Sociology+ Career Pathways
In a world full of challenges and opportunities, a sociology major helps you better understand social life and consider the potential for social change. As a discipline, sociology is at the forefront of exploring issues of social power, inequalities, diversity, and human relationships. The questions sociologists ask are at the heart of social and cultural debates related to living and working in the modern world.
It’s hard to overstate the flexibility and applicability of a sociology degree for those seeking to establish themselves in a variety of career fields, including: public health and medicine, law and criminal justice, public policy, media and communications. The skills developed as a sociology major, including critical thinking, analytical processing, writing, and communication, are highly marketable skills in today’s economy.
To help prospective and active sociologists get a better fix on all of the careers they can do with sociology, we've charted potential carrer pathways with our Sociology+ Career Pathways postcard series. Have a glance at each of our the cards below!
Careers in Law & Government
Are you pre-law? Maybe you’re considering one of the many support positions in the legal field? You can do that with sociology! Sociology will help you develop as a problem solver and critical thinker, while also providing you with the analytical thinking, writing, and oral skills you’ll need to succeed. Courses on identity, status, institutions, and social interaction will help you build background knowledge for your respective legal field.
For those looking for a job in government, sociology is a great match. Crucial to government is an understanding of the people that it serves. With focuses in labor, social stratification, institutions and more, sociology students are well prepared for the complex task of working in government and policy arenas to advocate for a just and equitable world.
Relevant Electives:
- SOCY-321 Sociology of Economic Inequalities
- SOCY-322 Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
- SOCY-332 Immigration & American Society
- SOCY-430 Power, Politics and Ideology
- SOCY-450 Critiques of Capitalism
Potential Careers:
- Lawyer/Judge/Paralegal
- Court Advocate
- Elected Official/Public Administrator
- Demographer
- Policy Analyst
- Urban Planner
- Social Statistician
Careers in Activism & Non-Profit
Sociology is a perfect major for careers in activism and non-profit work. Not only will sociology ground the how and the why of work for a socially just world, it will also help you develop research, advocacy and organizing skills. Behind the scenes of any social movement, non-profit, NGO, think-tank or activist-based organization, there is a wide range of professional roles that a sociology major is well suited to fill - from leadership positions to fundraising, grant writing, research, service providing, event planning and community organizing. Smaller activist and social justice organizations often need employees who can tackle multiple roles at once, making your flexible and diverse sociology degree even more valuable. A degree in sociology will not only help you gain insight on how and why you want to change the world, but will also give you the concrete and customizable skills needed to actually make these changes happen!
Relevant Electives:
- SOCY-310 Social Movements and Social Conflict
- SOCY-321 Sociology of Economic Inequalities
- SOCY 380 Public Sociology
- SOCY-420 Environmental Racism
- SOCY-435 Sociology of Consumption
Potential Careers:
- Non-profit director/project manager
- Union/Community organizer
- Volunteer Coordinator
- Grant Writing, Fundraising and Development Specialist
- Researcher and Policy Analyst
Careers in Community Services
Working in the fields of community and social services requires that you take on the difficult task of supporting people who are experiencing emotional, physical, or economic hardship. Whether you are interested in a career in counseling, organizing, social work or public administration, sociology prepares you for this work by providing the foundations to understand the diversity of human experiences. With course offerings and faculty expertise across areas of race & ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and religion, we’re well equipped to help you cultivate a thoughtful understanding of the populations you may hope to serve. Sociology also helps you understand institutions and bureaucracies, a reality that any practitioner of support and care is sure to encounter.
Relevant Electives:
- SOCY-302 Contemporary Social Problems
- SOCY-321 Sociology of Economic Inequalities
- SOCY-322 Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
- SOCY-333 Gender in Society
Potential Careers:
- Case Manager
- Crisis Worker
- Mental Health Counselor
- Rehabilitation Counselor
- Social Worker
Careers in Environment
Environmental inequalities as well as climate change and its global impacts are defining issues of our time. Environmental sociologists are being called upon to help businesses, governments, non profits, schools and almost all other institutions negotiate their relationship with the environment. With thoughtful considerations for the ways that race and class intersect with the physical environment, sociologists are ideal stewards in the cultivation of more sustainable institutions and communities. Sociologists are important contributors to environmental justice and climate change activism, from the local to the global. The skills that you develop as a researcher, writer and critical thinker will prepare you for this growing set of opportunities in environmentally-related fields.
Relevant Electives:
- HUMS-291 Confronting Climate Crisis
- SOCY-350 Environmental Sociology
- SOCY-450 Critiques of Capitalism
- SOCY-420 Environmental Racism
- SOCY-435 Sociology of Consumption
Potential Careers:
- Sustainability Officer/Director
- Sustainability entrepreneurship
- Environmental Education/Advocacy/Lobbying
- Ecotourism (manager, guide, liaison)
- Legal and Policy Research
Careers in Education
A sociology degree provides future teachers with a fuller understanding of how children are impacted by their cultural background, as well as their social class, gender, and race/ethnicity. Sociology majors know that students are learning so much more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic while in school. Students are also learning an entire hidden curriculum, the unspoken and implicit messages not part of the formal course of study in schools. Sociology aids teachers as they work to treat their students equitably. While still needing the proper teaching certification, a sociology degree is a great way to start down the path to become an inspiring teacher!
More curious about secondary or higher education? We’ve got you covered there too. A degree in sociology can put you on track for a number of academic and research positions. With skills ranging from critical thinking to data gathering and analysis, in addition to writing, communication and presentation skills, sociology will prepare you as a competitive and thoughtful scholar
Relevant Electives:
- SOCY-302 Contemporary Social Problems
- SOCY-304 Sociology of Families
- SOCY-315 Sociology of Education
- SOCY-340 Self and Society
Potential Careers:
- Teacher
- Education Administrator
- Research Consultant on Educational Issues
- Librarian
- School or Career Counselor
Careers in Media, Journalism, & Communications
How can journalists, reporters, and content producers inform and entertain their audiences concerning social justice, and politically and culturally sensitive topics? How does social media today affect and challenge the relationship between media producers and media consumers? How do media narratives subtly reinforce racial, gender and class inequities? With faculty expertise in digital sociology, consumer culture and the cultures of capitalist society, VCU Sociology is brimming with valuable insight into the complex nature of media, journalism and culture today.
As careers in social media management explode, the reach of a single statement or image is unprecedented. Social media is more important than ever, and the people who manage content, brands, and representations online need to be sensitive to the ways that identities are reproduced in the online sphere. Sociology confidently provides students with the theoretical tools and practical skills they need to succeed as literate, critical, and thoughtful professionals in the communications careers of today.
Relevant Electives:- SOCY 340 Self and Society
- SOCY-370 Media and Society
- SOCY-425 Digital Sociology
- SOCY-435 Sociology of Consumption
Potential Careers:
- Social Media Manager/Analyst/Editor
- Journalist / Reporter / Writer
- Public Relations/ Advertising Manager
- Media Production Team Member
Careers in Health Services
Did you know sociology is relevant to health and medicine? Consider these core sociological questions: How do we define disorder and illness? What determines access to care? How does our social environment affect health? Medical practitioners, care workers, administrators, and other careers in health and wellness all benefit from sociological inquiry. As the need for caregivers increases with an aging society, more and more workers will be drawn into the fold of health service professions. Few other disciplines, outside of sociology, will prepare you as much to understand the epidemiological changes in society, health disparities, and the social determinants of health. Those with an understanding of medical sociology are well positioned to critically serve the health needs of society.
Relevant Electives:
- SOCY-307 Sociology of Food
- SOCY-344 Medical Sociology
- SOCY-441 Sociology of Emotions
- SOCY-446 Sociology of Mental Disorder
Potential Careers:
- Medical Practitioner (MD, PA, NP, CN, RN, etc.)
- Epidemiologist/Medical Researcher
- Patient Care Advocate
- Administrative Medical Assistant
- Health Information Technician
- Healthcare Manager / Coordinator
Careers in Inclusivity & Diversity
As a sociology major, you will critically engage with issues of inequality and exclusion in all of your classes. This engagement prepares you for a multitude of jobs focused on cultivating workplace inclusivity and diversity, including human resources and recruitment. With a sociology degree, you also have a foundation for better understanding and working cooperatively with people from different cultures, nationalities and ethnicities, a key skill in an increasingly global and fast-changing labor market.
Relevant Electives:
- SOCY-321 Sociology of Economic Inequalities
- SOCY-322 Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
- SOCY-333 Gender in Society
- SOCY-340 Self and Society
Potential Careers:
- Human Resources
- Recruitment / Talent Acquisition
- Employee Benefits Manager
- Inclusivity Consultant
- Equal Opportunity Officer
We hope that these cards have given you at least an overview of what you can do with a degree in sociology, but don't mistake these suggestions to be exhasutive. Sociology is a true 21st century major, the degree is as maleable and flexible as you seek to make it. Afterall, there are elements of the social in every aspect and insitution of life.
Think sociology is for you? Apply to the program, today!
Questions for us? Reach out to us at sociology@vcu.edu. No question is too small.