that teach such programs on sociology. The top three schools for a sociology degree are the University of California – Berkeley, the University of Wisconsin – Madison and Princeton University ( U.S. News & World Report LP, 2009). ====

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">__ University of California – Berkeley __
====<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16px;">The heart of UC Berkeley is really its sociology program. Students who come to UC Berkeley can find a custom graduate program that is designed to give a full experience in the sociology field. This approach helps the students explore and help bring out the students original ideas of sociology. Students wishing to major in sociology at UC Berkeley must get the appropriate amount of credits, taking about four years to complete with multiple classes and programs. Although UC Berkeley is not clear on these programs, whether it be a two year bachelor or four year associates degree, UC Berkeley is the world’s top school in teaching sociology. ====

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">__ University of Wisconsin - Madison __
====<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16px;">At the University of Wisconsin in Madison, you will find a strong persuasion of research done by its staff and students, as well as public service and teaching (Board of Regents, 2011). U of W Madison has a graduate program, in which they train their students to do “rigorous research and be the next generation of social scientists, whether in academia, government, the non-profit sector, or private industry” (Board of Regents, 2011). Their undergraduate program focuses its students on thinking more on analyzing about society, its organization, and its structure. Students from the undergraduate program experience overwhelming success in professional and occupational areas of expertise, according to a recent survey (Board of Regents, 2011). ==== ====<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16px;">Master’s degree requirements include a minimum of 24 credits in sociology or community and environmental sociology. In addition, some students may need to take extra background courses. ==== ====<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16px;">Ph.D. hopefuls will need to take up to four different courses in sociology. To get a minor in sociology, 9 credits in a single department is needed or 9 credits in one or more departments (Board of Regents, 2011). ====

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">__ Princeton University __
====<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16px;">The Princeton sociology department, known internationally for its excellence in research and teaching, has about 20 full time faculty members. There faculty members are dedicated to teaching methods of sociology such as race, gender and inequality (Wuthnow, 2011). They also study the struggles of immigrants, poverty, how cultures shape medical knowledge, how religious aspirations shape values and attitude, the way organizations function, and many more branches of these subjects. Princeton emphasizes its teachings in the sociology of culture and religion, organizations, development and migration, inequality, advanced statistics, urban ethnography and much more (Wuthnow, 2011). ==== ====<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16px;">The undergraduate program at Princeton University focuses on people interested in the “social dimensions of politics, economics, history, psychology, and demography” (Willis, 2011). To receive an undergraduate degree one must gain the appropriate amount of credits in classes and courses associated with said subjects. ==== ====<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16px;">The Graduate program at Princeton helps students prepare for the degree of “doctor of philosophy” (Ruef, 2011). This program helps guide students who have previously excelled as consumers of knowledge with becoming producers of scholarship (Ruef, 2011). The students in this department are encouraged to “focus on independent research projects and to work closely with the faculty” (Ruef, 2011). Graduate programs take longer than the undergraduate programs in that they require more credits to obtain. ====

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">__ Conclusion __
====<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16px;">Sociology presents a wide variety of study and expertise. Through extensive research and study, one can find themselves entering one of the many job opportunities in the field of sociology. It is an interestingly broad topic of studies on social behavior, lives, aggression and patterns. The effects of sociological studies and research can be seen all around us. Understanding and using research found in sociology helps us understand one another. ====

Willis, P. (2011). Undergraduate Program. Director of sociology/Princeton University.
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Unknown Author. (2011). University of Wisconsin.
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Ruef, M. (2011). Graduate Program. Princeton University. []

Wuthnow, J. (2011). Princeton Sociology Program. Princeton University []

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