Careers

What Have Bates Sociology Majors Gone on to Do?

The methods and substantive areas of sociology provide an excellent background for a broad range of careers. Perhaps the most useful way to get a sense of the wide variety of careers and types of graduate study for which sociology provides relevant background is to look at examples of what past sociology majors at Bates have gone on to do for a living.  Sociology majors interested in more information about contacting specific sociology alums in these various fields of work should get in touch with their major advisor or the department Chair.

The list below provides a sampling of job titles gathered occasionally from our graduates, both recent and as far as twenty or more years post-graduation, organized into occupational categories.

Communications, Journalism, and Publishing

(also see Entertainment, Events, and Media)

Communications Manager for a human resources and employee benefits software company

Communications Strategist for a marketing firm

Associate Manager of Client Experience for a public relations firm

Podcaster and Adjunct Faculty member in journalism at a large university

Editor and Publisher of an online media firm about personal money management

Product Assistant for an e-learning publishing firm
Occupational Categories List

Consulting

Organizational Strategy Consultant

Senior Consultant for international management consulting firm

Manager of Learning and Innovation for management consulting firm

Senior Solutions Consultant for an online documents and signatures platform

Manager and Consultant for a global accounting and tax advisory firm

Founder and Managing Director of a data analytics and data visualization consultancy

Occupational Categories List

Education
(Early Childhood – College/University)

K-12 Teacher (various alums are teaching in elementary, middle and high school settings, in a range of subjects like social studies, math/science, special ed, History, English, etc., in school types including public, charter, independent/private, magnet, etc.)

Guidance Counselors

AmeriCorp/VISTA and CityYear positions in public schools

College Professors (click here for a detailed listing of alums who have pursued PhDs in sociology, most of whom are working as college professors while some are involved in other research, academic, or advocacy fields, or are current graduate students)

K-6 literacy coordinator for charter school

Head coach for a collegiate Nordic ski team

Associate Director and Teacher in an outdoor education program

School Social Worker
Occupational Categories List

Educational Administration
(Primary – College/University)

College & Career Aspirations Counselor in a public school

Service Learning Coordinator at an independent school

Manager of Strategic Initiatives at a school for the blind

Career Counselor at a law school

Program Manager for an outdoor education organization

Dean of Students and Culture for a public charter school

Chief Operating Officer for a public charter school

Director of Enrollment for a liberal arts college

Assistant Director of Admissions for a university

Associate Director of Annual Giving at a university/medical school

Associate Director of a Center for the Digital Liberal Arts at a liberal arts college

Chief, Department of Defense Voluntary Education Programs

Special Programs Coordinator for an international study office at a university
Occupational Categories List

Entertainment, Events, and Media

(also see Communications, Journalism, and Publishing)

Account Manager at a computer gaming company

Podcast host, Consultant at a podcast consulting firm

Senior Producer at an entertainment production company

Executive Story Editor for a production company, with an upcoming Netflix show

Director of Sales and Events for an events services firm

Specialist in the Global Training division of a large consulting firm (plans events and curriculum for global training programs)

Associate Producer for an entertainment production company

Owner-Operator of motorcycle & moped shop (including management of a racing team)

Inhouse Attorney for an online fantasy sports platform
Occupational Categories List

Finance, Business, and Customer Service

Business Development Manager at renewable energy company

Director of Customer Experience for a software firm

Financial Planner; Financial Advisor

Account executive for a cybersecurity software firm

VP at an investment banking firm

Regional Manager for a rental real estate company

Customer Experience Team Lead for a fashion firm

VP of Business Operations at an electronic ticketing company

Chief Financial Office for a health and fitness club chain

Director of Real Estate for a bank

Owner-Operator of motorcycle & moped shop (with eCommerce, retails sales, and racing team)

Franchise Business Consultant for a health and fitness club chain

VP of Programs for a major metropolitan Chamber of Commerce

Regional Director for an International Affairs organization working with global businesses
Occupational Categories List

Government and Public Policy

(including public sector consulting)

Senior Manager in the public sector practice for major management consulting firm

Director of Transit Planning for a civil engineering firm

Government Contracts Accounts Rep for private consulting firm

Senior Health Policy Analyst for US Department of Health and Human Services

Director of Medicaid Policy for a consulting firm

Education and Workforce Program Manager for a large city

Research Analyst for a state housing authority

Assistant Director of Human Resources for a municipality

Government Relations Officer for a global affairs non-profit focused on policy and democracy
Occupational Categories List

Health Care Administration and Health Care Providers

Chief Quality Officer for health care organization

Program Manager for Performance Excellence at a large hospital system

Manager at health care consulting firm

Quality Assurance Engineer at an employee health software firm

Project Manager at a research firm studying patient outcomes

Chief Operating Officer at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHCs serve underserved areas or populations)

Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist

Physician, Family Medicine and Obstetrics

Critical Care Registered Nurse in a hospital emergency dept. and surgical intensive care unit

Certified Nurse Midwife at a university hospital and clinics

Registered Nurse, Pulmonary Critical Care

Resident Physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Occupational Categories List

Health Research and Public Health

Project Manager for a public health research institute

Senior Program Manager for a community health improvement professional organization

Research Project Specialist for health policy organization

Public Health Prevention Service Fellow at Centers for Disease Control

Coordinator, Maternal and Child Health Initiatives for a state Department of Public Health

Managing Editor at a preventive health care journal

Public Health Program Coordinator

Women’s Health Equity Programs Coordinator in a hospital

Research Coordinator at a hospital

Research Coordinator in a homeless healthcare and policy center based in a hospital

Community Health Worker/ Patient Navigator at a non-profit addressing health disparities

Clinical Trial Specialist for a disease-specific non-profit foundation
Occupational Categories List

Human Resources and Staffing

Human Resources Generalist

Assistant  Director of Human Resources for a small city

Campus Recruiter  for an international bank

Recruiter for a national staffing company specializing in IT, accounting, finance and engineering

Staffing Manager for a temporary staffing firm

Talent Acquisition at an online marketing and sales platform

Communications Manager for a human resources and employee benefits software company

Quality Assurance Engineer at a health care benefits and employee wellness software company
Occupational Categories List

Law and Criminal Justice

Partner at a small law firm, specializing in family law

Partner at a small law firm, specializing in employment law

Staff Attorney for a Legal Aid Society

Litigation Impact Investigator at a human rights organization advocating against the criminal justice system

Senior Research Associate, justice policy non-profit

Junior Business Immigration Analyst for a law firm

Restorative Practices Coordinator at a prisoner re-entry organization

Legal Intern at non-profit immigration advocacy organization

Analyst at an international law enforcement agency

Paralegal at a large law firm

Community Legal Services Fellow

Associate at a large law firm

Director of Research and Innovation for a criminal justice policy non-profit

Assistant General Counsel for a credit union

Attorney in private practice

Inhouse Attorney for an online fantasy sports platform

Detective in a small city police department

Attorney in a medium-sized firm, specializing in securities compliance issues
Occupational Categories List

Market Research, Marketing, Advertising, and Sales

Sales Representative for a security software company

Visual Merchandising and Fashion Stylist

Communications Strategist for a marketing firm

Product Marketing Specialist at a software firm

Digital Marketing Specialist for an outdoor retailer

Marketing Assistant for internet marketing agency

Content and Marketing Strategist for a media firm

Account Manager at a marketing and advertising firm

Regional VP- Sales at a software company

Senior Market Research Analyst at an insurance company

Vice President and Group Director, Creative Strategy/Account Planning at a marketing and advertising firm
Occupational Categories List

Non-Profit Social Change Advocacy and Administration

Director at a philanthropic advising firm

Regional Operations Manager for a college access and success program

Director of U.S. Programs for an international peace and justice non-profit

Office Manager for an environmental justice non-profit

Policy and Advocacy Officer for international non-profit focused on women’s health

Volunteer coordinator for homeless advocacy organization

Admissions Assistant for educational access non-profit

Litigation Impact Investigator at a human rights organization advocating against the criminal justice system

Executive Director of a non-profit providing day shelter and various social services

Project Director for educational innovation non-profit

Manager of Development and Community Engagement for an educational non-profit

Program Coordinator for career preparation program for non-traditional applicants
Occupational Categories List

Social Services and Counseling

Clinical Social Workers (hospital-based; children’s legal services-based)

School Social Worker (also see other types of school counselors under Education)

Program Coordinator for career preparation program for non-traditional applicants

Social Work intern at a non-profit focused on rights and interests of the elderly

Psychotherapist in private practice, with specialization in maternal wellness

Clinical Psychologist in a youth and family support community-based non-profit

Restorative Practices Coordinator at a prisoner re-entry organization

Addiction Management Counselor working with homeless patients in a hospital setting

Family Team Caseworker for a state department of human services
Occupational Categories List

Sociologist

(also see Education)

Click here for a detailed listing of alums who have pursued PhDs in sociology, most of whom are working as college professors while some are involved in other research, academic, or advocacy fields, or are current graduate students
Occupational Categories List

Technology, Digital, Software, and E-commerce

(note: many titles repeated from other categories, to highlight the range of specific categories within which alums are working in technological, digital, software, or e-commerce-related positions)

Account Executive, Media Platforms for a major online search service

Co-Founder of internet startup for creating, sharing and printing customized postcards

Sales representative for a security software company

Associate Account Strategist at a major online search service

Director of Customer Experience for a software firm

Communications Manager for a human resources and employee benefits software company

Editor and Publisher of an online media firm about personal money management

Product Marketing Specialist at a software firm

Digital Marketing Specialist for an outdoor retailer

Marketing Assistant for internet marketing agency

VP of Business Operations at an electronic ticketing company

Founder and Managing Director of a data analytics and data visualization consultancy

Senior Solutions Consultant for an online document and signatures platform

Talent Acquisition at an online marketing and sales platform

Regional VP Sales at a software company

Account Executive for cyber security software firm

Owner-Operator of motorcycle & moped shop that includes significant e-Commerce

Quality Assurance Engineer at a health care benefits and employee wellness software company

Inhouse Attorney for an online fantasy sports platform
Occupational Categories List

Graduate Study

Sociology alums have entered the fields listed above with their Bachelor’s degree from Bates, and in many cases with additional graduate work in a wide range of fields. The categories listed above suggest many of the kinds of graduate degrees some sociology alums have pursued. This section lists some examples of those degrees:

  • Doctoral Degrees pursued by sociology alums: PhD, J.D., M.D., D.O., EdD.
  • Masters Degrees pursued by sociology alums: Nursing, Midwifery, Public Policy (MPP), Public Health (MPH), Social Work (MSW, LCSW), Public Administration (MPA), Business Administration (MBA, with focus on finance, health care administration), Sociology (MA or MS), Community Development (MA), Divinity (M.Div), Urban and Regional Planning, Education, and many more.

Occupational Categories List