Scope of Sociology as a Career

Sociology is the scientific study of society, human relationships, and interactions. It is a diverse field that includes intensive fieldwork and theoretical research. If you are a sociology student in search of career prospects, then you have a vast field of research and job opportunities to explore. Be BA or MA Sociology, the scope of Sociology is immense because of its relevance as an interdisciplinary course. There are various opportunities available in the private as well as the public sector. Let’s take a look at the nature and scope of Sociology, its different fields along with the career prospects it offers. 

What is Sociology?

Focusing on the study of human relationships and society, Sociology as a discipline explores the operational structure of society and its different social constructs from the notion of religion to family, class, race, crime and much more. The scope of Sociology begins with the connection between human beings and society and expands further towards the social institutions that impact our lives and the factors that dominate the proper functioning of these institutions. It sets out to explain how human beings have constructed these institutions, how they perceive them and the role they play in our lives.

Nature and Scope of Sociology

Sociologists study the varied aspects of society from the values it upholds to its central social institutions and the role of human beings in society. Here are the major features you must know to understand the scope of Sociology:

As an empirical discipline, Sociology peruses upon rational considerations to explore social phenomena and social constructs and how human beings behave amidst these contexts.

Sociology has advanced as a Pure Science and an abstract discipline such as Mathematics or Chemistry or should not be considered as Applied Science. This is because it studies it assesses the inner workings of society from different perspectives and highlights the common patterns in connection with human beings.

It is also a generalizing area of study as it includes all human beings and not individuals. It is concerned imperatively with human life and human interactions and in this way, it is distinctive from Social Science.

The major subject matter units under the scope of Sociology are as follows:

• Sociological Analysis
• Study of Primary Units of Social Life
• Structural and Functional Nature of Social Units
• Fundamental Social Process
• Research Methods

Nature and Scope of Sociology PPT

The Nature and Scope of Sociology from University of Mindanao

Nature and Scope of Sociology: Specialisation Areas

In order to understand the scope of sociology and the career options, it’s important to comprehend the areas of studies that sociology as a field entails. Here are the major components that sociology comprises:

Social Institutions
Social institutions cover those areas of study that include various institutions of society such as marriage, family, kinship, religion, etc. This field comprises of fieldwork as well as case studies on these institutions, studying how they evolved and originated in the various parts of the world. 

Culture
Culture is one of the key areas of research in Sociology. Its evolution, major movements and understanding of cultural interactions are of great relevance in the contemporary fields of research on cultural studies. This topic also includes studies on social change and movements that were important to the development of the idea of culture. 

Population
This field of study includes studies on various aspects of population including statistical research on population explosion and case studies on various countries and their population growth and decline. 

Where can Sociologists Work?

The scope of Sociology is not just restricted to Psychology, but also extends to Public Administration, Political Science, Management, etc. Based on your area of specialisation, here are some popular areas of employment:

• NGOs
• Law Firms
• International Organisations
• Survey Conducting Companies
• Media Research Houses
• Urban and Regional Planning Bodies
• Public Health Companies
• Rehabilitation Centres
• Criminal Justice
• Universities/Schools
• Administrative Services [State Services/Civil Service Exam]

Scope of Sociology: Job Prospects

Sociology tries to analyse social problems and paradoxes that permeate human society. As a subject, it has been researched widely in connection with Psychology, History, Political Science, and Law. Thus, the scope of Sociology is vast, and graduates in this field can work in profiles like:

• Researcher
• Policy Analyst
• Human Resource Manager
• Market Research Analyst
• Public Relations Specialist
• Rehabilitation Counsellor
• Office Administrator
• Professor/Lecturer/Teacher
• Substance Abuse Counsellor

Sociology Work Profiles: Brief Overview

Now that you are familiar with the scope of Sociology in terms of areas of employment as well as the profiles, here is a summary of some of the popular work profiles a Sociologist can work in:

Researcher

Sociology offers immense opportunities when it comes to the field of research. There are a vast number of government and private organizations that conduct research in the field of society and come up with topics that analyze the movements of society. Research plays an instrumental role in knowing the varied fields of social sciences.

Policy Analyst

Policy analysts help the legislation with policymaking. They review various social and political issues and address them in policymaking processes and amend the existing policies with necessary changes. Policy analysts act as a bridge between the legislature and the population an are

Market Research Analyst

A market research analyst helps private and public organizations with market research. They help in conducting effective surveys for a product and report the results to the concerned company. They analyse the response of different ethnicities, social classes, age groups, and other strata to a product. Communication skills are important for this job and if you are good at communicating effectively then you should definitely explore this field.

Public Relations Specialist

A PR specialist works in the corporate as well as government sector and acts as a liaison between the client and the employer. A PR specialist should be good with communication skills in order to create a good public image for an organization. 

Human Resource Manager

A Human Resource Manager organizes, administers, and hires employees for an organization. This profile also includes handling administration roles as well as acting as a bridge between the employee and the employer. 

Sociology Courses: Popular Universities

The scope of sociology is extensive and there is a wide range of job opportunities that are available after pursuing a degree in sociology. Following are some of the world’s renowned colleges that are known for their research in the field of Sociology:

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• Harvard University
• Princeton University
• University of Wisconsin
• University of North Carolina
• Stanford University
• University of California- Berkeley
• Brown University
• University of Michigan
• University of Chicago
• New York University
• University of Texas
• Duke University

FAQs

Now that you understand the scope of sociology as a career and the immensely diverse career prospects it offers. You would want to explore more, the Leverage Edu experts can assist you in discovering the right course in Sociology as well as help you in getting shortlisted at a top international university to further your career in Sociology.