applied sociology

Applied Sociology
Ethan W. Miller
Dr. Shenk
April 2014

Applied Sociology
As every college student beginning there career in college everyone comes in with different dreams and aspirations. Some students enter universities already knowing what they want to-do. Some students have an idea, but are maybe haven’t quite narrowed down there choices yet. While others have no clue and are open to all the possibilities that there institution has to offer to them. As we move through our college years many students across the country will change majors several times before final settling down on a selected field of study. Like most college student I have transitioned through several majors before finding my fit in a degree program that fits me. I started out as an education major, but after working for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools I realized I did not have the patients or stamina for instructing children. Business was my next major of choice. However, my econ classes were not very kind to me and my grades took a nose dive. After carefully reconsidering my degree options, I found my way into sociology. Now, as my senior year is about half way over and graduation is quickly becoming a reality, I find myself wondering about employment outlook. Thinking to myself, “How does sociology fit into the professional world?” Through my research I found the applied sociology career path. This career path is one for students like me to use their sociological education in professional settings to benefit research for firms, but it left me with questions. What is sociology? Where did the concept of applied sociology come from, and is applied sociology a relevant and open career field?
Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of how sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religion; from division of race, gender, sexuality and social class to the shared beliefs of common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports (careers in sociology, 2014). In fact, few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge. Sociology provides many distinctive perspectives on the world, while generating new ideas and critiquing old ones. The field also offers a range of research techniques that can be applied to virtually any aspect of life such as crime, corporate downsizing, expressing emotions, welfare, education reform, changing family structure, diplomacy, and war. Because sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it is a rapidly expanding field of study whose potential is increasingly tapped by those who craft policies and create civil programs. Sociologists understand social inequality, patterns of behavior, forces of social change, resistance, and how social systems operate (Careers in Sociology, 2006).
Most people who think of themselves as sociologists or have the word sociologist in their job title, have graduate training, but BA’s in sociology apply the social perspective to a wide variety of jobs in such fields as business, health professions, criminal justice systems, social services, and government (Careers in Sociology, 2006). This is due to the fact that sociology serves as a strong liberal arts major it is excellent for future graduate work in order to become a professor, researcher, or law student. The undergraduate degree also provides strong liberal arts preparation for entry level positions throughout the business, social services, and government worlds (Careers in Sociology, 2006). Since the subject matter is intrinsically fascinating, sociology offers valuable preparation for careers in journalism, politics, public relations, business, public administration, or any other related field that involves investigating skills and working with diverse groups. Many students across the country choose sociology because they see it as a broad liberal base for professions such as law, education, medicine, social work, and counseling which the degree provides a rich spectrum of knowledge that directly pertains to each of these fields (careers in sociology, 2014). Even though people with sociology degrees may enter into many diverse career fields; what is common to all of these careers? Underlying sociological training is the commitment to understand human relationships in every social group. However, students pursuing a degree in sociology develop their interest in different ways. They pursue diverse specialty subjects within the fields as a whole. Thus, sociology students may specialize in families, adolescence, urban or rural community, education, health, aging, work, environment, science, technology, economics, inequality, social class, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sports, culture, politics, war, crime, la, change, and any other matter of human organization (Careers in Sociology, 2006). Any social phenomenon can be examined through the lens of different sociological standpoints. Indeed, a hallmark of social analysis is that it utilizes a variety of interconnected perspectives. Most sociological research and theory seeks to explain prevailing social behavior patterns and how they change over time. Applied Sociology is a branch of general sociology which at its basis is the scientific study of society as a whole. Sociology looks at society from every angle making observations on how we interact within society, how cultures affect each other and the individual, global issues and more. Sociology is part of the social sciences that aims at answering questions as to why and how we group together to form societies as well as the individual 's roles within society. Sociology as an observational study has been around since approximately 400 BCE during the time of the Greeks. In fact the word sociology comes from the Latin word socius meaning companion and the Greek word logos meaning knowledge. It’s no coincidence that during this time, the height of Greek society, is when philosophers began recognizing the need for understanding how people work together as a whole so that we can try to work as a society more efficiently (APPLIEDSOC.ORG, 2014). Applied sociology is one of the more than a dozen fields within sociology. Applied sociology is what has been deemed the “practical side” of sociology (APPLIEDSOC.ORG, 2014). That’s because applied sociology takes sociological theories and research and applies this knowledge to sociological methods which are carried out in order to find solutions to problems within society. This use of sociological theories and methods is called sociological practice. At one time sociology wasn’t as present in our own culture. In the 20th century sociology saw changes as people began to question the value of the science. Sociology has roots in theory which was regarded as less exact than other sciences and therefore possibly less useful. So, sociologist began using methods of research and applications that were more quantitative to validate their findings. Using these scientific methods is called positivism (APPLIEDSOC.ORG, 2014). Using qualitative and quantitative research methods led to a resurgence in the science as sociologists began developing new methods for studying society and actual ways to apply the science. As people began to realize its usefulness on local and national levels they found there was an even greater importance for applied sociology. Due to economic factors, as well as increasing forms of communication, globalization is now a topic of interest. Applied sociology is now being used to analyze society and its interactions on a global level, which includes online communities. It addresses solutions to questions about political power on a global level, how economics and trade affect societies around the world, how globalization is changing structures of societies and more (Zevallos, 2009). Today applied sociologists play an important role in our country and even the world’s development. As societies begin, grow and merge sociologists are reading into every aspect and analyzing where there are problems and applying tested methods to ease those problems. Applied sociologists work in every level of government; local, state and national. These scientists work every day to create a more functional society that serves all the people equally. They also work for community organizations, public administration and even businesses to solve problems of social organizations within smaller environments (Zevallos, 2009). Another role of sociologists today is to work with financial companies such as those who issue credit cards and internet companies such as social media website to understand user behavior and make for a better experience (APPLIEDSOC.ORG, 2014). This same analysis and application of corrective methods can be applied by people in many aspects of their lives, by taking a deeper look at a problem, understanding how elements are interrelated to create the problem and knowing different ways in which we can approach the situation we have a better chance at alleviating the problem. Applied research is sometimes conducted within a multidisciplinary environment and in collaboration with different organizations, including community services, activist groups and sometimes in partnership with universities (Zevallos, 2009). Some applied sociologists may not explicitly use sociological theories or methods in their work, but they may use their sociological training more broadly to inform their work and their thinking. Despite their marketable qualities, sociology graduates do not always understand the types of career pathways available to them outside of academia (Zevallos, 2009). Few jobs that sociologists do are labelled under the category of ‘sociologist’. Nevertheless, the reality is that sociologists’ general skills are useful in a wide range of professional contexts. For example, Edward Sabin writes that in the United States the 1.6 million non-academic jobs that were listed in 2000, only 560 were identified as “sociologists”. The rest of the people in this sample were employed predominantly as professional and technical workers, systems analysts, and as writers and/or editors. A smaller proportion of workers were employed as public relations specialists, statisticians, statistical clerks, and urban and regional planners (Careers in Sociology, 2006). Sabin argues that the position of systems analyst holds great potential for applied sociologists, as it involves data processing, as well as an understanding of how organizations and businesses work. So, while employers may not advertise for “sociologists”, they might instead ask for the various roles identified as research coordinator, qualitative analyst, project manager, strategic analyst, public policy assistant, policy analyst, urban development advisor, human rights officer, case manager, impact planning, education consultant, or gender specialist (Careers in Sociology, 2006). For applied sociologist a bachelor’s degree in sociology or applied sociology is a minimum requirement; a graduate degree is recommended for most fields and state licensures must be acquired in order to conduct clinical practices. Compensation varies by factors such as education, experience, the nature of the employment setting, level of responsibility, and geographical location. Employment outlook is promising and projected to expand over the next twenty years by 20%. However, studies show that applied sociologist job listing are hard to track and are labeled in other job titles. Additionally, relevant fields may be occupied by professionals from other applied and clinical fields such as clinical psychology and social work (Grabinski, 2007).
Applied sociological work can fit in well within any professional context; wherever people work, sociologists can help them grow by better understanding their business, their workers, their work practices, or whatever issues are of interest to their organization. Rather than having a narrow focus on the types of companies and groups that might hire sociologists, sociology students and the wider public need to better recognize that sociologists are employed across a multitude of business, government and private industries. The quality of their work is exemplary, and moreover, it can make a substantial contribution to the way the firm functions and grows. Applied sociologist have a good working knowledge of the processes and tools used in research, assessment, evaluation, problem solving, conflict resolution, policy analyst, development, and enactment. Good working knowledge of organizations structures, operations, and familiarity with market analysis and focus group techniques makes an individual highly marketable and diverse in the professional world.
Works Cited
APPLIEDSOC.ORG. (2014, January 2). applied sociology. Retrieved April 8, 2014, from Applied Soc: http://www.appliedsoc.org/applied-sociology/
Careers in Sociology. (2006, December 15). Eugene, Oregon, United States of America. careers in sociology. (2014). Retrieved April 8, 2014, from American Sociological Association: http://www.asanet.org/employment/careers.cfm
Grabinski, C. J. (2007). 101 Careers in Gerontology. New York: Springer.
Zevallos, D. Z. (2009, May 1). What is applied sociology. Retrieved april 8, 2014, from Sociology at Work: http://sociologyatwork.org/about/what-is-applied-sociology/

Cited: APPLIEDSOC.ORG. (2014, January 2). applied sociology. Retrieved April 8, 2014, from Applied Soc: http://www.appliedsoc.org/applied-sociology/ Careers in Sociology. (2006, December 15). Eugene, Oregon, United States of America. careers in sociology. (2014). Retrieved April 8, 2014, from American Sociological Association: http://www.asanet.org/employment/careers.cfm Grabinski, C. J. (2007). 101 Careers in Gerontology. New York: Springer. Zevallos, D. Z. (2009, May 1). What is applied sociology. Retrieved april 8, 2014, from Sociology at Work: http://sociologyatwork.org/about/what-is-applied-sociology/