Sociology is one of the most versatile majors at Furman. By training you to ask rigorous questions about social life — how institutions work, why inequalities persist, how communities change — the major prepares you for careers in virtually every sector. Sociology graduates are researchers, managers, advocates, attorneys, physicians, educators, policy analysts, and entrepreneurs. What they share is a capacity to understand the social dimensions of complex problems and communicate that understanding clearly to others.

Career Opportunities in Sociology Hero Image

Early Career Highlights

One of the best ways to understand what a sociology degree makes possible is to hear from our graduates about where they went first…and what opened up from there.

Health and Medicine:

Sociology provides strong preparation for medical and health careers. The major builds the cultural competence, patient communication skills, and understanding of social determinants of health that medical schools and healthcare employers actively seek. Sociology also prepares students for the behavioral and social science sections of the MCAT. Furman sociology graduates have gone on to medical school, physician assistant programs, public health graduate programs, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, nursing, and health administration.

Executive Director @ Yale University's Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program in New Haven, CT

Sociology gave me a lens for understanding that the world around us is shaped by social structures that developed over time, and that many of the systems we take for granted are neither inevitable nor unchangeable. That perspective profoundly shaped the way I approached medicine, helping me see health as the product of far more than biology alone and to understand the social, economic, and structural forces that shape the lives and health of individual patients.
Bradley Richards, '10

Law and Policy

Law and Policy Sociology’s focus on institutions, inequality, and social change provides an excellent foundation for legal study and policy work. Graduates have pursued law school and careers in public interest law, government, legislative affairs, urban planning, community development, and international affairs.

 

Research Project Manager @ Qualtrics in Provo, UT

My first job after college involved advising on and managing survey-based research projects for both professional and academic clients…Later, I used my sociology degree, my research PM experience, and a master's in HCI to pivot fully into user research, where I get to create and run studies that uncover insights into people's behaviors around, perceptions of, and experiences with consumer investing. I love that I still get to do what I first fell in love with in SOC 101 - and this time they pay ME to do it!
Annie Park (née Sanford), '18

Business, Consulting, and Technology

Business, Consulting, and Technology Sociological skills in research design, data interpretation, and understanding of human behavior translate directly to careers in business. Graduates have worked in human resources, market research, organizational consulting, corporate social responsibility, user experience research, and data analysis. Even as emerging technologies takes on some of these tasks, companies increasingly seek people who can interpret social and behavioral data, make ethical decisions about its use and collection, and understand the cultural dimensions of their markets.

 

Implementation Consultant Cognizant Consulting in Denver, Colorado

The research methods class provided me with the skills to map out and storyboard a unique solution to a complex problem. Additionally, my ability to understand and technology logic has aided me in building Table Structures and Calculated Field Logic Progression logic within programs such as Workday, S/4Hana, and Oracle Databases. Conceptually, my career path may be somewhat abstract for sociology, but Furman’s extracurricular activities and Federal Work-Study Programs have provided meaningful impact to my career progression.
Spencer Jones, '21

Government and Public Service

Government and Public Service Sociology prepares students for roles in federal, state, and local government, as well as the military, foreign service, and public administration. Graduates have worked as legislative aides, policy analysts, program managers, and public health officers, and have served in organizations like Teach for America and the Peace Corps.

 

Nuclear Mechanical Engineer, US Armed Forces

I’m grateful that the Furman Sociology department set me up for great success in methodical interviewing and research methods. Since graduating, I have been able to develop successful programs congruent with my military career to help better military mental health resources for service members and their families at an individual-level basis.
Izzy Wildgen, ‘20

Education and Research

Education and Research Graduates interested in academic careers or research have pursued doctoral programs in sociology and related fields at leading universities. Others have entered K–12 education, school counseling, educational administration, and research positions in think tanks, government agencies, and private firms

College Access Coach: College Possible/AmeriCorps in Austin, TX

Sociology of Education and Social Class in America gave me the foundational tools needed to support First Generation College Students through the college admissions process. These courses helped me understand what specific barriers we could tackle together to help them prepare for their next steps.
Nicole Hyman Miller, '18

Nonprofit and Social Services

Nonprofit and Social Services Sociology prepares students to work in organizations dedicated to social change and community well-being. Graduates have worked in social work, community organizing, housing advocacy, substance abuse counseling, child welfare, international development, religious organizations, and environmental justice.

College Access Coach: AdviseVA/AmeriCorps in Virginia

Both the qualitative and quantitative methods curricula prepared me to intentionally design surveys and interview facilitation guides, manage large student datasets, and perform evaluations to develop strategies to support postsecondary planning. The Sociology of Education course also exposed systemic formations of school inequality and the varying methodologies to evaluate student outcomes, all while deepening my appreciation for the ways public education narrows achievement gaps.
TJ Robertson, '25

Where Furman Sociology Graduates Have Continued Study

Our recent graduates have been admitted to graduate and professional programs including:

  • Princeton University, PhD in Sociology
  • University of Chicago, PhD in Sociology
  • Harvard University, PhD in Sociology
  • University of North Carolina, PhD in Sociology
  • University of Pennsylvania, PhD in Sociology
  • Georgetown University School of Medicine
  • Rollins School of Public Health
  • Harvard University, Master of Public Health
  • Vanderbilt University School of Law
  • University of Georgia School of Law
  • Drexel University School of Law
  • University of South Carolina School of Law
  • University of South Carolina School of Social Work
  • University of Michigan School of Social Work
  • Florida State University Graduate Program in Criminology
  • Duke Divinity School
  • John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

Next Steps

The Office of Career Services can help you design a resume that emphasizes the skills you developed as a sociology major, connect you with alumni working in your fields of interest, and prepare you for graduate school or the job market. We encourage you to start those conversations early — the sociology major is a powerful platform for a wide range of careers, and planning helps you make the most of it.

Are you a Furman sociology alumnus working in an interesting field? We would love to feature your story.

Contact us