BA in Sociology - realistic prospects?

[XenoX101]

So I went to see a career counseller today and she gave me some great advice which interestingly enough echos much of what people have said here, which is always a good sign. She told me that while a BA in sociology will help me get a job it is not likely to be sufficient for getting a job on its own, and so she recommended that I either A) choose a more specific degree such as a bachelor of international development, or B) go with my bachelor of arts - which she admitted would give me a wider scope - but then further my education with a masters in international development or a PhD in order to specialize and thus increase my chance of employment in my field. Also, she advised me that while I may consider employability a factor in choosing my course, it is unlikely that the job market will stay the same by the time I finish my education, and so it would be best to consider what interests me first and whats employable second when looking at my education rather than the other way around. She followed this directly with another point that people always do better in fields that interest them, which definitely resonated with me as I dwelled on my past jobs (where my performance would fall as I lost interest in my job).

 

[PeterMetro]

1) College is not vocational school.

2) I majored in Sociology, a few months later I got a job at an advertising agency. The kid that started on the same day I did had a degree in advertising. Within three months, I knew everything he knew about advertising, and he knew nothing of what I knew about sociology.

3) 10 years later, I am General Manager of the China office of a global media agency.

4) Don't worry so much.

5) Advertising is a terrible business - hyper competitive, razor thin margins, very little job security and not that lucrative. It is, however, a lot of fun.

 

[XenoX101]

Originally Posted by PeterMetro

1) College is not vocational school.

2) I majored in Sociology, a few months later I got a job at an advertising agency. The kid that started on the same day I did had a degree in advertising. Within three months, I knew everything he knew about advertising, and he knew nothing of what I knew about sociology.

3) 10 years later, I am General Manager of the China office of a global media agency.

4) Don't worry so much.

5) Advertising is a terrible business - hyper competitive, razor thin margins, very little job security and not that lucrative. It is, however, a lot of fun.

Good to hear this, I have to say I'm not too big on advertising myself but your story does add evidence to the BA in sociology being a viable and resourceful option. Thanks for sharing

.

 

[greenleaflettuce]

Unless you have your heart set on some sort of technical field, it does not really matter what your major is in college. Just work hard, get good grades, take full advantage of any opportunities that come your way and you'll be fine. When you figure out what you really want to do with your life you'll find a way to make it happen, regardless of what you study in college.

 

[AntiHero84]

Originally Posted by XenoX101

Also, she advised me that while I may consider employability a factor in choosing my course, it is unlikely that the job market will stay the same by the time I finish my education, and so it would be best to consider what interests me first and whats employable second when looking at my education rather than the other way around. She followed this directly with another point that people always do better in fields that interest them, which definitely resonated with me as I dwelled on my past jobs (where my performance would fall as I lost interest in my job).
There's a lot of wisdom here. If you only study what will get you employed and ignore what actually interests you, you'll end up in a job you hate and be bored to tears. You're young, study what you like right now, but with some concept of employability down the road. You can't go wrong.

Originally Posted by PeterMetro

2) I majored in Sociology, a few months later I got a job at an advertising agency. The kid that started on the same day I did had a degree in advertising. Within three months, I knew everything he knew about advertising, and he knew nothing of what I knew about sociology.
Business school can only teach you so much. I also studied sociology and found that the perspective it gives you is invaluable. It really changes your world-view, which can be very marketable if you use it correctly.

Originally Posted by XenoX101

Good to hear this, I have to say I'm not too big on advertising myself but your story does add evidence to the BA in sociology being a viable and resourceful option. Thanks for sharing

.
I never though I would enjoy a job in marketing/advertising either, but market research is not always used for evil. If you can find a company/non-profit that aligns with your ideals, it can be very fulfilling.

 

[rdaws]

I know quite a few people in the non-profit world, and surprisingly none of them have degrees in Sociology; there's political science, engineering, accounting, business administration (and graduate degrees for all of the above). I also know a city planner, but the degree is Civil Engineering.

I don't think a sociology degree carries the weight to put you in an influential position in a community-based enterprise (or, as another poster pointed out, get you any further than approaching it with no degree). But, most of the people I know came to non-profit through other avenues (banking, consulting, etc.) so I have a super-biased sample set.