Have you ever thought of getting a graduate or professional degree after your B.A.? Have you ever wondered how you would go about getting information on the different possibilities, finding a program that matches your interests and career goals, and preparing a successful application? If you have ever considered the possibility of graduate school, either in sociology or a related field, I invite you to explore the advice and links contained in this section.
While you explore your post-B.A. graduate and professional school opportunities think about the following:
Twenty years ago, there was really only one career in sociology. To be a sociologist was to be a professor in an academic setting. Today, although teaching remains the dominant activity among the 15,000 professional sociologists in the United States, other forms of employment are gaining in both numbers and significance.
Sociologists are employed as researchers, administrators and consultants by private organizations and government agencies at federal, state and local levels. Those sociologist who become researchers and consultants may be involved in such areas as community development, urban planning, health care delivery, criminological research, planning social welfare programs, and various aspects of program evaluation. Others with computer and methodological skills may become statisticians or affiliates of various research institutes (working, for example, with the Census Bureau, a public opinion institute, or federal agencies planning health and education programs).
Yet there are reasons to study sociology even if you do not intend to become a sociologist. The subject matter of sociology holds considerable interest for its own sake. Sociology provides many distinctive ways of looking at the world so as to generate new ideas and assess the old. Thus, sociology offers valuable preparation for a variety of careers and is a popular major for students planning futures in such professions as law, business, education, medicine, and city planning...not to mention social work, politics, and public administration. (Taken from the Loyola University Chicago, Dept of Sociology website)
And remember that it is never too early to begin thinking about and preparing for the next step. The more you know about your options for a future career path, the more meaningful the time you spend here getting your B.A. will be. There are many things you can do along the road to your B.A. to open doors to opportunities afterwards. These include searching out opportunities to hone your research skills, polishing your reading, writing, vocabulary, and oral presentation tools, getting involved in on campus and off campus group activities that provide opportunities to learn leadership skills, and taking on service projects on your campus and in the larger community. All of these will make your degree more valuable when you graduate and increase the choices you have available to you over your lifetime.
Among the best ways to begin preparing for graduate school or a professional career in sociology while you are a major in sociology here at CSULB are through participation in the McNair Scholars Program or one of the internships offered in our sociology curriculum. Check out these excellent opportunities for advanced training in sociology.
If you do decide to continue your sociological training beyond the B.A. degree, the American Sociological Association provides a good summary of the options available to you. Similarly, a recent survey of Doctoral students provides some very useful and detailed information on the kinds of questions you should consider when deciding whether graduate school is the right choice for you. And, finally, here is a recent list of top graduate programs in sociology, along with contact links. See what they have to offer.
