Sociology Major

• What is Sociology?
• What Kinds of Students Major in Sociology?
• What Courses Do Sociology Majors Take?
• List of Sociology Jobs
• What is the Median Salary Range for Sociology Careers?
• College and University Departments to Consider

What is Sociology?

The study of the structure of society and its enduring patterns of social relations is sociology's primary mission. Sociology studies human conduct from the perspective of the history and the anatomy or structure of the groups. It focuses on how people coordinate their activities to reach individual and collective goals through the development of roles, meanings, and norms that make behavior reciprocally predictable and organized. Sociology investigates questions such as how such patterns of interdependent activity originate and what sustains them, why they take one shape instead of another, how some societies change more rapidly than others, how groups are related to each other, and how people justify and explain what they are doing. The patterns are learned as customary behavior and institutional practices. The sociological perspective is closely linked to comparative historical and cross-cultural studies of social institutions and to psychological studies of human interaction in a wide range of social, economic, educational, religious, familial, and political settings.

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What Kinds of Students Major in Sociology?

This major is of interest to the individual who is observant of other people?s actions when they interact with each other and who is looking for patterns and consistencies in their interaction. This is the primary field of choice. Sociology is the study of this as well as many other aspects of human interaction taking into account things like race, gender, setting, upbringing, etc. The individual who is curious about this will learn many things in this field, and will be trained to use the knowledge gained advantageously.

Is Sociology the right major for you?
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What Courses Do Sociology Majors Take?

The required and elective courses you would take for Sociology majors vary considerably among institutions. Courses are listed here that are illustrative of the breadth of topics you are likely to experience were you to major in this field.

Economic Sociology	Introduction to Sociology
Organizations / Stratification / Race	Personality and Social Systems
Political Sociology	Race and Ethnicity
Research Methods	Social Movements
Social Stratification and Class	Sociology of Culture
Sociology of Religion

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List of Potential Jobs in Sociology

These professions and professional organizations illustrate the types of positions you might qualify for if you complete this major. Some majors are more directly related to employment than others, however. You should consider the likelihood of employment after graduation carefully, if you do not plan to go on for graduate work in a field. Even with the completion of graduate work in some fields, however, employment is difficult, so you should determine what the prospects are for this or any major. Employment possibilities are often enhanced by the selecting employment-related courses and by the enrollment in second major or in a minor.

Applied Sociologist	Business
Counseling	Demographer/Planner
Journalism	Political Research
Social Service	Teaching

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What is the Median Salary Range for Sociology Careers?

U.S. Median Salary(starting):$33,400

U.S. Median Salary(mid-career):$57,900

Note: These numbers are national averages so you could make more or less than these amounts. Actual expected salaries will vary depending on your chosen career path, experience, and even your geographic location. Are you interested in detailed information about the forecasted demand for a particular profession? Are you interested in the estimated salaries such positions are likely to pay? This government Web site allows you to search on a particular job, whether listed here or not, to give you this information.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Colleges and Universities offering majors in Sociology

MyMajors complete list has 1,131 schools in the USA with a major in Sociology.
-View the national listing!

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