Sociology - is it a weak degree? hard to find employment?

It's not easy for many graduates to find work at the moment, but some employers find Sociology a 'soft' subject lacking in direct career opportunities. If you wish to go into a graduate scheme afterwards a 2.1 degree class is a basic requirement and can usually come from any subject so you should be okay to apply for those, but again the competition is fierce.

There are opportunities open for you to go on to do postgraduate study, perhaps furthering in Sociology or something more specialised e.g. Social Work. Have a look at the Prospects section for sociology graduates for more info on career areas open to you. It also has statistics on which fields graduates are employed within 6 months of leaving university.

I do not take Sociology at university nor did I do it at A-level but as far as I know you do not need the A-level to get onto the degree course, any combination of subjects is acceptable (sometimes excluding General Studies) but essay-based subjects would probably be beneficial to you.

Employers look at their applicants holistically, i.e. the degree is a basic requirement for certain jobs but you need to have experience (paid or voluntary) in the sector that demonstrates you have the skillset required for that particular job. That's why your CV needs to be strong and concise, tailored to that particular job vacancy. I wouldn't go as far as to say a History or Physics graduate is automatically more suitable for the job, we do not know their experience or degree class, how they conduct themselves at interview etc.

I'm currently studying Psychology at university

Could anyone else share their opinions on taking sociology as a degree please?

I'll drop you a PM soon. I've been a bit busy but meaning to do it

I think sociology is a great subject but I am not going to lie, from what we were told at my uni I am sceptical how strong it is at gaining employment. When there was a sociology careers talk this year a majority of graduates from my uni went into social work, community work and teaching. Not that I am saying any of those professions are inherently bad (i want to be a teacher) but there was a distinct lack of mention of graduates going onto graduate schemes in big companies which I've generally come to expect as standard from my uni. There just didn't seem to be as much breadth and variety in the employment that I got from my other career talks

I hope no one is offended by this post, I am just speaking from what I got from studying sociology for a year and the career talks that went with it.

Thankyou!



You said you only took sociology for a year- does that mean you transferred to a different course or? Thankyou for the information though- some websites show where graduates end up, and some of the careers mentioned are in HR or business, and not very sociology related at all so I was wondering

btw, there is no 'law' of supply and demand, what you are referring to is an analytical construct designed to measure variances, it does not have an objective reality.....

Are you doing business studies then?

At my university you do three subjects in your first year, sociology was one of mine! I am sure there are plenty of people with sociology degrees who do get good jobs and stuff so I wouldn't worry too much if it is the subject you really want to study!

At the end of the day the most important thing is to pursue a course that you have a great deal of interest in studying. There's nothing worse than taking a different path simply because it'll make you more 'employable'. After all, you're less likely to get a decent degree at the end of it which is of far greater importance than the subject itself; as long as you can show competence with regards to the skills required for a job you'll be fine. As you are interested in why people act the way they do I strongly recommend that you study sociology through to degree level. You'll get to look at things in much greater depth and will most certainly enjoy it

I myself am a sociology student, though I'm studying it alongside criminology as I have always intended to work with the police force in some way (something which is looking less possible in this day and age). Are there any joint honours degree schemes that take your fancy? One key thing to remember is that, whatever you choose, you'll be given a fair leeway in terms of what to study throughout your course with the final year having a tighter focus on the subject. In other words, as long as you choose a social science degree there's nothing stopping you opting for anthropology modules alongside the core modules. Friends of mine studying on my course (Criminology & Sociology) have studied tribal behaviour over the last year. Check the prospectus of each university to see how many optional modules you'll be allowed.

There's no need to worry about the employability side of things. By studying for a degree in sociology you'll develop a wide range of skills, the most important being the ability to conduct in-depth research and data analysis, which will be more than adequate in helping you find a job. Of course, you stand a better chance of finding work with research facilities such as the ONS, something that my lecturers are always keen to encourage us to do. That said, these skills are still applicable to a much wider range of professions and you'll be no worse off than anyone else.

Sadly it does...
Choice is great, but there comes a time when everything grinds to a halt, and we realise that, as a nation, we have few of the skills required for sustained wealth creation, and armies of recently qualified Sociologists and Art historians wondering why there are no jobs for them.
The skills I require in an applicant are those gained by doing the requisite degree for three of four years, no more - no less.
Put simply - my business has a demand for science and maths post graduates.
The education system is not supplying them.

Is your university in Scotland, by any chance? I might have to do my research as there may well be plenty of English uni's offering 3 subjects in the first year, but I recall someone saying they went to Aberdeen and did 3 subjects. My only worry with that is since I'm indecisive, and tend to love every subject I do, I'll hate choosing between them. Out of curiosity, what were your other two in the first year? Did you carry sociology on or decide you didn't like it after the first year? Had you already taken an A level in sociology? (lots of questions- sorry!)

I think there are a couple of things I want to say, generally about this question and answers to it.

First, I think the idea that your graduate education will lead to employment or secure employment for you is slightly limited and somewhat misplaced. If getting a job is your sole objective, then think business studies or any of the professional degrees like law/medicine/engineering/architecture etc. If it is generic employment like administrative jobs, any degree will be as good or as bad. It is really the skills you pick up, the way your personality gets rounded and so on.

I like that you have enjoyed anthropology. I am sure you would know that anthropology has two clear streams: physical and cultural. In the first, you learn of evolutionary changes like cranium sizes, physical differences among ethnic groups and tribes etc. From what you say, cultural anthropology will be a very good stream for you.

If you are academically oriented, cultural anthropology is one of the flourishing areas: with students finding and using it to study things like law, cultural studies, medicine, comparative studies, political cultures etc. If you are not: cultural anthropologists are very commonly found working in development sector, in management, in journalism etc. Many of them use their work experiences to identify a problem and then proceed with higher education.

I would urge you not to frame your education as the means of securing your job. I did, and repent it. I am now trying to break free from it in so many ways, and struggling to do it in some many ways. Because I came from a certain middle class family in India, the pressure to learn, earn and marry and have children was immense. But this is how we get constructed, as minor cogs in the larger wheels of modernity and capitalism, don't you what at least become aware of it!