Sociologist School and Degree Programs
Learn about a variety of programs to become a Sociologist. Through the right school you will find the education you need to grow in the exciting field of sociology. Below are requirements on the school and degree level that will point you in the right direction.
Have fun along the way and always be a positive influence as this is a career working to better the lives of others.
Education Requirements for Sociologists
Sociologist as a career path tends to take one of two forms. One form is, becoming an educator at the University level to train new generations of Sociologists, while researching papers on Sociological phenomena. The other main path that Sociologists take is in a Survey Researcher context wherein they apply Sociological research methods in order to study populations on behalf of organizations.
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In order to become a Sociologist in either capacity, you will need to first earn your Bachelor of Science in Sociology. Some companies and consulting firms will hire those who only have their Bachelors degree in Sociology if they can show sufficient course work in Statistics, Sociology Research Methods and increasingly in a foreign language, usually Spanish. However, the vast majority of employers are requiring candidates to have at least their Master’s in Sociology.
In the case of becoming an Academic Sociologist, you will almost always need to have your Doctorate in Sociology in order to be considered for employment. Occasionally, community colleges will hire Master’s-level Sociologists to teach their introduction to Sociology classes. In all cases the more advanced degree you hold, the more likely you are to be hired, the easier you will find it to promote within your organization and the higher your earning potential. We advise that you earn a minimum of your Master of Sociology degree or Doctorate if you plan on teaching.