What is it like being a Sociology major?
What are common misconceptions about SOC majors?
What kind of internships and international experiences have majors had?
How will Sociology majors save the world?
Sociology is the study of society. That is to say, it is the scientific study of human interaction, groups and structures of society such as institutions and culture.
While there is the general study of sociology, there are many subfields that students and sociologists focus on. These selected subfields are often related to individual interests and may include categories such as economic sociology, urban sociology and political sociology, to name a few.
First of all, there are many valid answers to this question and each person can take away something different from the discipline depending on the courses they take and their personal background. Sociology is very diverse in that you can study straight theory or particular topics (like the sociology of medicine or economic sociology or the sociology of poverty), which tend to be infused with very interesting and relevant theories.
Studying Sociology gives us a unique perspective on not only our surroundings but on ways to address issues or problems in policies that affect society. Sociology teaches us to challenge everyday assumptions and to dig deeper into why people interact the way they do, why socioeconomic breakdowns look the way they do in different societies, or why people organize and categories themselves into distinct groups (among many other important questions). In life after college, Sociology provides us with a framework through which to understand and address social issues.
What is it like being a Sociology major?
The Sociology department is full of incredibly famous and accomplished Sociologists, who serve as an incredible resource to students in the department. Many are also great teachers, approachable and very willing to advise students on both course and independent work. Because enrollment in the department recently jumped, advisers may be somewhat overloaded with students doing independent work. However, you still get a significant amount of attention.
Sometimes the course offerings for undergraduates can sometimes be a bit slim, but this changes from semester to semester. That being said, overall, you will find fascinating courses on a variety of topics -- it just may be spread out a little.
The dynamic of the professors make the courses that we have taken great. The best classes, in our opinion, are classes that deal with specific subfields of sociology, such as urban sociology. The course that we were least excited about were the "general" classes that majors have to take; however, they are somewhat important to junior independent work, so pay attention!
In the department office, Cindy is wonderful! She works in the SOC office and is always around to offer administrative support with a smile. She is the HEART of the Sociology department!!
What are common misconceptions about SOC majors?
Sociology is not an "easy" major. In some ways, the independent work is the most important part of your learning experience in the department and you can't glean "all there is to know" from the lecture hall. While we can get the basic blueprint for sociological investigations from our courses, the real learning comes from interaction and going out and trying it on your own, which says a lot about the department and contributes to the diverse experiences of its majors.
What kind of internships and international experiences have majors had?
Sociology members are so diverse that it is difficult to say that there is a specific kind of field that we are attracted to, in terms of internships. We all contribute a great deal to our department, including what we do for the summer.
Some people pick sociology because they are interested in public interest endeavors and non-profit organizations. For example, one senior would like to be a lawyer some day, but her internships now focus on non-profits and helping out in communities. Last summer, she worked for PUPP (Princeton University Preparatory Program) and mentored a group of high school students preparing to apply to selective colleges and universities. This summer, she was in Mexico working for a non-profit service organization that was started by Princeton alumni.
How will Sociology majors save the world?
Sociology majors learn how to challenge assumptions. They look at issues from all angles and never settle for the easy explanation. They merge quantitative data analysis (looking at patterns in groups/societies/ communities) with qualitative data (interviewing/ observing actual people) to paint a rich and comprehensive picture of the issue at hand.
With these tools, Sociology majors are equipped to bring a unique perspective to solving critical issues we face locally, nationally, and internationally, and can provide insight to policies that have the potential to change lives for the better. Making smart policy decisions requires a fine tuned sociological perspective.
