Sociology as a Profession

Compared to doctors, lawyers or teachers, there is no fix job profile and no definite labor market for Sociology graduates. Numerous graduates of Sociology chose a scientific career in universities or research institutes.

Nevertheless, interesting job prospects increasingly emerge outside the realm of science. Career opportunities in the area of planning, administration, consultancy, marketing, and public relations are diverse and rich in variety.

Depending on the individual profile, various job opportunities are opened up: as consultant, researcher or abstractor in opinion and market research, or as abstractor, reader or editor in the media sector, in public relations or in publishing. Further main areas of employment are in human resources departments, in personnel procurement, in human resources development, and in organizational development. Another main area of employment is the occupation as subject specialist for social policy, education etc. Concerning the latter profession, occupational prospects are in public administrations, in local administrations, federal and state ministries, in statistical offices as well as other national institutions and state institutions, in non-profit organizations like political parties, labor unions and employers’ associations, in national insurances and in the private industry sector. Many social scientists enter consulting activities - not only classical management consultancies, but also career counseling, political consulting, organizational consulting, communications consulting and comparable areas. Professional experience in the latter occupational areas furthermore facilitates the path to self-employment.

Additionally, the M.A. program in Sociology lays a solid foundation for a scientific career as it is usually the basis and precondition for a doctorate program. Many Sociology graduates at the University of Bamberg pursue an academic career in science, either directly at a university career or at a research institute.