What is Sociology? | Department of Sociology

What is Sociology?

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious traditions; from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture. (21st Century Careers with an Undergraduate Degree in Sociology, 2014)

Sociology gives you all kinds of real-world skills that employers look for, including how to:

  • Conduct research and analyze data
  • Communicate skillfully
  • Practice critical thinking
  • View the United States and the world through a diverse and global perspective

Sociology is relevant for a wide range of careers, including:

  • Human/social service
    • Counseling, advocacy, administration
  • Criminal justice
    • Corrections, law enforcement, survivor/victim services
  • Education
    • Teach, research, alumni relations
  • Government
    • Statistics, demography, policy analysis, college
  • Research
    • Data analyst, market research
  • Environment
    • Public policy, green-energy, non-profit
  • Business
    • Human resources, management, sales, marketing, public relations
  • Law school
  • Medical school
  • Graduate school

In addition to talking to your professors and using UNT's Career Center , we have a number of resources to help get you started: https://sociology.unt.edu/undergraduate/career-resources