What can I do with my sociology degree?

xxzaraxx

I was just wondering what I can do with my bachelors degree in sociology(major) and greek and roman civilisation (minor)?? What jobs can I get in Ireland with this degree? Also how do I go about applying for jobs with this degree? I am finished this degree in May and I am starting to get concerned about the jobs I can get from this degree...

Galway K9

xxzaraxx wrote: »

I was just wondering what I can do with my bachelors degree in sociology(major) and greek and roman civilisation (minor)?? What jobs can I get in Ireland with this degree? Also how do I go about applying for jobs with this degree? I am finished this degree in May and I am starting to get concerned about the jobs I can get from this degree...

I can think of one thing to do with it:D

TheVoodoo

Generally, if you actually want to get a sociology related job, you'll need to continue in education, to at least a masters. It's competitive out there, and the higher your qualifications, the better your chance.

Mushy

It all depends on what you want to do. Hard to get a career immediately after college within Sociology, but keep looking out for places that do Sociological-type work. The job I'm in is totally unrelated to sociology (retail), but in a few years I may come, as I want to do a Social Research type study (quantitative, no doubt your favourite subject right now), and perhaps work on data analysis in a sociological perspective. Yesterday I received a Graduate survey from UCD, asking questions about what 2010 graduates are doing....I would love to be inputting that sort of data and studying it.

So yeah, think about what your favourite section is, would you like to do anything with that, maybe do a Masters in it focussing on that section ie. your thesis is aimed towards it. Sociology is great as societies always change, or aspects do anyway, so that could open up journalism for instance. With relation to my first part, statistical companies need people, as do all major companies to uncover trends.

http://www.ucd.ie/sociology/graduateprogrammes/taughtprogrammes/msocscsociology/careers,46587,en.html

xxzaraxx

I definitely do not want to continue on to do a masters... Can I get a job with my degree without it having any relevance to the job? Where do I look for jobs that are looking for people with degrees? I have been searching jobs.ie and fas.ie but they are mostly hospitality and service jobs..

xxzaraxx

Mushy wrote: »

It all depends on what you want to do. Hard to get a career immediately after college within Sociology, but keep looking out for places that do Sociological-type work. The job I'm in is totally unrelated to sociology (retail), but in a few years I may come, as I want to do a Social Research type study (quantitative, no doubt your favourite subject right now), and perhaps work on data analysis in a sociological perspective. Yesterday I received a Graduate survey from UCD, asking questions about what 2010 graduates are doing....I would love to be inputting that sort of data and studying it.

So yeah, think about what your favourite section is, would you like to do anything with that, maybe do a Masters in it focussing on that section ie. your thesis is aimed towards it. Sociology is great as societies always change, or aspects do anyway, so that could open up journalism for instance. With relation to my first part, statistical companies need people, as do all major companies to uncover trends.

http://www.ucd.ie/sociology/graduateprogrammes/taughtprogrammes/msocscsociology/careers,46587,en.html

I despise quants... worst subject ever! I got an F in the first assignment even though I tried my best so I didnt do the second assignment because it was a continuation of the first assignment so I will be lucky if I pass that module.. so I dont think data analysis will suit me...

Mushy

xxzaraxx wrote: »

I definitely do not want to continue on to do a masters... Can I get a job with my degree without it having any relevance to the job? Where do I look for jobs that are looking for people with degrees? I have been searching jobs.ie and fas.ie but they are mostly hospitality and service jobs..

Well what sort of job are you looking for? A career or just one to make some money for now? Just because you'll have a degree doesn't give you any entitlement to a job, sure look at the length of the dole queues. I know multiple people with masters who are bored on their couches day in, day out. So of course you can get a job, but having a degree may not have anything to do with it. As I said, I'm in retail with a degree in history and Sociology...totally unrelated stuff. Just don't come out expecting one, its harsh but true.

xxzaraxx wrote: »

I despise quants... worst subject ever! I got an F in the first assignment even though I tried my best so I didnt do the second assignment because it was a continuation of the first assignment so I will be lucky if I pass that module.. so I dont think data analysis will suit me...

Haha it is very time consuming alright, the second part is probably so much easier, unless they changed it around again from last year. I'd get it checked out, I didn't do too well on first section, then second section brought me up to a decent grade.

jripper

Hey guys, i'm also very confused as to how to shlap my degree together. I'm interested in going into the crime & social order path of my social science degree. With a major in sociology and beidhir a minor in psychology. Does anyone know if this is a good combo with respect to prospective jobs afterward? Or would it be recommended to go on to do a masters in sociology or criminology? I'd love to do sociology lecturing or something in the crime area, i'm just very uneducated as to how these things come together.

Mushy

jripper wrote: »

Hey guys, i'm also very confused as to how to shlap my degree together. I'm interested in going into the crime & social order path of my social science degree. With a major in sociology and beidhir a minor in psychology. Does anyone know if this is a good combo with respect to prospective jobs afterward? Or would it be recommended to go on to do a masters in sociology or criminology? I'd love to do sociology lecturing or something in the crime area, i'm just very uneducated as to how these things come together.

If you want lecturing you must go on far beyond Masters. I really liked that crime section too, assume your doing Crime & Society? The general Masters incorporates Theory, Research, and then a continuation of modules from 3rd year, so Crime is one of them.

Its hard to get jobs directly with an Arts degree (why every idiot under the sun calls it toilet paper), yet the amount of jobs related to Arts degrees is huge. I'd suggest doing a Masters if can afford it (or even wait a year). Also, speak to lecturers, they only too glad to help.

parker kent

The Guardian do a good series on issues like this. Here is their article on what to do with a sociology degree.

What to do with a degree in sociology

Sociology graduates often go for people-focused careers such as social work, counselling and careers advice

One is the UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs with responsibility for overseeing emergency relief in disaster-hit areas, the other is a chart-topping singer-songwriter. But what Lady Amos and James Blunt have in common is that both are sociology graduates and have used the knowledge gained in their degrees to forge successful careers.

Amos held various roles in local government and was chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission before becoming the first black leader of the House of Lords and moving on to her position at the UN. Meanwhile, Blunt says his degree has proved useful to his music. "There are some aspects that are relevant to the songs I'm writing – about the way humans interact, the way we are as social beings – those topics are kind of relevant," he says. The fact that most sociology graduates are female may have been a helpful source of inspiration as well.

Sociology is the study of people and how we interact with one another. Students learn topics such as culture, religion and identity, as well as getting to grips with the theories of thinkers such as Karl Marx and Max Weber.

Having a good understanding of human relationships can be a bonus in a range of careers, which is probably why sociology graduates can be found across all sectors including the media and arts.

What skills have you gained?

Sociology graduates leave university with a broad range of transferable skills. These include being able to work to deadlines, make reasoned arguments and think creatively.

Through doing presentations you will have learned how to present ideas orally and in writing, and developed strong research and IT skills. You will also be able to apply theoretical sociological perspectives to everyday life.

What jobs can you do?

Perhaps not surprisingly, social and welfare professions were the most popular career choices for 2009 sociology graduates – typical jobs include social worker, counsellor and community development officer.

"As a discipline concerned with the study of people and society, it is not surprising that many graduates target people-focused careers such as social work, advice work, counselling, careers advice, youth work, housing and the probation service," says Margaret Holbrough, a careers adviser at Graduate Prospects.

"Alternative careers can be found in educational, administrative or office-based roles such as teaching and lecturing, social research, human resources management, charity fundraising or within policymaking departments in local or central government.

"Understanding people within society can also be useful in careers such as market research, retail management, the police force and journalism."

As with all graduates, a high proportion found work in the retail/catering and clerical/secretarial sectors, reflecting the need for many to take stop-gap jobs in the tough economic climate.

Postgraduate study?

On completing their studies, 9.3% of sociology graduates moved on to study for a master's degree or PhD, with an additional 8.8% combining both work and study.

There are some jobs, such as social work or law, that require further training, and almost 4% of graduates went down this route

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/mar/19/sociology-degree

Edit: Stating the obvious, but these are obviously UK stats.

Further study is probably the best bet for a lot of people these days, especially if you want to work in a specific area.

dyl10

It seems to me, with arts, humanities and social science you really have to make your own path.

As opposed to looking for a job you are qualified to get, maybe have a think about what you want to do first and see how you can get on to that path.

Killer Pigeon

LOL ARTS!

bnt

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

LOL ARTS!

What's "Arty" about Sociology? Maybe LOL HUMANITIES! would be a better way of putting it, methinks.

OP - I remember some financial institutions were taking on people with "a degree", or you could look in to HR jobs (since I guess Sociology gives you some understanding of people). But I agree with other posters: it's got to the point where a Bachelor's degree alone will not get you in to your chosen field.

HavingCrack

xxzaraxx wrote: »

I definitely do not want to continue on to do a masters... Can I get a job with my degree without it having any relevance to the job? Where do I look for jobs that are looking for people with degrees? I have been searching jobs.ie and fas.ie but they are mostly hospitality and service jobs..

OP, I think you're being very naive. Bachelors degrees have become devalued hugely these days due to free fees. If you want to get any sort of career related to your degree a Masters is almost a necessity, especially in this economic climate. If you just want any old job it won't be related to your degree if you do manage to find one *even service type jobs require experience these days.

HavingCrack

bnt wrote: »

OP - I remember some financial institutions were taking on people with "a degree", or you could look in to HR jobs (since I guess Sociology gives you some understanding of people). But I agree with other posters: it's got to the point where a Bachelor's degree alone will not get you in to your chosen field.

To be honest, why bother even going to college if your degree has not got at least a bit of relevance to your job. That's why I found that business of financial institutions taking on people with any degree so bizarre. Why not just hire people out of school if you have to train them all anyway.

Riamfada

Its striking how many people in college believe that there will be a choice in jobs. Its getting to this stage where you take whatever retail job you can get and like it.

Like me, if you wanted to be a professional you wouldnt have done arts.

snickerpuss

HavingCrack wrote: »

To be honest, why bother even going to college if your degree has not got at least a bit of relevance to your job. That's why I found that business of financial institutions taking on people with any degree so bizarre. Why not just hire people out of school if you have to train them all anyway.

Do you really think that someone who has a general business degree won't require training or something? Or that people who have done arts have acquired no skills.

And guess what? If you want to become a professional you can indeed do an arts degree. I did one and am just finishing a professional masters qualification. You can go anywhere from an arts degree, with a good skill set to build professional competencies on.

El Siglo

I know of a fella who did a PhD in human geography, was working in a clothes shop now currently on the dole. So it's pretty hard to get a job or carve out a career even with the best of qualifications.

dyl10

HavingCrack wrote: »

Bachelors degrees have become devalued hugely these days due to free fees.

Not having fees has hardly devalued the quality of bachelor degrees.

Degrees have become devalued due to decisions made in government and in specific universities (mainly this one). There are plenty of countries offering a similar or lower level of fees turning out quality graduates.

It's up to universities to ensure that they don't become money grabbers, shafting the state, simply because students have their fees paid by the government.
It's also up to the government to ensure that the Irish universities they are paying for, are not pushing for quantity over quality.

Oasis_Dublin

Work for a few years and do whatever you want once you reach 24. It will cost you, mind.

dyl10

El Siglo wrote: »

I know of a fella who did a PhD in human geography, was working in a clothes shop now currently on the dole. So it's pretty hard to get a job or carve out a career even with the best of qualifications.

From UCD?

El Siglo

dyl10 wrote: »

From UCD?

No, from QUB.

Killer Pigeon

El Siglo wrote: »

No, from QUB.

At least on the bright side you could say that if he had gotten it from UCD he would have been doubly f*cked.

Oasis_Dublin

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

At least on the bright side you could say that if he had gotten it from UCD he would have been doubly f*cked.

Hahahahahaha

TDOie

Degree != entitlement to better jobs.

dyl10

TDOie wrote: »

Degree != entitlement to better jobs.

By and large it does.

TDOie

dyl10 wrote: »

By and large it does.

If the degree is relevant. If not I'd argue 4 years relevant experience is better than 4 years of a random degree.

xxzaraxx

Riamfada wrote: »

Its striking how many people in college believe that there will be a choice in jobs. Its getting to this stage where you take whatever retail job you can get and like it.

Like me, if you wanted to be a professional you wouldnt have done arts.

Sorry for the late reply, but I found your comment very insulting. Even if it was an Arts degree that I did, at the end of the day I spent 3 years in college completing that degree. What degree do you have that has entitled you to label yourself a 'professional'? I started college when I was 17 and I did not know what I wanted to do, but now that I am 20 I am still young enough to study something else. A college degree just shows you have the ability to meet deadlines and stick with something for 3-4 years.

xxzaraxx

OSI wrote: »

Ah here. I seriously hope you're taking the piss.

Did you honestly think that you could just get any degree and employers would be falling at your feet looking to employ you just because you had a piece of paper?

This is exactly why higher education is in such a ****ty position in Ireland atm, too many people went to college because a) it was free and b) the belief that degree = instant job and money.

If you want a job then you need a) relevant education b) relevant experience.

Either of which can be forgiven for enough of the other. Without either, you really can't be expecting much. Especially at this moment.

Yes because I spent the last 3 years in college for the craic instead of getting a full time job and making a decent salary... what do you think I would have preferred? I do not think I am entitled to whatever job I want, but I would hope that it would stand out on my CV in comparison to someone who did not go to college. I am currently working full time as a cleaner so I hardly think I am entitled to any jobs, I was just hoping I could get better jobs now that I have a degree.

xxzaraxx

HavingCrack wrote: »

OP, I think you're being very naive. Bachelors degrees have become devalued hugely these days due to free fees. If you want to get any sort of career related to your degree a Masters is almost a necessity, especially in this economic climate. If you just want any old job it won't be related to your degree if you do manage to find one *even service type jobs require experience these days.

I do not want to do a masters.. I have actually gotten two jobs in the last year, I actually left my last job recently and within a week I had a new job lined up. I was just hoping I could do something with a degree I had spent 3 years doing that is all, not being naive.

Killer Pigeon

xxzaraxx wrote: »

Yes because I spent the last 3 years in college for the craic instead of getting a full time job and making a decent salary... what do you think I would have preferred? I do not think I am entitled to whatever job I want, but I would hope that it would stand out on my CV in comparison to someone who did not go to college. I am currently working full time as a cleanerso I hardly think I am entitled to any jobs, I was just hoping I could get better jobs now that I have a degree.

Hmm, you could have easily become a cleaner without even having a Leaving Cert., so clearly your degree hasn't come in handy there. However, a degree isn't all about the jobs or the salaries - a lot of it is about the learning experience.

xxzaraxx

Killer Pigeon wrote: »

Hmm, you could have easily become a cleaner without even having a Leaving Cert., so clearly your degree hasn't come in handy there. However, a degree isn't all about the jobs or the salaries - a lot of it is about the learning experience.

Hence why I made this thread..

conor.hogan.2

Riamfada wrote: »

Like me, if you wanted to be a professional you wouldnt have done arts.

Because life ends after you finish a degree at 20/21...

El Siglo

xxzaraxx wrote: »

I definitely do not want to continue on to do a masters... Can I get a job with my degree without it having any relevance to the job? Where do I look for jobs that are looking for people with degrees? I have been searching jobs.ie and fas.ie but they are mostly hospitality and service jobs..

First question: No. Not a hope in hell, you'll need experience or a postgrad or more likely both.
Second question: Same as everywhere else, monster recruitment etc... There isn't a specific "jobs for degree holders" type of thing, there's recruitment agencies and that's it.
Your third problem there is, you looked for jobs in Ireland. In case you haven't been reading the newspapers recently, half a million people are on the dole. You also looked at Fas... Probably the most retarded of the QUANGOs.

OP if you want to get a job related to your degree then you have to do a postgrad. An arts degree is really not worth the paper it's written on unless you do something after it. To be honest, jobs are scarce and when you see civil engineers, architects etc... on the dole, what do you think it's going to be like for arts grads?

parker kent

xxzaraxx wrote: »

I do not want to do a masters.. I have actually gotten two jobs in the last year, I actually left my last job recently and within a week I had a new job lined up. I was just hoping I could do something with a degree I had spent 3 years doing that is all, not being naive.

An arts degree does not make you qualified in anything (I should know). The idea is that it expands your horizons and opens up new opportunities. It all about teaching you how to think, problem solve, reason etc.

Were there jobs everywhere, you would get something. But I think you are naive to think that an arts degree will get you a job that is degree related. You need experience (which you don't have) to get anything like that. Plus as everybody has said here, you need further qualifications to move into any particular line of work.

parker kent

Also, just look up gradireland.ie to see what jobs are being advertised for graduates.

Oasis_Dublin

Riamfada wrote: »

Like me, if you wanted to be a professional you wouldnt have done arts.

Do you mean professional in the sense that you get paid? I'm an orts graduate and I have a job that pays

parker kent

Oasis_Dublin wrote: »

Do you mean professional in the sense that you get paid? I'm an orts graduate and I have a job that pays

I imagine the poster meant somebody engaged or qualified in a profession. An arts degree doesn't make somebody qualified in a profession. Doctors, lawyers, teachers etc are people who have trained in a profession (Note teachers often have arts degrees, but a HDip should be needed for a teacher).

But that is a narrow way of looking at degrees.

Oasis_Dublin

parker kent wrote: »

I imagine the poster meant somebody engaged or qualified in a profession. An arts degree doesn't make somebody qualified in a profession. Doctors, lawyers, teachers etc are people who have trained in a profession (Note teachers often have arts degrees, but a HDip should be needed for a teacher).

But that is a narrow way of looking at degrees.

An arts degree is a primary degree in the same way as a law degree is a primary degree. You have to add postgraduate degrees to your primary degree to make them really valuable. Nobody is coming out of UCD after three years with any entitlement to a highly paid professional job, without knowing someday high up in a company.

parker kent

Oasis_Dublin wrote: »

An arts degree is a primary degree in the same way as a law degree is a primary degree. You have to add postgraduate degrees to your primary degree to make them really valuable. Nobody is coming out of UCD after three years with any entitlement to a highly paid professional job, without knowing someday high up in a company.

Well I obviously know that. That's why I did a primary degree and then a masters. I'm just giving you the definition of a professional qualification. An arts degree is not a professional qualification.

Oasis_Dublin

parker kent wrote: »

Well I obviously know that. That's why I did a primary degree and then a masters. I'm just giving you the definition of a professional qualification. An arts degree is not a professional qualification.

I rather clearly wasn't having a go at you. Cool the jets. I'm rather obviously claiming that a law degree, a commerce degree or an economics degree is not a professional degree either. Hence, the original poster is in the wrong.

parker kent

Oasis_Dublin wrote: »

I rather clearly wasn't having a go at you. Cool the jets. I'm rather obviously claiming that a law degree, a commerce degree or an economics degree is not a professional degree either. Hence, the original poster is in the wrong.

I didn't say you were having a go at me, I just clarified what I said.

By the way, there obviously are degrees that are professional degrees such as nursing.

noodler

Riamfada wrote: »

Its striking how many people in college believe that there will be a choice in jobs. Its getting to this stage where you take whatever retail job you can get and like it.

Like me, if you wanted to be a professional you wouldnt have done arts.

conor.hogan.2 wrote: »

Because life ends after you finish a degree at 20/21...

Oasis_Dublin wrote: »

Do you mean professional in the sense that you get paid? I'm an orts graduate and I have a job that pays

Likewise - doing okay myself after doing a Masters.

Top poster sounds like a horrible person though.

Glenomena2011

HavingCrack wrote: »

OP, I think you're being very naive. Bachelors degrees have become devalued hugely these days due to free fees. If you want to get any sort of career related to your degree a Masters is almost a necessity, especially in this economic climate. If you just want any old job it won't be related to your degree if you do manage to find one *even service type jobs require experience these days.

They've been devalued because of free fees? That sounds wrong.

Just because something was free (at the point of use, not free at all), then employers won't value it? Nah.
If it gets you skills you can use in the job, then you have those skills, the method of paying for your education is a total irrelevance to the employer.

If you mean people taking any degree, just to take something, cos its' expected of them, and they're own wallets not on the line, and not being very into it, thats a different story.
A lot of people did that with science because it was low points.

autonomy

xxzaraxx wrote: »

I was just wondering what I can do with my bachelors degree in sociology(major) and greek and roman civilisation (minor)?? What jobs can I get in Ireland with this degree? Also how do I go about applying for jobs with this degree? I am finished this degree in May and I am starting to get concerned about the jobs I can get from this degree...

Did you not think about this when you decided to do the course?

Glenomena2011

OSI wrote: »

The devaluation of degrees has nothing to do with the cost associated with them, but rather the proliferation of degrees among society due to the increased availability as a result of free fees.

Any half brained economics/business student will tell you that the more prolific a product or service is, it's perceived value will inevitably decrease.

Thats probably what s/he meant then.
I have noticed the tendency to look for postgrad qualifications, but more people are doing that too, so what is it gonna come to? we all need doctorates to get anything above 35k?

Glenomena2011

Keep in mind those of you finishing college now and struggling, it would be worse.
I know people in the states who are 5 figures in debt to pay for their college degree:

1. Its not finding them a job
2. They're being forced to take jobs they could have easily gotten without the degree, and the debt that came with it.

bnt

There's a new op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal, written by a Harvard Professor of Government, which I thought I should mention because of its title: Sociology and Other 'Meathead' Majors. He advises against doing a Master's in Sociology:

A graduate student in sociology is one who didn't get his fill of jargonized wishful thinking as an undergraduate. Such a person will never fail to disappoint you. But sociology has close competitors in other social sciences (including mine, political science) and in the humanities.

I'm surprised to see such criticism of the Humanities from someone heavily involved in the Humanities, but I don't know if I can say much more than that - since I'm not in the Humanities, and don't really know what's involved.

PS: if the link doesn't lead to the full article, just go to Google News and search for "Sociology".

parker kent

bnt wrote: »

There's a new op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal, written by a Harvard Professor of Government, which I thought I should mention because of its title: Sociology and Other 'Meathead' Majors. He advises against doing a Master's in Sociology:

I'm surprised to see such criticism of the Humanities from someone heavily involved in the Humanities, but I don't know if I can say much more than that - since I'm not in the Humanities, and don't really know what's involved.

PS: if the link doesn't lead to the full article, just go to Google News and search for "Sociology".

His issue seems to be the proliferation of soft courses in the humanities, not necessarily humanities itself. I tend to agree with his problems with all subjects in the humanities being treated as equal.

BiancaJo

I don't think this goes without saying but degrees don't guarantee jobs. If you choose to do a humanities major in college you need to understand that employers don't want people with sociology degrees - they won't people with skills that understand their industry. A background in sociology can be pretty helpful for a lot of different career paths (see: careers in sociology) that don't necessarily relate to the academia and grad school track that everyone and their grandpa jokes about. The key is knowing how to network and develop a set of skills that are currently desirable to employers for the kind of positions you want to hold. A smart thing to do is to look at jobs you'd like to have and take a gander at the qualifications...this can give you a good idea of what you need to work on and develop.

OneOfThem Stumbled

Love how the new poster just casually enters a conversation that has been quiet for eight months.