At UVM, sociology is similar to other liberal arts degrees: the skills you acquire are transferrable to many fields. A liberal arts degree equips you to do research, write and read critically and analytically so they can be trained for any kind of work. That said, many public or nonprofit agencies, governmental bureaus, and community programs hire students with specifically sociological training, as do organizations that need people with skills in sociological methodology and social statistics.

Graduates of UVM’s sociology department mostly work in human service agencies, but also go on to masters in social work programs, law school or other graduate level education. One former student drew on her sociology training in gerontology to start her own business.  Another became an investment advisor. Sociology majors generally leave with excellent people skills and presentation skills, which prepares them for any field of work.

  • Charis Jones

    Justice for All

    An introductory class taught by Professor Ellie Miller ignited Charis Jones’ interest in sociology and a Political Islam course, taught by political science Professor Jan Feldman, focused her interest in Middle Eastern Studies. That all morphed into a double major in sociology and political science, and Jones graduated with degrees in both disciplines in 2018.

    As a student, Jones set her sights set on getting out of her comfort zone and immersing herself in an unfamiliar culture. She became the first UVM student to study in the United Arab Emirates, at the American University of Sharjah.

    “For the first time in my life I know what it feels like to be a minority,” she commented in a 2017 interview. “I think it’s important to experience that.”

    After graduating in 2018 with dual degrees, Jones is back in her home city of New York, taking on new challenges. She’s working as a level 1 investigator for The New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), an independent agency empowered to investigate complaints against police officers in the city.

    Read more of Charis' story

     

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Graduate Education

Many UVM sociology students go on to graduate education, including law school, medical school, social work, and more. For those interested in medical school or related careers, starting in 2015, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) will have questions about the field of sociology; UVM recommends Soc. 001 to all pre-meds, and there are many other courses in the department relevant to a career in medicine. The department also offers a minor in gerontology, the study of aging.