We all have been asked at one time or another, "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 or graduate degree in sociology. The trick is to understand how to translate what you have learned into terms future employers find valuable. Listed below are some examples of career pathways for sociology majors, as well as recommendations for sociology courses to help prepare majors for those careers.

Sociology Career Pathways

Business, Management, and Marketing
Criminal Justice
Social Work, Counseling, and Education
International Affairs and Development
Nonprofit and Public Administration/Affairs
Public Health and Health Services
Research and Data Analytics
Community Organization, Human Resources, and Advocacy

Course Offerings for Each Career Pathway

Business, Management, and Marketing

• SOCI 2050 - Sociology of Sport
• SOCI 3220 - Quantitative Data Collection
• SOCI 3240 - Qualitative Data Collection
• SOCI 3280 - Quantitative Data Analysis
• SOCI 3800 - Sociology of Work
• SOCI 4340 - Social Psychology and Behavior in the Social Environment
• SOCI 4170 - Environmental Sociology
• SOCI 4600 - Internet and Society
• SOCI 4950 - Sociology Internship

Criminal Justice

• SOCI 3300 - Urban Sociology
• SOCI 3630 - Drugs, Crime and Society
• SOCI 4340 - Social Psychology and Behavior in the Social Environment
• SOCI 4630 - Deviance and Control
• SOCI 4950 - Sociology Internship

Social Work, Counseling, and Education

• Race/ethnicity
  • SOCI 2010 - Race, Class, Gender and Ethnicity
  • SOCI 2070 - Introduction to Race and Ethnic Relations
  • SOCI 4540 - Race and Ethnic Minorities
  • SOCI 4580 - Immigration and Race in Contemporary U.S.
• Contemporary Family Life
  • SOCI 3000 - Sociology of Marriage and Family
  • SOCI 3600 - The Multiracial Family
  • SOCI 4450 - The Family in Later Life
  • SOCI 4500 - Sociology of Childhood and Adolescence
  • SOCI 4550 - Sociology of Aging
• Education and Society
  • SOCI 3300 - Urban Sociology
  • SOCI 4240 - Sociology of Sexuality
  • SOCI 4250 - Gender and Society
  • SOCI 4340 - Social Psychology and Behavior in the Social Environment
  • SOCI 4620 - Sociology of Culture
  • SOCI 4650 - Sociology of Education
• Social Class
  • SOCI 3330 - Social Stratification
  • SOCI 4210 - Intersectionality
• SOCI 4950 - Sociology Internship

International Affairs and Development

• SOCI 3560 - Sociology of Disasters
• SOCI 4160 - Developing Societies
• SOCI 4170 - Environmental Sociology
• SOCI 4750 - World Population Trends and Problems
• SOCI 4950 - Sociology Internship

Nonprofit and Public Administration/Affairs

• SOCI 3300 - Urban Sociology
• SOCI 3800 - Sociology of Work
• SOCI 4170 - Environmental Sociology
• SOCI 4340 - Social Psychology and Behavior in the Social Environment
• SOCI 4600 - Internet and Society
• SOCI 4950 - Sociology Internship

Public Health and Health Services

• SOCI 3110 - Sociology of Mental Health, Mental Illness and Mental Health Care
• SOCI 3120 - Sociology of Health and Illness
• SOCI 4950 - Sociology Internship

Research and Data Analytics

• SOCI 3220 - Quantitative Data Collection
• SOCI 3240 - Qualitative Data Collection
• SOCI 3280 - Quantitative Data Analysis
• SOCI 3996 - Honors College Mentored Research Experience
• SOCI 4850 - Applied Research & Careers in Sociology
• SOCI 4951 - Honors College Capstone Thesis
• SOCI 4900 - Special Problems
• SOCI 4910 - Sociology Mentored Research Experience
• SOCI 4950 - Sociology Internship

Community Organization, Human Resources, and Advocacy

• Culture and Society
  • SOCI 1520 - Contemporary Social Problems
  • SOCI 3300 - Urban Sociology
  • SOCI 3550 - Collective Behavior
  • SOCI 3700 - Sociology of Religion
  • SOCI 4170 - Environmental Sociology
  • SOCI 4350 - Community Organization
  • SOCI 4620 - Sociology of Culture
  • SOCI 4950 - Sociology Internship
• Race/ethnicity
  • SOCI 2010 - Race, Class, Gender and Ethnicity
  • SOCI 2070 - Introduction to Race and Ethnic Relations
  • SOCI 4540 - Race and Ethnic Minorities
  • SOCI 4580 - Immigration and Race in Contemporary U.S.
• Gender & Sexuality
  • SOCI 2010 - Race, Class, Gender and Ethnicity
  • SOCI 4240 - Sociology of Sexuality
  • SOCI 4250 - Gender and Society
• Social Class
  • SOCI 3330 - Social Stratification
  • SOCI 4210 - Intersectionality
• Contemporary Family Life
  • SOCI 3000 - Sociology of Marriage and Family
  • SOCI 3600 - The Multiracial Family
  • SOCI 4450 - The Family in Later Life
  • SOCI 4500 - Sociology of Childhood and Adolescence
  • SOCI 4550 - Sociology of Aging