Careers
Why Study Sociology?
By helping you understand context, Sociology prepares you for a variety of career paths. Sociology at Notre Dame teaches you to use empirical data to ask and answer complex and multi-faceted questions and to write with clarity, depth and precision. Additionally, Sociology helps you live our campus commitment to social justice an human rights, helping you to direct your talents, gifts and energy in practical and meaningful ways to help others.

ND Sociology Students After Graduation
- 48% find full-time jobs
- 28% go to graduate or professional school
- 18.5% enter service programs
Graduates of Notre Dame's Sociology program are now employed in fields as diverse as business management, consulting, corporate administration, insurance, medical administration, politics, realty, religious life, social work, teaching, and higher education. Check more outcomes for detailed information.
Career Choices
Through its emphasis on critical thinking and sound data collection and analysis, sociology prepares our students to excel in a variety of disciplines.
Sociology and Medicine
Sociology addresses complex social, structural, and environmental factors affecting health and well-being. These factors include poverty, racism, exposure to violence, social networks, environmental justice, access to health care, food deserts, and the role of power and money in defining health, illness, and care.
Sociology enables you to develop the cultural competence necessary for successful communication in multi-cultural and diverse social contexts.
Sociology helps you to prepare for the MCAT’s sections on the social and behavioral sciences.
Sociology and Law
Sociology sheds light on complex issues conforming the legal and judicial systems: for example, the relationship between extra-legal factors such as race, poverty, and gender with the criminal justice system, the role of interests in determining how laws are defined and enforced, definitions of deviance across time and space, etc.
Sociological theory provides a solid basis for understanding the logic and reasoning of human behavior and social organization.
Sociology and Business
Sociology improves your potential for adaptability in any organization by helping you to understand key social factors such as culture, race, ethnicity, gender, power, economics, etc.
Sociology is fundamental to effective interpersonal communication in current multi-cultural and multinational business environments
Sociological research design and methods are applicable to many fields in business, including HR, marketing, consulting, sales, management, etc.
Job Titles for Sociology Majors and Minors
Business and Industry
- Banker
- Business analyst
- Consumer relations specialist
- Human resources manager
- Market analyst
- Merchandiser/purchaser
- Project manager
- Quality control manager
- Technical writer
Government
- Employee specialist
- Foreign service officer
- Human rights officer
- Legislative aide
- Peace corps volunteer
- Personnel coordinator
- Program supervisor
- Special agent
- Urban planner
Justice System
- Correctional counselor
- Corrections officer
- Criminal investigator
- Juvenile court specialist
- Parole officer
- Police officer
- Rehabilitation counselor
Education
- Admissions counselor
- Affirmative action counselor
- Extension service specialist
- Public health educator
- Teacher
Research
- Census researcher
- Consumer researcher
- Criminology researcher
- Data analyst
- Interviewer
- Market researcher
- Social researcher
- Statistician
- Survey research technician
Community and Social Services
- Child development specialist
- Environmental organizer
- Family planning worker
- Hospital administrator
- Housing coordinator
- Career counselor
- Public health supervisor
- Rural health outreach worker
- Substance abuse counselor
Research Employment Opportunities for Sociology BAs & BSs
Graduates with a major in Sociology can find research positions at a variety of private firms and governmental agencies conducting social science research throughout the country.
Check the list of employment options for more opportunities.
Next Steps
- Contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies
- Visit the Center for Career Development
- For additional info on Sociology, Social Work Careers, and how to become a social worker.
- Arts and Letters students from every major succeed in business, graduate or professional school, or full-time service. Learn more about the career outcomes of all of our graduates, including Sociology majors.