Sociology is the study of human societies and of human society as a system. It is one of a number of disciplines under the social science umbrella and examines group behavior, human behavior in group contexts, and cultural behavior and customs. Often, sociologists study the impact of family, education, environment, faith and organized religion, media, education, social structures, socioeconomic conditions, or gender, race, class, or stereotypes on groups, communities, and populations. Sociology often overlaps with other social disciplines, including anthropology, psychology, archaeology, geography, history, political science, and social economics.
Since it is a science, sociology uses the scientific method, including investigation and analysis, to study aspects of societies. With an eye towards future research, your sociology program will likely include training in statistics.
Sociology programs generally start at the bachelor degree level, but to conduct and publish your own sociology research, you’ll probably need at least a master’s degree and maybe a Ph.D. Because sociology is a broad discipline with many applications, it may appeal to anyone considering a career working with people and groups.
Sociology Careers
Research sociologists can have pretty amazing lives, traveling to remote locations around the world to study isolated cultures, or maybe staying right in their own back yards to observe and assist underserved communities. Studying remote or different cultures can provide a service to those cultures themselves, provide valuable insight to society as a whole, or both. If you are not interested in being a research sociologist, however, there are dozens of career paths you can take with a sociology degree. With any additional study needed, you may pursue a career as a social worker; a family, school, or industrial psychologist; history or current events teacher; cultural studies professor; forensic behavioral scientist; criminal justice professional; law enforcement officer; legal or courtroom worker; city planner; or politician, to name just a few. You may want to consider a sociologist career with the federal government (see below).
What’s the Sociology Job Outlook?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates faster than average job growth in sociology careers, with overall employment of sociologists and political scientists growing an estimated 20% between 2008 and 2018. The best opportunities will be for sociologists with a master’s degree or Ph.D. in a social science and with strong quantitative skills (think statistics!). This projected job growth is due to an increase in the incorporation of sociology into research in other fields.
How Much Does Sociology Pay?
As of May 2008, the median annual wage for sociologists was $68,570. In March 2009, the federal government’s average salary for sociologists was $100,824. Entry-level salaries in sociology were higher in areas of the country where pay was higher in general.
