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Sociology

Industry Areas

Here are examples of industry areas students enter with this major, jobs/internships, typical employers that hire students, skills employers look for, and examples of where alumni work.  To find more information make an appointment with your career counselor/advisor.

Industry Areas for Sociology
Industry|Employers
Job|Roles
Skills
Alumni

Human Services

Federal, state, and local government
Advocacy groups
Religiously-affiliated organizations
Non-profit/social service agencies
Private foundations
Adoption and child care agencies
Nursing homes and retirement communities
Senior citizens’ centers
Residential treatment facilities
Hospitals and wellness centers
Halfway houses
Correctional facilities
Vocational services
Educational information services
Hospice agencies

Direct Care:
Counseling
Case Management
Mental Health Services
Crisis Work
Testing/Assessment
Behavioral Analysis
Rehabilitation Services
Prevention Education
Administration:
Advocacy
Programming
Community Relations
Development/Fund Raising
Grant Writing
Non-Profit Management
Volunteer Coordination
Creativity
Multi-tasking
Interpersonal
Time Management
Service Orientation
Writing
Social
Perceptiveness                       
Enthusiasm & knowledge for the cause
Kenosha County, Dir Human Srv Dept
Self-Employed, Clinical Psychologist
Self Employed, Educational Therapist
Mt Carmel Disability Center, Social Worker
Agape Family Child Care

Criminal Justice

City/County Government Organizations including:
Police departments
Correction facilities
County sheriff departments
Liquor Control Commission
Animal control offices
State Government Organizations including:
Penitentiaries
Federal Government Organizations including:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Department of Homeland Security
Postal Service
U.S. Marshals Service
National Security Agency (NSA)
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
National Parks Service
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)
Armed services
Prisons/Jails
Detention centers
Youth corrections facilities
Crime laboratories

Court Reporting
Court Administration
Law Enforcement
Corrections
Probation and Parole
Rehabilitation
Prevention Programming
Victim Service
Forensics/Investigation
Security
Loss Prevention/Asset Protection
Juvenile Justice
Administrative
Analytical Thinking
Attention to Detail
Time Management
Writing Skills
Active Learning
Chicago State University, Professor-Criminal Justice
Circuit Court of Cook County, Associate Judge
Village of Lombard, Chief of Police
Chicago Innocence Project, Intern

Law

Law firms
Federal, state and local government
Corporations
Nonprofit and public interest organizations, e.g. ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense fund, and Legal Services Corporation
Legal aid societies
Private practice
Colleges and universities

Prosecution
Defense
Contractual
Corporate
Nonprofit or Public Interest
Government
Mediation
Lobbying
Law Assistance
Administrative
Analytical Thinking
Attention to Detail
Time Management
Writing Skills
Active Learning
Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, Attorney
Illinois FOP Labor Council, Attorney

Government

Local and state government
Political parties
Political action committees
Legislatures and other elected public officials
School districts
Court systems

City or Town Management
Translation/Interpretation
Regional Planning
Public Policy
Intelligence
Community Affairs
Campaigning
Legislative Assistance
Public Information
Research
Lobbying
Conflict Negotiation
Program Administration
General Services
Social Services
Foreign Service
Legislative, Executive, or Judicial Services
Administrative
Communication
Foreign Language
Multitasking
Leadership
Prioritizing
State Department, Foreign Service Officer
Transportation Security Administration, Federal Security Director, Ronald Reagan Airport
United States Department of Justice, Paralegal
State of Hawaii, Dep Attorney General

Business

Insurance firms
Retail stores
Banks
Staffing agencies
Manufacturing companies
Service industries
Non-profit organizations
Healthcare organizations
Government
Education

Human Resources
Training and Development
Recruiting
Management
Sales
Marketing
Public Relations
Office Administration
Consulting
Market and Consumer Research
Problem-Solving Skills
Analytical Thinking Skills
Leadership & Team Based Skills
Business Judgment
Communication Skills
Project Management
Professionalism
Business Week Magazine, Director in Sales
Calumet Lubricants Inc, Sales Manager
Archer Daniels Midland Company, Vice President, Global Chief Compliance Officer
Lake County Press, Sales Manager
Kraft Foods Inc, Finance Manager

Environmental Sociology

Waste management firms
Health agencies
Local planning agencies
Environmental advocacy groups
Non-profit organizations
Local, state, and federal government agencies
National Park Service
State, county, or city parks
Consulting firms
Private industry
Media companies
Environmental periodicals
Resorts and marinas
Privately owned facilities
Tourism agencies

Land and Water Conservation
Planning
Law
Preserve Management
Natural Resource Management
Land Acquisition
Parks and Outdoor Recreation
Environmental Education
Advocacy/Lobbying
Administration and Management
Recreation Planning
Research
Site Operations and Maintenance
Ecotourism
Quantitative
Leadership
Interest in Sustainability
Project Management
Problem solving
Administrative
Analytical Thinking
Attention to Detail
Time Management
Writing Skills
Active Learning
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Trial Attorney

Healthcare & Public Health

Group or private practice
Hospitals
Clinics
Health networks
Nursing homes
Rehabilitation centers
Mental health institutions
Federal, state, and local health departments
Government agencies
Armed services
Correctional facilities
Colleges or universities
Medical schools
Large corporations

Medicine
Dentistry
Optometry
Podiatry
Pharmacy
Veterinary Medicine
Allied Health:
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Medical Technology
Nuclear Medicine
Flexibility
Cross functional teamwork
Analytical ability
Communication skills
Time and project management
Technical and design (for research and manufacturing roles)
Engineering coursework
American College of Surgeons, Program Coordinator
St Joseph's Hospital Health Center, Director of Outpatient Behavioral Health Services
Purple Health, VP Sales & Operations
California HealthCare Foundation, Program Assistant
Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Technical Business Analyst III
Epic Systems Corporation, Project Manager
Abbvie, Technical Consultant

Marketing Research & Marketing

Large corporations
Marketing research firms
Management consulting firms
Software and technology companies
Advertising and public relations firms
Public institutions concerning health, education, and transportation
Nonprofit organizations

Data Collection:
Primary
Secondary
Field Service
Survey Research
Data Analysis
Evaluation Design
Forecasting
Reporting
Project Management
Management
Advertisers
Researchers
Public relations professionals
Media planners
Distributors
Sales consultants
Customer service professionals
Problem-solving
Curiosity, willingness to learn
Interpersonal skills, team-player
Creativity and innovation
Communication (written & verbal)
Ability to think on your feet
Work well under pressure and meet deadlines
Planning abilities
Attention to detail
Organization
Initiative
Entrepreneurial
An eye for trends
Google, Inc., Account Strategist
Johnson & Johnson, National Account Manager
Groupon, Account Manager
The Hershey Company, Senior Associate Brand Manager
Social Media Marketing, Consultant
Mindshare, Organic Search Manager

Nonprofit

Local and national nonprofit agencies
Foundations
Charitable organizations
Trade or professional associations
Special interest groups
Labor unions
Libraries
Museums
Historic sites/historical societies
Research organizations and think tanks
Educational institutions

Administration
Management
Public Relations
Fund Raising/Development
Policy Analysis
Research
Grant Writing
Direct Service
Advocacy
Volunteer Coordination
Creativity
Multi-tasking
Interpersonal
Time Management
Service Orientation
Writing
Social
Perceptiveness                       
Enthusiasm & knowledge for the cause
United Nations Foundation, Research and Communications Intern
Refugee One, Employment Specialist
Prevent Cancer Foundation, Vice President of Programming

 

Popular Industries (According to LinkedIn)

  • Education (17%)
  • Media & Communication (11%)
  • Research (11%)

Professional Associations