ASA’s Bachelor’s and Beyond Survey

Abstract

With the support of the National Science Foundation, the American Sociological Association conducted a longitudinal survey of sociology majors from the class of 2005, following them from senior year into careers or graduate school. The first part of this article provides a context for the results from the What Can I Do with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology? study and a summary of its key findings. Wave I data demonstrate strong student interest in sociological concepts, perceived mastery of some research skills but not others, and general satisfaction with the major. Sociology majors are both idealists and careerists. The majority expects to enter the job market after graduation but is not satisfied with the career advising they receive. Key findings from Wave II demonstrate that more respondents go directly into the job market than expected, job search strategies are important in finding a job that matches what students learned in their sociology programs, and those who find such jobs are more satisfied with the major. The second part discusses how the survey findings can be used to enhance curriculum, advising, and assessment without vocationalizing the curriculum and without adding extra burdens to faculty members' already heavy schedules. Finally, the article discusses how the data can be used as a baseline for department assessment.

Social Work for Sociologists

“…Unless their training institutions or programs offer opportunities for practicing applied aspects of sociology, the majority of sociology students will experience applied aspects of sociology firsthand only after graduation. This chapter concurs with the view espoused by Spalter-Roth et al (2010) that the majority of students who undertake sociology majors at university do so because they want to understand the nature of society, the issues that plague it, and how these can be addressed. The fulfilment of this aspiration, particularly for students who prioritize the values of equality and nondiscrimination, can be best attained in the context of working with communities and groups, which, according to Finkelstein (2010, 100), constitute "the laboratory in sociology."…”

“…Student pathways into group work and community action that are currently left unspoken would require clearer articulation and acceptance. Universities that currently offer students an applied sociology pathway see the merits of expanding into these social justice and community practice oriented domains (Finkelstein 2010;Spalter-Roth et al 2010). In a financially constrained environment where the survival of sociology as a discipline cannot be taken for granted, reaching out to related disciplines, especially social work and community work, may in the long term guarantee sociology's sustainability as a discipline.…”

Sociology Graduate School Requirements and Competitive Advantage

“…In contrast to the discipline of psychology, there is little known about the core admission requirements or their relative importance for those pursing graduate degrees in sociology. A review of the literature revealed mainly peer-reviewed studies on career trajectories after obtaining an undergraduate degree (e.g., see Guppy, Greer, Malette, & Frank, 2017;Spalter-Roth, Senter, Stone, & Wood, 2010;Vaughan, 1979). For example, Guppy, Greer, Malette, and Frank (2017) found that female graduates tend to hold positions in the community service, social work, teaching, and administration professions while males are more apt to be employed in the criminal justice system and the private sector.…”

2015 Hans O. Mauksch Address

“…They are not. In fact, racial minorities are underrepresented in the sociology major relative to presence in other undergraduate majors ( Chronicle of Higher Education 2014; Spalter-Roth et al 1996). The American Sociological Association documented that, following the onset of the Great Recession, fewer students who majored in sociology did so with beliefs that it was preparing them for future careers (Spalter-Roth et al 2012).…”