If you're a people person, you might be interested in a sociology degree.
Students in these programs study all aspects of human society and culture.
Thinking and communication skills are essential for sociology students,
says professor Murray Pomerance. He says sociology programs want students
who have an "ability to do focused, critical thinking about the social world."
Basic entrance requirements include writing and research skills, as well
as an ability to understand critical texts.
In high school, focus on social science classes and classes that emphasize
writing and other forms of communication as well as problem solving, says
Rick Stephens. He is a sociology professor at Greenville College in Illinois.
Stephens also suggests taking classes that develop computer literacy
and participating in extracurricular activities that involve community
interaction or service projects.
Undergraduate sociology programs require three to four years to complete.
Most programs include courses in sociology, anthropology, research methods,
statistics and theory. Students must also complete additional coursework
in upper-level electives. Departments encourage internships and other
practical experiences.
Stephens notes that many of the degree candidates at his school double-major
in another area, a practice that the college encourages.
Students at many schools now have the opportunity to focus on applied
or clinical sociology. While traditional sociology programs suggest and
encourage practical experience, applied and clinical programs require internships
and may include additional components such as workshops, practica and supervised
fieldwork.
Some programs are accredited by the Commission on Applied and Clinical
Sociology (CACS).
Students who successfully complete a CACS-accredited sociological practice
program will be listed in a National Registry of Applied and Clinical Sociologists
and may be eligible for certification by both the Sociological Practice Association
and the Society for Applied Sociology.
Does that mean studying at a non-accredited school is a bad idea? Not at
all. "This is really a very new movement in American sociology, and as yet
has not really made much of an impact nationally," says Stephens.
In addition to tuition, books, computer equipment and software make up
the bulk of the student's expenses.
Links
Occupational Outlook Handbook
For more information related to this field of study, see: Social
Scientists, Other
Sociology Journals
Read articles on trends in sociological studies
The Dead Sociologists' Society
Comprehensive information on late, great sociologists