Sociologists work in a wide range of areas, in government, private and community sectors. They work on questions such as changing family patterns, changes in ethnic communities, health and employment issues. In the public sector sociologists work in areas such as neighbourhood and community service development, or in social policy areas dealing with ageing, youth or women’s issues and services. They are involved in program implementation and development, in social and environmental impact assessment, and in evaluation in areas from health programs, urban development or housing policies.
Sociologists also work in areas such as the media, public communications and marketing. They are involved in workplace change, employed by union or employer organisations, or working as consultants. They are found in private and public social forecasting organisations. They are involved in community consultations and community relations work, where for example, large organisations such as hospitals have to understand and respond to community concerns or specific groups.
Sociologists are also found in non-government organisation such as social change groups, peak bodies and research and policy organisations such as the Institute for Family Studies. Sociologists are involved in policy evaluation and program implementation. They are involved in promoting public debate, constructing competing ways of exploring questions facing our society and culture. In a while range of areas, sociologists are employed in jobs that are part of shaping and making sense of the social and cultural world we live in.
Internships take students beyond their textbooks and lecture notes. It brings them into the fascinating, sometimes stressful but richly satisfying workplace. It breathes life and provides balance to the theory expounded on at University.
Daniel Woodman
Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children’s Hospital
 I spent two days a week at the Centre for Adolescent Health undertaking a research project into drug related welfare initiatives in Victorian schools. While all the research and analysis skills that are learnt in an undergraduate sociology degree are useful there are other skills that can only be learnt by getting out there and doing research in the workplace.
After 3 years of undergraduate sociology it was great to get out and see what research looks like in the 'real world'.
Links to Careers in Sociology Information
The Australian Sociological Association
DETYA Job Guide - Sociology
Sociologically Skilled - Murdoch University
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