Any sociology students/grads around?

[armyowalgreens]

I took SOC 101 last year and kind of liked it. Unfortunately, my professor was totally incapable of teaching the material.

I'm starting to get more into sociology again and might consider it as a third major. Or maybe my first minor (if there is a minor for it).

What do you guys think?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. That was one of my majors -

I found the subject a whole lot of fun. The adjunct courses, statistics comes to mind, weren't as much fun, but I learned a lot, and it was a great help in grad school.

What are you plans, and how would an education in sociology help with them?

What are your other majors?

[armyowalgreens]

2. Political Science and Philosophy are my two majors.

My plan is to get into domestic or foreign aid work. Possibly working as an attorney (assuming I end up in law school), pro bono or reduced cost.

I'm trying to focus my education on how social structures form deviant and criminal behavior. Poli Sci helps, but doesn't study the root of problems.

[elleng]

8. Love to see you discussing/thinking all this!

I found poli sci worthless, but that may have been unique to where I was. History's good. Daughters have enjoyed and benefitted from soc + psych, but they're 'educators.'

Econ may be of value; WILL be, at some point, but keep in mind its so much b.s.!

[Tangerine LaBamba]

10. When I read your subject line,

my first thought was "You have law school in your future, son." The majority of my law school classmates were poli sci majors. My experience is that it doesn't matter what your undergrad major was; law school is an experience independent of anything else.

As for working pro bono, unless you're independently wealthy, that's something you'll do in addition to your regular job as a lawyer - although there's always a need for Legal Aid lawyers, provided the budgets hold. More and more, they're being cut back.

You see yourself as an attorney working for organizations that provide foreign aid? Or did I not understand that?

Honestly, right now, I would not urge a youngster to go to law school unless he's really dedicated to becoming an attorney. Not if it's just something to fall back on. The job market out there is miserable, and it's not going to get better for a long, long time.

It might be too traditional for you, but have you considered the Peace Corps? If you did that right out of school, you'd have a marvelous experience behind you if you decided to go to graduate or professional school. Plus, you get to see a part of the world you never imagined, maybe.

If you had a triple major of poli sci, philosophy, and sociology, I can't see why that wouldn't be an excellent background for a career in working to provide aid to poor and developing countries. I have an old college friend who's done that all over Africa since the early seventies. He's out of work these days - all the funding is gone. No one can afford to give grants anymore.

Those are harsh realities. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer.

Listen, unless you have very specific career in mind - mathematician, accountant, like that - your undergraduate major should be what you love, what you enjoy. It'll just serve as a vehicle to get you into grad school, anyway.

I hope some of this helps, but, in any event, just take the courses that have the best teachers, the ones that are the most challenging and the most fun.

Oh, and do whatever you can to learn another language, if you're not already fluent in one.

Good luck, you sweet fellow.........................

[armyowalgreens]

13. The Peace corp. is most definitely in my future...

I've been planning on joining for about a year now. I'm taking a few of my classes to make sure I am best fit for duty after undergrad.

French is my language of choice and I start this semester.


I've always had law school on my mind. Something about law has always appealed to me. But I am not an ideal candidate. I don't come from a rich family and I don't ever plan on being rich. I want to go into law to help people. I've been laughed at more than once because of that.

My plan is really kind of up in the air. I want to practice law. But I also want to work with the poor. I'm not really sure how all of that is going to come together. But I'm not worried.


Thanks for the info. It all helps.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

17. Don't worry -

and don't fall into stereotypical thinking. You're far too smart for that.

The notion of having to come from a wealthy family to go to law school is absurd. All kinds of people go. It's not about your wealth or your background. Keep in mind that Harvard accepted George W. Bush as an MBA candidate AFTER University of Texas Law School turned him down.

At Harvard, he was a legacy - his relatives had gone there before him, so his acceptance was pretty much guaranteed, especially since his wealthy family were big donors.

At U of Texas Law School, he was just another applicant with mediocre grades and - presumably - bad test scores, and he got turned down.

See how it works?

I come from the most basic of working-class families. We never even made it to "middle class," so please don't ever, ever use that kind of non-thinking, stereotypical thinking again. You're too smart for it, and using it to defeat yourself before you even start is just dumb.

Don't do it.

Glad to help, and good luck....................................

[Kali]

16. "I'm trying to focus my education on how social structures form deviant and criminal behavior"

take a look at evolutionary biology or even better sociobiology - are you at ASU? John Alcock - go talk to him.

[LostInAnomie]

3. BS in Soc., right here.

I always like to say it's one of the most enlightening, yet least useful majors out there. In my experience, Sociology doesn't really get interesting until you start getting into specific areas (300-400 level). The 100-200 level classes are mostly just there to teach you to think as a sociologist.

[armyowalgreens]

4. I was going to take a 300 level SOC class this semester...

but I forgot about my schedule and signed up too late to find any interesting 300 level classes.

[handmade34]

5. gets interesting 300-400+

I went back to school and got a Soc degree and my daughter got her BS in Soc (and Anthropology) a couple of years ago. Love the study and find it's not the most practical for employment, but then again not much is these days. Unfortunately, my youngest sone still in school has switched to Philosophy... :crazy:

[armyowalgreens]

6. Hey don't hate on philosophy. That's one of my majors...

Oh philosophy...how I love thee.:hug:

[LostInAnomie]

7. My advice would be to stay away from theory classes as much as possible.

Unless you are really interested in theory. those classes usually just teach you about ancient sociological viewpoints and then tell you how they are wrong. It's really tedious. Pick interesting subjects and good teachers will give you the theory along with it. Take a couple good social deviance classes. They'll change your whole outlook on the world.

[ghostsofgiants]

9. I'm a sociology minor. I love it.

[mcctatas]

11. BS in sociology...

I loved the work, don't use it professionally, am actually planning on law school I think. However, my soc. classes gave me the ability to approach issues in other disciplines from new or different angles.

[stewartcolbert08]

12. Bach Degree here!

I loved this field, I majored in that w/ an emphasis on criminology and I absolutely loved it! GOOD LUCK! :hi:

[old mark]

14. I had it as a second major, and I had a PhD Sociologist as a MIL -

A lot of colleges no longer offer much in Sociology - it is very unpopular with the RW. I did enjoy it, though.


mark

[fight4my3sons]

15. I have a BA in Sociology.

I went back to school to get my MSED in Special Ed. I love Sociology. Like other posters have said the upper level courses are when it gets good.