The Sociology Major - powerpoint.pptx [Read-Only]

Sociology Program

at

Eastern Kentucky University

Sociology Faculty at EKU

Beth UnderwoodJames Maples Matthew Irvin

Stephanie McSpiritPaul Paolucci

Dionne Smith

Where we are at

The Keith Building

What is Sociology?

Sociology is the study of human groups, their influence on human behavior, and all that extends from this.

Okay, what extends from this?

• Sociologists study crucial and important questions about human beings, such as…

• How are human societies organized?

Sociologists study crucial and important questions about human beings, such as…

How do societies change over time?


• How do social institutions shape the way we see the world and act in it?


How and why do human beings organize themselves in ways that seem particularly harmful to them at times?

Sociologists also study…

• A wide variety of human action and interaction.

• The ways society influences us, and the ways we influence it, are almost innumerable.

What Sociology Majors Study


• Socialization and the Life Course

• From early childhood socialization up to old age and death


• Culture – all the material and intellectual products of a people


• Communities – how humans organize places to live


• Cities and Nation‐States


• The Global System


• The configuration of social institutions in societies.

Institutions such as The Family


• Issues of inequality, such as race, class, and gender


• Environmental issues


• Migration and Immigration


• Wealth and Poverty


• Human sexuality


• Crime and Deviance


• Mass Media


• Statistics and Research Methods

Why Choose a Sociology Major?

Sociology and Skills Employers Want• In Hart Research Associates survey, Falling Short? College Learning and Career Success, employers gave college graduates low scores for preparedness across several learning outcomes; students thought they were better prepared.

Sampling of responses for some of these outcomes

% employers who agreed

their employees

were prepared

Student Perception

Difference (rank)

Applying Knowledge Skills to the Real World 23 59 36 (4)Analyzing/Solving Complex Problems 24 59 35 (5 tie)

Being Innovative/Creative 25 75 50 (1)Critical/analytical thinking 26 66 40 (2)Written Communication 27 65 38 (3)

Working with Numbers/Statistics 28 55 27 (9 tie)Oral Communication 28 62 35 (5 tie)

Locating, Organizing, & Evaluating Information 29 64 35 (5 tie)Ethical Judgment and Decision Making 30 62 32 (8)

Staying Current on Technologies 37 46 9 (10)Working with Others in Teams 37 64 27 (9 tie)

Our sociology program can help you close the gap between how well‐prepared students perceive themselves and

what employers want from them.

Figure 5. Top Seven Skills Listed by Graduating Senior Majors on their Resumesby Type of School: 2005 (Percent Listing Skill on Their Resume; Weighted Data)

25.6

28.5

30.5

33.6

33.0

35.2

39.1

32.3

34.4

37.5

37.4

37.2

41.7

44.7

23.0

25.7

38.5

35.1

37.8

40.5

40.5

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0

Identify ethical issues inresearch

Evaluate different researchmethods

Use computer resources todevelop reference list

Develop evidence-basedarguments

Interpret the results of datagathering

Write a report understandableby non-sociologists

Use statistical software (SPSS,SAS, STATA)

Baccalaurate & OthersMastersDoctoral

Source: ASA, Research and Development Department, What Can I Do With a Bachelors in Sociology? A National Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology Wave I, 2005.

In Sociology, a variety of career opportunities await

Sociology Grad Occupations, 2007

Occupation Example %Social Services, Counselors, Psychologists

Oversee AIDS outreach team 26.50%

Administrative support Scheduler for State Representative

15.80%

Management Handle employment and labor relations

14.40%

Marketing Planning and developing marketing strategies

10.10%

Services Crime scene technician 8.30%Teachers, Librarians Provide reference, research,

and database searching8.10%

Social Science, Researchers Research climate change policies

5.70%

Others Professionals Website design 6.80%Other 4.40%

Table 1. Types of Occupations: 2007

Source: ASA Research and Development Department, What Can I do With a Bachelor's in Sociology? A National Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology Wave II , 2007.

Social science degrees compare favorably with those degrees higher in demand, behind business but ahead of health professions, education, and psychology

Sociology Students are satisfied with their choice in major too!

From Our Former Students

EKU's Sociology program taught me that the world is at my disposal. From the past I can

see the present. From the present I anticipate the future. We are never too separated from history, rather we become fixated on the

possibilities of the future. ‐ Jeffrey Cawood, Sociology Graduate, 2015

From Our Former Students

I relate the study of sociology to my work daily. Every job interview I have been on, I've been offered a job with the exception of one, and all of the perspective employers were impressed with my credentials that EKUs sociology program has offered me ‐ so for that, I am very thankful! – Michael Adcock,

Class of 2015

Professional Sociologists: How does the job rank?• Wall Street Journal, January 6, 2009, ranked professional sociologist as #8 on its top ten jobs list.

• http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123119236117055127

Professional Sociologists: How does the job rank?

• Careercast.com, 2011, ranked sociologist #11 based on work environment, stress, and hiring outlook.

• http://www.careercast.com/jobs‐rated/2011‐ranking‐200‐jobs‐best‐worst

Professional Benefits

• Get paid to study what you are interested in• Flexible schedule

• Competitive salary• Health, dental, retirement

• Work with highly intelligent people• Travel, professional conferences

• See your work published• Endlessly fascinating

One Can Also Combine a Sociology Major with Other Fields

• Human resources• Education• Nursing• Post‐Secondary Education• Psychology• History• Political Science• Criminal Justice• Pre‐Law• And that’s just a few

Not only that….

Sociology is a great option for a double major.

If your course of study has at least 30 free electives, you can choose sociology as a double major without adding on to your

years in college.

Win‐win!!

Not only that….

Sociology as a minor will to go along with your main course of studies, whether this be in

education, history, political science, philosophy, social work, humanities,

psychology, pre‐law, etc.

You can do this and satisfy university requirements for upper division electives.

Our Program• 30 credits hours required.

Required Courses Elective Courses

Introductory Sociology Social Problems Racial and Ethnic Relations

Social Statistics Mind, Self and Society The Modern World System

Research Methods Sociology of Mass Media Sociology of Humans and

Sociological Theory Sociology of the Family Animals

Senior Seminar Sociology of Migration Demography

Environmental Sociology Selected Topics in Sociology

Gender and Society Independent Study

Our Program

• Work hands on with professors on research projects

Our Program

• Present your work at professional conferences.

Our Program

• Get out in the field

Our Graduates

Lisa M. Conley, EKU Sociology class of 2003, earned her doctorate in Sociology from the University of Kentucky in December 2014. There, she studied the intersections of home gardening and home food preservation as it relates to environmental sustainability, tradition, family, and gender in Kentucky. She is an alumna of Eastern Kentucky University where she earned her BA in Sociology and her Masters in Criminal Justice (2005). Spanning 2007‐2012 Lisa taught as a part‐time faculty member for Eastern Kentucky University in the Departments of Criminal Justice, Sociology, and Women and Gender Studies. She taught at the University of Kentucky in the Department of Sociology in 2012 and 2013 while earning her Ph.D. and working for Bluegrass Greensource as an outreach specialist. Lisa is currently the Director of EKU's Safety City, located in Lexington, KY.

What our students have to say about us:

EKU's sociology program and professors helped me build an educational foundation that has already had a profound positive influence on my life. Simply, I am a smarter, more well‐rounded individual who is better able to think 'outside the box' because of my experiences in the Sociology Program

at EKU. The professors are of a high caliber and are very personable and willing to work extra hard to see the

program's students succeed. I can honestly say that I would not be where I'm at right now were it not for a couple EKU sociology professors going above and beyond the call of duty

to see me through the program.…

Patrick Carter North, EKU Sociology, Class of 2003

If you are interested in Sociology at EKU, here’s some contact information:

• Dr. Elizabeth Underwood, Program Coordinator.• Phone: 859‐622‐1469• Email: [email protected]

• Dr. Paul Paolucci, Department Chair• Phone: 859‐622‐6780• Email: [email protected]

Visit Our Homepage

• www.sociology.eku.edu

A Short Video on What Sociology Can Do For You

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