SOCIOLOGY CAREER PATHS

1. SOCIOLOGY CAREER PATHS Where to go with your Sociology Degree and Suggestions on How to Get There!

2. What is a Career Path? • Building educational and job experiences that ultimately lead to your ideal career field. But, what is that ideal career?

3. Things to Consider • Need to ask yourself: • What skills do I have? (communicating, face-to-face interaction, analysis, critical thinking, etc.) • What is something I enjoy doing for long periods of time? • How important is work environment to me? • Do I need ongoing personal interaction, or am I satisfied to work independently? • Do I need my job to help fulfill a sense of purpose, or can I find that elsewhere in my life?

4. Things to Consider • Be honest when you answer those questions as they help guide you to your career path. • However, as you continue along your career path, the answers to those questions may change—and that is ok! • Your Sociology degree is flexible and offers many wonderful career paths!

5. Things to Consider • Many fields will require an advanced degree. • Begin early – Sophomore or junior year to research graduate schools • Identify graduate school requirements • Grade Point Average • Testing Requirements – GREs, LSATs, etc. • Pre-requisite undergraduate classes • Application Deadlines

6. Career Path Opportunities • Sociology offers students much flexibility in choosing a career path but most graduating students follow one of the these paths: • See the chart on the next page to explore career paths!

9. CJ – Job Opportunities • Many different opportunities in law enforcement, corrections, courts, juvenile justice, and allied business • Police Officer • Federal Law Enforcement • US Marshals • ATF • DEA • FBI • CIA

10. CJ – Job Opportunities • Probation/Parole Officer • Juvenile Probation Officer • Victim Services Specialist • Mediation Specialist • Attorney • Corrections Counselor • Private Security/Background Investigation • FBI Analyst

11. Why Sociology Background Fits • Sociology provides students with insight to structural and cultural causes of crime. • Criminology/Deviance Concentration provides relevant courses into theories of crime, trends in crime rates, and institutions involved in crime prevention, law enforcement and corrections.

12. Why Sociology Background Fits • Sociology students could make good employees in this field because their coursework requires: • Good communication skills • Good analytical skills • Good research skills • Openness to cultural diversity • Understanding of structural constraints such as poverty and its relevance to crime

13. CJ – How to get there • Federal Law Enforcement (FBI, ATF, etc.) • Complete internships Junior or Senior Year • ATF, US Marshals, Secret Service, FBI • Keep in mind that background check is intensive, you should allow a six-month window to set up opportunity • Local Police Departments (Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Christiansburg)

14. CJ – How to get there • Federal Law Enforcement – (Continued) • Consider a double major in Computer Science, Accounting, Foreign Language or Mathematics • These are needed skills for FBI—could increase your likelihood of obtaining a position • After graduation, first obtain job experience in local law enforcement agencies such as local police departments

15. CJ – How to get there • Local Law Enforcement • Complete internships with local police departments Junior or Senior year • Consider taking part in the Virginia Tech Student Police Academy http://www.police.vt.edu/VTPDnew/SPA.htm • Pass physical, psychological, and other background requirements (should check with local Police Departments to find out requirements) as part of job application process

16. CJ – How to get there • Courts related professions • Complete internship with probation and parole, county clerk’s office, prosecuting attorneys, victim’s services departments, etc. your junior or senior year • Be prepared to have a background check, including questions about drug and alcohol use • Search for jobs at http://www.usajobs.gov/ or Virginia jobs at http://cfm.vadoc.virginia.gov/ or https://jobs.agencies.virginia.gov • As a tip, entry-level positions typically have the phrases “coordinator,” “assistant, ” or “I” in the title

17. CJ – How to get there • Courts related professions (Cont’d) • For law profession, begin researching law schools and prepare for the LSATs. • Consider a Master’s Degree (2 year) in Criminal Justice, Criminology or Sociology

18. Real People, Real Jobs! • Some examples of jobs obtained by recent VT Sociology graduates employed in this field: • Virginia Tech Police Department • Virginia State Police • FBI, Intelligence Analyst • Target, Team Leader of Assets Protection • Fairfax Police Department • Roanoke Probation & Parole (District 15)

20. HS – Job Opportunities • Many different opportunities in community organizations, social service agencies and private practice • Counselor • Youth • Domestic Violence • School • Private Family or Family and Marriage Counseling • Vocational or Rehabilitative • Career or Higher Education

21. HS – Job Opportunities • Social Work • Counseling • Healthcare Settings (Nursing Homes, Hospitals) • School • Private Community Agency • Criminal Justice (Corrections, Courts) • Government Agency • Community Outreach • Activities Coordinator/Director • Also see “Non-Profit Business"

22. Why Sociology Background Fits • Sociology students could make good employees in this field because their coursework requires: • Good communication skills • Good analytical skills • Good research skills • Openness to cultural diversity • Understanding of structural constraints such as poverty and its relevance to life circumstances, mental health, job opportunities, educational goals, etc.

23. HS – How to get there • Counseling • Complete internships Junior or Senior Year • Some examples include: RAFT Crisis Hotline, Better Agreements, Inc. Mediation Service, Youth Villages (summer only), Psychological Health of Roanoke • Consider a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling, Family & Marriage Counseling, Education/School Counseling or Social Work (with counseling emphasis)

24. HS – How to get there • Social Work • Complete internships Junior or Senior Year • Some examples include: RAFT Crisis Hotline, YMCA Student Programs, Women’s Resource Center, Mont. Count. Dept. of Social Services (Spring only), Free Clinic, etc. • Consider a Master’s Degree in Social Work

25. HS – How to get there • Community Outreach • Complete internships Junior or Senior Year • Some examples include: YMCA Student Programs, Women’s Resource Center, Free Clinic, etc. • Consider a Master’s Degree in Social Work, Sociology or related field

26. Real People, Real Jobs! • Some examples of jobs obtained by recent VT Sociology graduates employed in this field: • Hopetree Family Services, Residential Counselor • Centura College, Career Advisor • Virginia Tech, Assistant Academic Advisor • Lewis Gale Medical Center, Mental Health Tech • New River Community Services, Family Counselor

28. Education – Job Opportunities • Elementary Teacher • High School Teacher • Community College or University Instructor • University Professor

29. Why Sociology Background Fits • Sociology students could make good employees in this field because their coursework requires: • Good communication skills • Good analytical skills • Openness to cultural diversity • Understanding of structural constraints such as poverty and its relevance to educational goals and attainment

30. Educ. – How to get there • Elementary School Teacher • Identify necessary general education requirements that must be completed. Contact VT School of Education for information www.soe.vt.edu • Obtain a Master’s of Arts in Education, Curriculum & Instruction from state-approved university program • Complete internships Junior or Senior Year • Some examples include: YMCA Student Programs (tutoring), Local Elementary Schools, Head Start

31. Educ. – How to get there • High School Teacher • Identify acceptable undergraduate major. Contact VT School of Education for information www.soe.vt.edu . (For Social Science, will need to also major in History or Political Science.) • Obtain a Master’s of Arts in Education, Curriculum & Instruction from state-approved university program • Complete internships Junior or Senior Year • Some examples include: YMCA Student Programs (tutoring), Local High Schools, Head Start

32. Educ. – How to get there • College or University Instructor or Professor • Instructors generally have Master’s Degree in Sociology or related field • Typically not “tenure track,” however, many universities are now considering “career tracks” for instructors • College or University Professors typically have a Doctorate of Philosophy in Sociology or Related Field

33. Educ. – How to get there • College or University Instructor or Professor • University Professors take part in academic research • Consider taking undergraduate research credits and complete a major research project • Participate in the Undergraduate Research Conference • Submit a research paper to Philogia (www.philogia.clahs.vt.edu), the student journal from the College of Arts and Human Sciences

34. Real People, Real Jobs! • Some examples of jobs obtained by recent VT Sociology graduates employed in this field: • Teach For America, Elementary School Teacher • Virginia Tech, Graduate Student/Assistant Sociology • NC State, Graduate Student/Assistant Sociology • Potomac Senior High, Vocational Resource Teacher-Special Education

36. Research – Job Opportunities • Many different opportunities in the private and public sector • Research/Data Analyst • Data Coordinator • Research Assistant • Research Coordinator • Data Collection Specialist • Marketing Research Analyst • Planning/Policy Analyst

37. Why Sociology Background Fits • Sociology students could make good employees in this field because their coursework requires: • Good communication skills • Good analytical skills • Specific coursework in research design, including survey construction and data analysis • SPSS • Students exposed to a variety of policy topics including crime, poverty and healthcare

38. Research – How to get there • All Research and Policy Related Careers • Complete internships Junior or Senior Year, particularly summer placements at government agencies • Some examples include: U.S. Sentencing Commission, Government Accounting Office (GAO), Energy Information Administration, etc. • Complete Undergraduate Research credits • Participate in Undergraduate Research Conference

39. Research – How to get there • All Research and Policy Related Careers (Cont’d) • Consider an advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Applied Sociology or Sociology, Public Administration, Policy Studies or Statistics • Search for research jobs at http://www.usajobs.gov/

40. Real People, Real Jobs! • Some examples of jobs obtained by recent VT Sociology graduates employed in this field: • U.S. Census Bureau, Statistician/Analyst • MacroSys Research & Technology, Research Assistant • U.S. Sentencing Commission, Data Analyst • Department of Transportation, Program Management Analyst

42. Business – Job Opportunities • Many different opportunities in the non-profit and for-profit sectors • Non-profit • Volunteer Coordinator • Marketing Coordinator • Development (Fundraising) Assistant • Donor Assistant • Grant Coordinator • Program Coordinator/Assistant • Public Relations Coordinator

43. Business – Job Opportunities • For-profit • Marketing Coordinator • Sales • Management Trainee • Business Assistant/Coordinator • Human Resources Coordinator/Assistant • Public Relations Coordinator • Staffing Coordinator/Specialist

44. Why Sociology Background Fits • Sociology students could make good employees in this field because their coursework requires: • Good communication skills, including face-to-face speaking, writing and presentation skills • Good analytical skills • Experience with group work

45. Business – How to get there • Non-profit • Complete internships Junior and Senior Year • Some examples include YMCA Student Programs, local non-profit agencies, etc. • Consider an advanced degree (Master’s) in Nonprofit Management or MBA with non-profit emphasis • Search for nonprofit jobs at www.opportunityknocks.org or www.philanthropy.com

46. Business – How to get there • For-profit • Complete internships Junior and Senior Year • Some examples include local businesses, local staffing agencies • Consider obtaining an MBA • Search for business jobs at www.monster.com

47. Real People, Real Jobs! • Some examples of jobs obtained by recent VT Sociology graduates employed in this field: • YMCA, Director • Meadowkirk Camp & Retreat Center, Program Assistant • Newell-Rubermaid, Sales and Field Marketing • SWI Digital, Sales Associate • Bank of America, Strategic Sourcer • Cintas Corporation, Management Trainee