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Sociology (B.A.)

Major: Sociology

Degree awarded: Bachelor of Arts

Total credit hours: 37

Internship/Practicum opportunities: Visit the Career Development Center for internship information.

About the program

Sociology is the branch of science which specializes in the study of human societies and human social interaction. As a Thiel College sociology major you will study a wide range of topics including marriage and family, community, criminology, diversity, social movements and even art, music and film!

Visit our Academic Catalog (2021-2022) for course listings.

Major Features

1. Sociology majors will understand the sociological perspective.
2. Learn the principles of good social science research methodology.
3. Understand the major theoretical paradigms of sociology.
4. Learn about the complexity and interaction of social groups in United States culture in terms of race/ethnicity, sex/gender, social class, sexual orientation, age and disability.
5. Gain an understanding of the diversity of collective human behavior and belief.

Scholarship Opportunities

Thiel College offers scholarships to students for reasons such as academic success, community service or involvement, exemplary leadership and more! The scholarships available to sociology majors are:

• William Randolph Hearst Scholarship Endowment Fund
• Elmer Mears Scholarship

Visit our Financial Aid page to learn more about the types of aid available to students.

Clubs & Organizations

It's easy to get involved on campus! Joining a student club or organization is an excellent way to meet others and gain leadership experience. A sociology major might be interested in the following clubs and orgs:

• Criminal Justice Club
• Global Club
• Active Minds
• Students for Civic Participation (S.C.P.)

Visit our Campus Life page to see a full list of student clubs and organizations.

Alumni & Careers

As a Thiel College sociology major, you will be prepared for graduate study in sociology, social work or a related field or employment in the social services and more! Our students leave Thiel well prepared to enter the workforce and students often find jobs in social service occupations, counseling, law, social work and sociology. With a strong foundation of skills in research and analysis, plus the broad perspective provided by a liberal arts education, you’ll be ready to wok almost anywhere your interests in society takes you.

Here are a few of the things you could do with your sociology degree from Thiel:

• Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations – earn median salary of $55,000 per year helping businesses understand their potential customers and the best way to market to them.*
• Public Policy – earn a median salary of $57,000 working with non-profits and other businesses to influence the government and help shape laws.*
• Law – continue on to law school and earn a median salary of $81,000 as a prosecuting attorney** or $76,000 as a public defender.***
• Education – become a teacher or a guidance counselor in secondary schools – or with a graduate degree in colleges or universities.*
• Social Services – earn a median salary of $42,480 working as a counselor with a non-profit, community or government group.*

*Career Ideas for Sociology Majors - One Day One Job, www.onedayonejob.com/majors/sociology/
**The Average Pay for a Prosecuting Lawyer, work.chron.com/average-pah-prosecuting-lawer-5010.html
***New Findings on Salaries for Public Interest Attorneys – NALP, https://www.nalp.org/sept2010pubintsal