Intersting Links and Information

The American Sociological Association defines sociology as follows:

“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 cults; from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports. In fact, few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge.”

“Sociology provides many distinctive perspectives on the world, generating new ideas and critiquing the old. The field also offers a range of research techniques that can be applied to virtually any aspect of social life: street crime and delinquency, corporate downsizing, how people express emotions, welfare or education reform, how families differ and flourish, or problems of peace and war. Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it is a rapidly expanding field whose potential is increasingly tapped by those who craft policies and create programs.”

Why Study Sociology?

It is a broad and fascinating field. There is a wide variety of sub-fields and areas of study in sociology. The following is a list of some of these:

Rural Sociology/Agriculture and Food

Development Sociology

Medical Sociology

Crime, Law, & Deviance

Sociology of Education

Sociology of Family

Sex and Gender

Community & Urban Sociology

Social Psychology

Environment & Technology

Aging and the Life Course

Collective Behavior/Soc Movements

Racial & Ethnic Minorities

Political Sociology

Sociology of Culture

Latino/a Sociology

Sociology of Religion

Demography (Population)

Race, Gender, and Class

Sociology of Sexualities

Economic Sociology

Labor and Labor Movements

A degree in sociology provides a strong background for many careers. Here are a few:

Business: Actuary, administrative assistant, advertising officer, computer analyst, data entry manager, human resource manager, insurance agent, journalist, labor relations officer, market analyst, merchandiser/purchaser, production manager, project manager, public relations officer, publishing officer, quality control manager, real estate agent, sales manager, sales representative

Government: Affirmative action worker, community affairs officer, environmental planner and researcher, foreign affairs service officer, human resource officer, human rights officer, legislative aide, personnel coordinator, planning officer, project manager, public health service worker, researcher, urban/regional planner,

Research: Census officer/analyst, consumer researcher, data analyst, demographer/population analyst, market researcher, social research specialist, survey researcher, systems analyst

Teaching: Academic evaluator, academic administrator, college placement worker, librarian, public health educator, public school teachers, school admissions officer, undergraduate and graduate educator and researcher

Community Affairs: Career counselor, case worker, child development technician, community development officer, community organizer, cultural and environmental resource management officer, forensic analysis specialist, fund raising director, homeless/housing worker, housing coordinator, hospital administrator, legal representative, occupational counselor, public administrator, public health administrator, public health outreach worker, rehabilitation program worker, resident planning aide, rural health outreach worker, social assistance advocate, youth outreach worker

The American Sociological Assocation also provides some excellent guides for careers in sociology:

Careers_in_sociology

Sociology Major - Preparation for Careers

Gavilan College

Gavilan does not have a separate major in sociology, but students interested in the discipline can get an AA is social science. Currently the social science department is in the process of redesigning its major. We plan to have three concentrations under the new major: Global Studies, Community Studies and Community Services.

Almost all colleges and universities offer a BA or BS in sociology. Below are some excellent programs in CA and the US:

Colleges/Universities in California

Colleges/Universities in the US