Career Potential

Sociologists are in the people business.  Any occupation that requires understanding people--studying human behavior, assessing people's opinions, beliefs, or needs, etc.--can use social scientists. Sociologists are well-qualified for modern government work and increasingly recognized as valuable in the fields of management, international business, and the health and social services fields.  Sociology provides the tools for understanding the multicultural, international, global issues that are basic to our continued existence.

Graduates in Sociology can offer employers the skills that are listed by liberal arts alumni across the USA as most critical to their jobs:  oral communication, written communication, interpersonal skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking.  The undergraduate degree provides strong preparation for entry-level positions in business, government, and social service.  Surveys indicate that employers look for the skills that undergraduate training in Sociology provides.  The subject matter of this field is intrinsically fascinating; as such, it offers valuable preparation for careers in journalism, politics, public relations, or public administration--fields that involve investigative skills and working with diverse groups.  Many students use Sociology as the liberal arts foundation for professions such as law, education, medicine, social work, and counseling.

Directly below you will find specific examples of where Sociology graduates have gone after Radford University, both in the employment sector and in graduate school.  Further below, you will find a list of helpful websites to help you in your search for career ideas and specific jobs.

SOCIAL SERVICE & NON-PROFITS:

• Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health Support Specialist; AGAPE Counseling and Therapeutic Services
• Outreach Advocate; FAMIS Outreach Project
• Case Manager; Trust House Shelter in Roanoke
• Manager; Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare, the Community Services Board in Roanoke
• Child Development Specialist; Bryant Early Learning Center in Alexandria, Virginia
• Therapeutic Day Treatment Counselor--Site Supervisor; Floyd Elementary at Family Preservation Services
• Victim-Witness Advocate; Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley
• In Home Counselor; Intercept Youth Services
• Manager; Training Development at HandsOn Network
• Child and Adolescent Case Manager; Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board
• Social Services Assistant; Carrington Place in Wytheville
  
• Social Worker; Giles County Department of Social Services
• Activities Director; Birmingham Green Assisted Living
  
• Social Worker, specializing in Child Protective Services; Radford City Department of Social Services
• Girls Education and Empowerment; Peace Corps volunteer, Burkina Faso, West Africa
• Behavioral Specialist; Central Virginia Community Services
• Executive Director; Total Action Against Poverty

HIGHER EDUCATION:

• Coordinator; Office of New Student and Parent Programs at Virginia Tech (with advanced degree)
• Learning Support Specialist; Center for Instructional Technology at James Madison University
• Sexual Assault Prevention Specialist; Virginia Commonwealth University
• Research Assistant; University of Colorado Denver
• Assistant Dean of Students and Director of New Student Programs; Virginia Tech (with advanced degree)
• Data Analyst; College of William & Mary
• Sociology Instructor; John Tyler Community College (with advanced degree)

RESEARCH:

• Research Manager; Bellomy Research, Inc
• Research Program Assistant; Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
• Surveyor; Princeton Data Source
• Account Associate; Frontline Data Group
• Research Assistant & Office Manager; Pegasus International
• Manager, Proposal Development; Eurofins Global Central Laboratory

HUMAN RESOURCES:

• Technical Recruiter, Staffing Coordinator, Branch Manager; Synerfac Technical Staffing
• Healthcare Recruiter; Maxim Healthcare Services
• Training Coordinator; PCI

VARIED OTHER PRIVATE INDUSTRY & GOVERNMENT:

• Commodity Buyer; Danaher Motion (Fortune 500 company)
• Project Manager; LDiscovery
• Management program; Enterprise Rent-a-Car
• Territory Manager; United Rentals
• Web Developer; Studio Nudge
• Program Assistant; American Society of Clinical Oncology
  
• Property Manager; Havens Properties
• Intel Consultant; General Dynamics Information Technology
• Government Relations Professional in North Carolina
  
• Program Manager, Anti-Infective Services; Eurofins Medinet, Inc.

GRADUATE SCHOOL ATTENDED; AREA OF STUDY; EARNED ASSISTANTSHIP

• North Carolina State; Sociology; Graduate Assistant
• Old Dominion University; Higher Education Student Affairs; Graduate Assistant
• Virginia Tech; Higher Education Administration; Graduate Assistant
• University of New Hampshire; Sociology; Graduate Assistant
• Texas A&M; Sociology; Research Assistant
• University of Oregon; Political Science; Graduate Assistant
• Virginia Commonwealth University; Sociology
• George Mason University; Sociology
• Boston University; Law & Social Work
• Virginia Tech; Sociology
• University of South Carolina; Counselor Education; Graduate Assistant
• Arizona State University; Landscape Architecture
• Iowa State University; Sociology
• Virginia Tech; Counselor Education; Graduate Assistant