ASA has many different resources to help you decide if sociology is the best path for you and to get the most out of your sociology courses. Find out what skills employers look for and where sociology graduates are working.
What is Sociology?
What is Sociology?
Learn more about what sociology, and the need for and impact of the discipline.
Sociology Club Guide
Are you starting a Sociology Club? Use this guide to help you start a successful club on your campus.
Sociology: A 21st Century Major
This brochure answers the question “What is sociology?” and includes quotes from students about why they chose to major in sociology. It also includes a list of specific employable skills that students gain by studying sociology, and quotes from recent graduates about the jobs they got after graduation. Prospective students may download and print the brochure for free or departments may order preprinted 50-packs in the ASA store.
Education and Professional Development
Sociology students and faculty often hear the question, “What are you going to do with a sociology degree?” The answer is that a sociology degree serves as an excellent springboard for a variety of careers in many diverse fields. You can easily transfer the skills you obtain with your undergraduate degree in sociology, the trick is to understand how to translate what you have learned into terms future employers find valuable.
10 Jobs That are Great for Sociology Majors, Plus Expert Advice on How to Land One
This article from TheMuse.com features the perspectives of sociologists and sociology faculty on the career options for sociology majors after the Bachelor’s degree.
21st Century Careers with an Undergraduate Degree in Sociology
This booklet is designed to help undergraduates understand the skills that today’s employers are seeking, and the ways a sociology major helps build those skills. The second edition of the 21st Century Careers booklet was published in 2015 and features profiles of individuals with a Bachelor’s degree in sociology and how they use sociology in their daily work.
What Are You Going to Do with That? A Workshop for Undergraduate Sociology Students
Transitioning to post-college life can be challenging. In this webinar from February 2020, undergraduate sociology students will learn (1) how to make the most of your undergraduate experience; (2) how to translate your sociological training into the kinds of skills that employers are looking for; and (3) how to figure out if graduate school is right for you. Whether you are new to sociology, ready to graduate, or somewhere in between, Dr. Kerry Greer shares field-tested advice and resources to help you navigate the transition to post-college life.
Building a Career with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology
In this webinar from February 2017, two young professionals who majored in sociology will share how a degree in sociology shaped their career paths and how sociological principles are employed in their positions on a daily basis. Their comments and advice to sociology students will be supplemented by Dr. Teresa Ciabattari, Associate Professor of Sociology at Pacific Lutheran University, who presents data on the kinds of skills that employers are looking for and how sociology majors are using their skills in the workplace. She also discusses how sociology programs can support the career readiness of their students.
Honors Program
The Honors Program provides undergraduate sociology students with a rich introduction to the professional life of the discipline. Exceptional sociology students from around the world come together for four days to experience all facets of the ASA Annual Meetings.
Guide to Graduate Departments of Sociology
This invaluable reference has been published by the ASA since 1965 and provides comprehensive information for academic administrators, advisers, faculty, students, and others seeking information on social science departments in the U.S., Canada, and abroad.
Alpha Kappa Delta
Alpha Kappa Delta is the International Sociology Honor Society. It seeks to acknowledge and promote excellence in scholarship in the study of sociology, the research of social problems, and such other social and intellectual activities as will lead to improvement in the human condition.
External Resources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Field of degree: Social science : Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Bureau of Labor Statistics 2021-2031 Projection of Data Occupations with Rapid Employment Growth
- Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022-2032 Employment Projections Overall
- 10 Jobs You Can Get With a Sociology Degree | Muse article
- USA Jobs Pathways Program (for those interested in government employment)
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study
