Department of Sociology

If you're just getting started, you might want to reflect on all of the classes and/or activities you enjoy and then look for occupations where you can continue to build upon those interests. You can begin by exploring who you are and identifying your values, skills, interests and motivations.

Here are some resources to help you get started:

• Browse What Can I Do With a Sociology Major? to explore types of employers that hire people with Sociology majors, and strategies to make you a more marketable candidate.

• Take TypeFocus, an online tool to gain insights about your personality and interests and apply them to major and career decisions. Meet with a Hiatt counselor to review what you learn.

• Meet with Hiatt to explore majors and identify future options.

• Explore majors and careers.

• Join student clubs and organizations, take a variety of classes and volunteer to explore and hone your interests.

As a sociology major, you will be developing critical skills and knowledge, including the ability to:

• Think critically, develop theory, strategize a research design, collect data and analyze and write.

• Recognize the ways in which social contexts shape individual and group behavior.

• Rigorously engage with core questions of inequity, identity, justice and social meaning.

• Relate sociological frameworks to pressing social, economic and political issues and policies.

• Locate the ways in which sociology — as a professional discipline — develops and considers major questions, concepts, theories and methodologies.

• Creatively identify, confront and assess issues of sociological significance in a range of real-world settings.

• Understand, develop and extend theoretical frameworks for critically and systematically engaging with social phenomena.

• Employ established principles of research design, data collection and analysis to rigorously address empirical research questions.

• Clearly communicate theories, ideas and analyses, both orally and in writing.

• Recognize and understand how structural, cultural and relational contexts shape systems of power, access and inequity.

• Develop a reflexive and ethical sense of how diversity operates in social settings.

• Respectfully engage with ethnic, religious, cultural and political difference.
• Collaborate with local agencies and communities to develop strategies to address pressing issues.

 

One of the best ways to find out more about potential careers is to see what other students and alumni like you have done. Search these resources by major, industry, geography and more to see where Brandeis students intern and ecent Brandeis grads live and work right after graduation.

• Beyond Brandeis — Browse the first destinations of Brandeis graduates within six months of graduation to get a sense of entry-level opportunities. Click on the "Majors to Industries" tab to get started. 

• LinkedIn — Look at the profiles of Brandeis alumni and students to see sample career paths that match your interests. 

If you already have an idea of what you're interested in, you might need help narrowing down your options. When exploring careers, it's important to develop plans while staying open to new opportunities. Here are some resources for career exploration and research:

• Occupational Outlook Handbook provides information on responsibilities, education, pay and outlook for hundreds of occupations. 

• O*NET has detailed descriptions, responsibilities, required skills, preferred interests and general work styles and environments for a variety of professions. 

• Vault profiles 6,500+ companies in different industries and provides an overview, rankings, and employee reviews for each company. Access Vault's 250+ guides on interview prep, resume, industries, professions, employers and internships. 

• Internships are a great way to try out potential careers for yourself. Also try volunteering, part-time jobs and informational interviews.

• Talk to people who know you and/or who know about your majors and fields of interest. Friends, family, professors and advisors can all give you great information about majors and fields to help inform your decision making.

As discussed under possible career paths, there are many opportunities that might be a good match for you.  Based on historical destination data and national trends, the following Handshake shortcuts have been created to link you directly to descriptions of and opportunities in industries of interest to Sociology majors. The Spotlight on Careers industry page includes links to industry-specific job and internship posting sites.

• Advertising, Public Relations, Social Media: Internships | Jobs

• Film and Television: Internships | Jobs

• Higher Education: Internships | Jobs

• Human Resource Management: Internships | Jobs

• Journalism, Media, Publishing: Internships | Jobs

• Law & Paralegal: Internships | Jobs

• Library & Information Science: Internships | Jobs

• Nonprofits/NGO: Internships | Jobs

• Social Justice: Internships | Jobs

• Teaching Overseas, Teaching: Private Schools, Teaching: Public Schools: Internships | Jobs 

Additional links:

• Non-Profit: Internships | Jobs
• Government: Jobs
• American Sociological Association: Careers In Sociology

One of the best ways to find out more about careers, industries and roles is to speak with alumni. Networking is a constant cycle of building and maintaining relationships, all of which can help you cultivate information and leads about potential career opportunities. If you’ve ever talked to a professor, chatted with a family friend or made conversation with someone on a plane, then you’ve already networked!

Visit Hiatt's website for  "how to" details about networking and using LinkedIn.

There are two search strategies for finding career opportunities:

1. Search for jobs/internships that are posted on websites
2. Gather information about positions or potential openings from networking and research

For details on both, including links to external sites, please visit Hiatt's Job and Internship Search page.