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Sociology - is it a weak degree? hard to find employment?
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sociology is respected because cambridge do it
however employers would respect a maths or engineering degree much more than a sociology degree
however employers would respect a maths or engineering degree much more than a sociology degree
I do Sociology, I did it because I enjoy it, I do joke that it's not a proper degree and i share a house with a drama student, and we do nickname ourselves the 'fake degree house.' Jesting aside, a 2:1 in a degree from a good uni will stand you in decent stead wherever you go. I've met people with medical degrees working in cafes, i've met people with degrees in silly stuff like equine sports science earning 6 figures in jobs that have nothing to do with horses, sports or science. However i know very few people who did a sociology degree doing social work.
If you want to do the degree because YOU will find it interesting now, you might get on to a degree with a more direct path and hate it. My cousin lasted 3 months on a medicine degree, which she did because she thought she ought to, hated it and is now a fellow sociology student.
Oh and just for the record, i'm not the offspring of an ex coal miner.
If you want to do the degree because YOU will find it interesting now, you might get on to a degree with a more direct path and hate it. My cousin lasted 3 months on a medicine degree, which she did because she thought she ought to, hated it and is now a fellow sociology student.
Oh and just for the record, i'm not the offspring of an ex coal miner.
I'm going to be doing a sociology degree this year. I spent two years at A level doing all science subjects and it was a waste of time. Science is difficult, poorly funded and was not respected in my school. Considering I am going to come out with about 35 grand worth of debt I may as well do something I enjoy, as choosing useful subjects was a disaster for me last year as it lowered my grades and is pretty much thankless. Also most degrees are pointless and stem from self-interest (Veterinary courses, medicine, dentistry, biochemistry and engineering are the only useful ones I can think of.)
No it's not 'weak', but when it's put up against similar subjects like History, Politics and Philosophy (these are the sorts of grads you might be competing against when employers sift through 'arts' applications) it's not seen as strong. I'd personally try and combine it with History or something. Not gonna lie, it doesn't provide the best prospects, but if you are a good person and have nice qualities and get to interviews, employers won't really care what you studied. Once you get past the first round of an application stage, very little of it is about the degree you studied but more about you as a person.
Good luck and I hope you make the right decision, if you enjoy it, go for it! It is seen as academic btw
I wouldn't class it as a 'mickey mouse' degree, top places like Warwick and Manchester offer it, so it can't be that bad, and there's clearly a lot of people thinking along the same lines, otherwise the demand wouldn't be there and these unis wouldn't bother offering them!
Good luck and I hope you make the right decision, if you enjoy it, go for it! It is seen as academic btw
I wouldn't class it as a 'mickey mouse' degree, top places like Warwick and Manchester offer it, so it can't be that bad, and there's clearly a lot of people thinking along the same lines, otherwise the demand wouldn't be there and these unis wouldn't bother offering them! employers won't really care what you studied. Once you get past the first round of an application stage, very little of it is about the degree you studied but more about you as a person.
The caveat here should be "If you are looking to work in an arts related subject"
Industry (manufacturing) and science/research based positions are likely to require degrees at least in a maths/science/practical subject.
Reed are one of many employment agencies who I deal with who are getting much better at sorting out what employers require. While I look to recruit using several methods, agencies are certanly one.
2 years ago they sent me many totally unsuitable applicants with degrees (who - and I'll be blunt here - were filed immediately in the into the big round filing system at my feet) many sociology and arts based PG's.
Now I get just 2 or 3 a year - but they are exactly what I need, and I tend to interview the vast majority of applicants.
Other agencies and employment consultancies are also doing a better job of sifting and sorting.
It is clear that there is a huge demand for practical, maths, science, computer based subjects. Every year I take on far fewer than I would like and know from my contacts (Chamber of Commerce etc) that the same is true for many employers looking to find PG's with these subjects.
There is no point me taking on arts graduates and spending several years re-training them at my own cost. (explained in my previous post) the ROI is at best very risky at worst a pretty large minus figure.
I just wish the education system would provide more PG's that the real world actually needed.
By all means do whatever degree you want, but what value is there for either the students themselves or UK.plc to fund degrees that simply aren't needed in the numbers being taken while falling a long way short of those that industry and business is crying out for?
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by scritty
Sadly it does.
While it may be a simple statistic here, in the real world, employers (myself incuded - with a workforce of just under 100) require specific skills for certain roles.
Despite searching high and low for enough post graduates with these skills, I come up short each year and my business does not grow as I would like - or indeed as it could.
There is little point in me taking on PG's without the requisite skills, it would take 2-3 years to train them at a great cost and with no ongoing benefit to my business until this was complete.
I have on my desk in front of me now 11 applications for the position of Software Engineer - Automotive Applications
It is a graduate opportunity paying £37,000 plus benefits.
Not one application form (all from PG's) is suitable, even for a first interview.
They do not have the skills required, and it is not possible to train "on the job" to the depth required without an excessive investment in terms of both time and money, with no guarantee of the retention required to make it even partially worthwhile.
A two year clause is the longest "retention after study" an employer can reasonably attach to position of this type.
It wouldn't be a "day release" situation but involve the employee studying for at least 50% of the working week for 2-3 years at a cost of between £9000 and £13,000 per year on top of annual salary to my company and offering very little value in terms of the work that the position actually involves for as much as the first 66% of the course.
This is not a viable option for me - or I should imagine many other business'.
While I believe in investment in education, the initial onus should be on the University system to provide a better fit to societies requirements in terms of undergraduate course numbers. It is my perception that they are not even attempting to satisfy the real and commercial needs of industry.
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.
That is explicitly AND objectively a supply and demand issue from my perspective.
While it may be a simple statistic here, in the real world, employers (myself incuded - with a workforce of just under 100) require specific skills for certain roles.
Despite searching high and low for enough post graduates with these skills, I come up short each year and my business does not grow as I would like - or indeed as it could.
There is little point in me taking on PG's without the requisite skills, it would take 2-3 years to train them at a great cost and with no ongoing benefit to my business until this was complete.
I have on my desk in front of me now 11 applications for the position of Software Engineer - Automotive Applications
It is a graduate opportunity paying £37,000 plus benefits.
Not one application form (all from PG's) is suitable, even for a first interview.
They do not have the skills required, and it is not possible to train "on the job" to the depth required without an excessive investment in terms of both time and money, with no guarantee of the retention required to make it even partially worthwhile.
A two year clause is the longest "retention after study" an employer can reasonably attach to position of this type.
It wouldn't be a "day release" situation but involve the employee studying for at least 50% of the working week for 2-3 years at a cost of between £9000 and £13,000 per year on top of annual salary to my company and offering very little value in terms of the work that the position actually involves for as much as the first 66% of the course.
This is not a viable option for me - or I should imagine many other business'.
While I believe in investment in education, the initial onus should be on the University system to provide a better fit to societies requirements in terms of undergraduate course numbers. It is my perception that they are not even attempting to satisfy the real and commercial needs of industry.
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.
That is explicitly AND objectively a supply and demand issue from my perspective.
this is absolutely your fault for posting a crappy job ad!!
my two cents is that sociology is a brilliant subject to study, and so is anthropology
my brother studies at manchester and was dismayed that his fellow sociology students were 'all such morons'- but I think he still likes the teaching.
I dont know why sociology is seen as such a doss subject- certainly if you do it at cambridge you'd be very employable- basically apply for some decent universities and you will be employable if you get a good 2.1 or a 1st
but also- its a mistake to choose your university study according to whats employable- to be honest, in the current job market, you need a 2.1 from a good university as a qualification to even be considered for some jobs- but beyond that you need experience and good interview skills so worry less about your course and more about getting work experience (in the form of a job apart from anything else!) even a degree from somewhere like cambridge or oxford does not get you a job unless you can prove your worth with a good CV
my brother studies at manchester and was dismayed that his fellow sociology students were 'all such morons'- but I think he still likes the teaching.
I dont know why sociology is seen as such a doss subject- certainly if you do it at cambridge you'd be very employable- basically apply for some decent universities and you will be employable if you get a good 2.1 or a 1st
but also- its a mistake to choose your university study according to whats employable- to be honest, in the current job market, you need a 2.1 from a good university as a qualification to even be considered for some jobs- but beyond that you need experience and good interview skills so worry less about your course and more about getting work experience (in the form of a job apart from anything else!) even a degree from somewhere like cambridge or oxford does not get you a job unless you can prove your worth with a good CV
I graduated with a First in Sociology from an average university a year and a half ago. I chose the subject almost at random- I liked the city and had no idea what I wanted to do so I picked a subject at random (I could've told you very little about what sociology was before my first lecture, although admittedly I would still struggle to sum it up). Fortunately, I enjoyed the subject immensely and managed to get top marks.
However, my advice to anyone thinking of studying Sociology would be- don't bother.
I went into uni having no idea what it was I wanted to do and left with just as little clue. Since graduating, I've working in retail earning minimum wage, done two internships where I've pretty much been mugged off and learnt nothing from, and spend a lot of time unemployed. My degree did not prepare me for any job whatsoever. You can all talk about 'soft' skills as much as you want, its really just scraping the barrel to justify the degree. You can get the same 'soft' skills from any other degree, including hard science ones, as well as from just going straight into work from college. I look at my brothers who both did degrees in computer science from a crap university, graduating a year before me with worse marks and they're now earning 30k, which is more than I'd dream of getting.
If you do decide to do sociology, definitely follow these tips (I didn't do them):
DO as much work experience as you can. I don't mean working in a shop. Work in an office, do admin, volunteer anywhere. This will give you a wealth of stories and information about yourself to draw upon in interviews. Unfortunately, I worked in a shop and there was only so much I could talk up about it
LEARN another language. Why not? You need anything on your CV to make you stand out. Most universities offer free classes for students, and don't pretend you don't have time. I got a first, I had a part time job, a girlfriend, a very active social life, and I decided to start learning French in my final year alongside Spanish.
STUDY abroad. Ties in with the last one. Try do an erasmus. It was the most rewarding part of my degree and I still talk about it in any interview
RESEARCH. My dissertation was basiclly just one long essay, referencing books. I didn't learn much research skills; unfortuntely when I do look at jobs such as Policy Analyst I don't have any research experience to offer...
However, my advice to anyone thinking of studying Sociology would be- don't bother.
I went into uni having no idea what it was I wanted to do and left with just as little clue. Since graduating, I've working in retail earning minimum wage, done two internships where I've pretty much been mugged off and learnt nothing from, and spend a lot of time unemployed. My degree did not prepare me for any job whatsoever. You can all talk about 'soft' skills as much as you want, its really just scraping the barrel to justify the degree. You can get the same 'soft' skills from any other degree, including hard science ones, as well as from just going straight into work from college. I look at my brothers who both did degrees in computer science from a crap university, graduating a year before me with worse marks and they're now earning 30k, which is more than I'd dream of getting.
If you do decide to do sociology, definitely follow these tips (I didn't do them):
DO as much work experience as you can. I don't mean working in a shop. Work in an office, do admin, volunteer anywhere. This will give you a wealth of stories and information about yourself to draw upon in interviews. Unfortunately, I worked in a shop and there was only so much I could talk up about it
LEARN another language. Why not? You need anything on your CV to make you stand out. Most universities offer free classes for students, and don't pretend you don't have time. I got a first, I had a part time job, a girlfriend, a very active social life, and I decided to start learning French in my final year alongside Spanish.
STUDY abroad. Ties in with the last one. Try do an erasmus. It was the most rewarding part of my degree and I still talk about it in any interview
RESEARCH. My dissertation was basiclly just one long essay, referencing books. I didn't learn much research skills; unfortuntely when I do look at jobs such as Policy Analyst I don't have any research experience to offer...
Imo the sociology stereotype your tutor gave you about lots of people who don't know what they want to do picking it has a large element of truth about it. Tbh a lot of those students are going to spend a lot of effort trying not to think about work and not do a great deal to enhance their employability from year two onwards and will be the ones feeling most caught out once they've graduated, cos they missed the opportunity to be thinking about employment, networking etc and just plopped out of uni with a degree cert wondering what they should do next.
Tbh most degrees are pretty irrelevent to paid employment, just students on business degrees are more switched on about how to get jobs than your stereotype decision delayers doing sociology.
Tbh most degrees are pretty irrelevent to paid employment, just students on business degrees are more switched on about how to get jobs than your stereotype decision delayers doing sociology.
Original post by feelinginfinite
Could anyone else share their opinions on taking sociology as a degree please? 
I also scored a high distinction (80+) in everything (unlike in the bio, chemistry and psych classes I completed, a few of which I only just passed!), which helped boost my overall mark to a credit average when I graduated. My best advice would be that if you're gonna study sociology, include it with another, preferably 'stronger' subject, e.g. psychology x
(edited 11 years ago)
I am a recent sociology graduate from the University of Warwick. I got a high 2:1. I am still hunting and trying to get experience for the job that I really want in public health. My difficulty in getting a job right now is because of lack of work experience, not my degree. Employers care more about the class degree you got and where you got it from because so many people have degrees now days.
There are very few things you couldn't go into with a degree in Sociology or further training, which is why I picked it!
The only reason you will struggle (like anyone else in any other subject) is if you don't gain sufficient work experience and volunteering etc during your time at university. There are too many people out there competing for jobs and if you don't have the experience to compete, you will struggle. I have lived with people that did Maths; one of the most employable degrees and they struggled to secure a graduate scheme or a job and is now doing a masters. He still can't get a job!
People that were on my course are now working for Deloitte in London in consultancy, working as social workers, have published work and are studying for their masters/phd's, are working in retail banking, the civil service, communications and charity work. Others are working for teach first, recuitment and HR and international development.
I loved my degree and the skills it has given me and the way it has shaped my mind, is invaluable to me. The breadth of interesting topics you can study is great. I have studied everything from health and medicine, gender, media, politics, historical and present racism, research, statistics, economics, sex and sexuality, nutrition, population and social change - I could go on for ages here. I also did some psychology as outside modules. My degree has given me the confidence that when I get the job I want I will have the analytical mind to do really important work. Sure, if you want to be a scientist or a nurse or know you want to do marketing, go and do that degree but that will only qualify you to work in those jobs. The possibilities to move around work areas are way less limiting in social sciences and humanities.
I'm not quite sure why sociology has a bad rep; I can confirm it's unfounded! A lot of the content can be tough to grasp and it requires high abstract analytical and writing ability to articulate ideas and be opinions both on paper and to a group. Some people on my course were scraping by, failing some essays and getting 2:2's. I know a girl in her third year of politics and sociology and she is yet to get a 2:1 in the sociology half.
Whatever degree you do, it is what you make of it because it's tough out there regardless.
There are very few things you couldn't go into with a degree in Sociology or further training, which is why I picked it!
The only reason you will struggle (like anyone else in any other subject) is if you don't gain sufficient work experience and volunteering etc during your time at university. There are too many people out there competing for jobs and if you don't have the experience to compete, you will struggle. I have lived with people that did Maths; one of the most employable degrees and they struggled to secure a graduate scheme or a job and is now doing a masters. He still can't get a job!
People that were on my course are now working for Deloitte in London in consultancy, working as social workers, have published work and are studying for their masters/phd's, are working in retail banking, the civil service, communications and charity work. Others are working for teach first, recuitment and HR and international development.
I loved my degree and the skills it has given me and the way it has shaped my mind, is invaluable to me. The breadth of interesting topics you can study is great. I have studied everything from health and medicine, gender, media, politics, historical and present racism, research, statistics, economics, sex and sexuality, nutrition, population and social change - I could go on for ages here. I also did some psychology as outside modules. My degree has given me the confidence that when I get the job I want I will have the analytical mind to do really important work. Sure, if you want to be a scientist or a nurse or know you want to do marketing, go and do that degree but that will only qualify you to work in those jobs. The possibilities to move around work areas are way less limiting in social sciences and humanities.
I'm not quite sure why sociology has a bad rep; I can confirm it's unfounded! A lot of the content can be tough to grasp and it requires high abstract analytical and writing ability to articulate ideas and be opinions both on paper and to a group. Some people on my course were scraping by, failing some essays and getting 2:2's. I know a girl in her third year of politics and sociology and she is yet to get a 2:1 in the sociology half.
Whatever degree you do, it is what you make of it because it's tough out there regardless.
(edited 7 years ago)
As a person who went to do a "traditional" and "sought after" degree for a year but in the back of mind constantly missed the fascination of Sociology, and then left that University to now be studying it at Bristol, I can honestly say that Sociology is not a soft subject - however it depends on the individual.
It is very easy to say that subjects such as Sociology, Drama, English, Film, Languages etc are "soft" degrees. Yes grade boundaries can appear lower but this is usually because essay based subjects don't necessarily have right or wrong answers. It's about individual perception. Whereas in maths you're right or you're wrong.
If you do a degree in Sociology and piss about for the three years and get a steady 2:2 or low 2:1 in it, then you're as good as a similar student who graduates in a Maths degree with a 2:2 with no relevant experience.
However, I just want to point out that the fact Sociology is taught at Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, McGill (etc), literally defines it as being a "challenging" subject.
Look at Michelle Obama. She majored in Sociology and African American studies and went on to study at Harvard Law School and became probably the best first lady America has seen due to her compassion and understanding of the world. Coincidence she did Sociology? I think not...
Ronald Regan, President of America, majored in Economics and Sociology.
If you're President of a Society or are actively invovled in societies in your University, have a specific interest in an area of humanity (Gender, Race, Class, Economics, Finance, Colonialism, Tribes, America, China, Korea etc etc) and you go out of your way to do extra cirrcular stuff and have a degree in Sociology and then compare this to a student who graduates with a 2:1 in Maths with absolutely no record of doing anything else, you'll wipe the floor with them in a job setting.
You just want to have it enough.
So stop worrying that Sociology isn't legit. Stop mumbling when people ask what degree you do. Don't shrug when someone laughs or says it's not real. Look at them dead in the eye and question them. Ask them your recent essay question and see if they can give a first class response.
It's a beautiful discipline that opens your mind to the realness of the world and how it should be and then when you're done with your degree go out and
ing change that world.
Sociologists are among some of the most inspired people in this world. Utilise it.
Good day.
It is very easy to say that subjects such as Sociology, Drama, English, Film, Languages etc are "soft" degrees. Yes grade boundaries can appear lower but this is usually because essay based subjects don't necessarily have right or wrong answers. It's about individual perception. Whereas in maths you're right or you're wrong.
If you do a degree in Sociology and piss about for the three years and get a steady 2:2 or low 2:1 in it, then you're as good as a similar student who graduates in a Maths degree with a 2:2 with no relevant experience.
However, I just want to point out that the fact Sociology is taught at Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, McGill (etc), literally defines it as being a "challenging" subject.
Look at Michelle Obama. She majored in Sociology and African American studies and went on to study at Harvard Law School and became probably the best first lady America has seen due to her compassion and understanding of the world. Coincidence she did Sociology? I think not...
Ronald Regan, President of America, majored in Economics and Sociology.
If you're President of a Society or are actively invovled in societies in your University, have a specific interest in an area of humanity (Gender, Race, Class, Economics, Finance, Colonialism, Tribes, America, China, Korea etc etc) and you go out of your way to do extra cirrcular stuff and have a degree in Sociology and then compare this to a student who graduates with a 2:1 in Maths with absolutely no record of doing anything else, you'll wipe the floor with them in a job setting.
You just want to have it enough.
So stop worrying that Sociology isn't legit. Stop mumbling when people ask what degree you do. Don't shrug when someone laughs or says it's not real. Look at them dead in the eye and question them. Ask them your recent essay question and see if they can give a first class response.
It's a beautiful discipline that opens your mind to the realness of the world and how it should be and then when you're done with your degree go out and
ing change that world.Sociologists are among some of the most inspired people in this world. Utilise it.
Good day.
(edited 7 years ago)
My English Language teacher at AS has a degree in Sociology 
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