Research is a basic activity for many social scientists. They use various methods to assemble facts and construct theories. Applied research usually is designed to produce information that will enable people to make better decisions or manage their affairs more effectively. Interviews and surveys are widely used to collect facts, opinions, or other information. Information collection takes many forms, however, including living and working among the population being studied; field investigations, including the analysis of historical records and documents; experiments with human or animal subjects in a laboratory; the administration of standardized tests and questionnaires; and the preparation and interpretation of maps and computer graphics.

For more detailed information on a career in Social Science, please follow the link below.

(2002-2003).  Occupational Outlook Handbook [On-line].  Available:  http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos054.htm

Case Study:  Holly

Assistant Survey Director - Abt Associates

(social science research & consulting firm)

In graduate school I wrote about media coverage of the Unabomber case, which leaned more heavily on the deviance and social control interests, using theoretical insights ranging from Foucoult to Durkkheim. As far as career goes, I left undergraduate wanting to get an MSW (MA in social work), as well as a Ph.D. in sociology so that I could teach in both departments.   It wound up that I was accepted into a one year program at the University of Chicago (which is very strong in sociology) where I did a "Master's of Social Sciences."  I would strongly recommend this program to anyone looking to pursue a Ph.D. in sociology simply because you get a real flavor of what "graduate school" is like ... in a top notch arena of some of the premier people in their fields.  Plus -- the degree from this school opens up a lot of doors for you afterwards -- whether it be career wise or in further academic pursuits.

Immediately following graduation, I went and lived abroad for a spell (another thing I highly recommend doing)  through a program called the "Council on International Educational Exchange."  I then worked for a year as a social worker where I had been an intern as an undergraduate.   I was a counselor of sources in a "group home" for adults with mental illnesses.  These individuals were taking the first transitional step from inpatient life on a locked unit of the state hospital to living in the community again.   Group home work is very practical, very hands on, and not for the weak of heart.  We had 10 hour shifts, and more often than not that meant 1-11 p.m.  My salary there was $19,000.   That was not long ago, so I doubt they have changed much.  Perks included getting free meals on duty, learning how to cook (because we were supposed to help the residents) and being able to do my laundry for free.   While I was there I met some wonderful individuals who were in the midst of tremendous suffering from their illness.  I was able to set up a free arrangement between our agency and the local YMCA where the clients could go and exercise for free.  In addition, I developed a consumer / client satisfaction survey that they would later incorporate into their staff evaluation process.

Prior to going to graduate school, I directed a summer camp program for adults with mental retardation.  That was an amazing experience because I could move from a position of direct client interaction to teaching, training, and mentoring the college student staff who would be leading the camper groups.

After graduate school, I began working at a consulting firm called Abt Associates.  We have several business lines (www.abtassociates.com) and I work in the SURVEY division.  In my area, where I am an "Assistant Survey Director," we do mainly public health research.  That is because those are the contracts we have bid on and won.  The surveys cover a wide range of topics from the vaccination rates of children in the United States to cancer screening practices of physicians, to the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome.   I am personally involved in 10 projects on a variety of levels.  We work in teams.  A Ph.D. level person usually heads each project and then the rest of the staff support that individual like actors putting together a play on a stage.  The tasks involve the entire gamete of collection data from writing proposals, setting up budgets, monitoring those budgets,  designing the survey, deciding the administration method, training the interviewers, programming the computer system to collect the data, monitoring data collection, and reporting the frequencies to the client with statistical packages like SAS or SPSS.

BA's would usually start at Abt (in Survey) in the high twenties or low thirties, depending upon their experience and the position that they select.   We have a large production facility (phone center) in Chicago that staffs nearly 300 interviewers and approximately 20 supervisors.  Starting as a supervisor is an ideal way to gain hands on practical experience monitoring data collection.   The companies that do similar work to Abt  include "NORC", the National Opinion Research Center, at the University of Chicago and RTI, which has offices in several locations across the country.

It is a great feeling to finally be able to merge my interests in social work and sociology, as my efforts contribute (in whatever small part) to research that affect policy decisions on a National level.

Advice from Holly:

What area of sociology do you like? 

ONE MAJOR ......... SO MANY PATHS

1.  If it is sociology of culture, for example -- there are many big advertising firms that have "research" departments who study and analyze ads and cultural climate in order to produce successful ad campaigns and increase sales of the product.  In addition, there are companies that are called, "market research" companies.  They study consumer behavior and track consumer trends in interviews and through observation.  They study anything from people's preferences and reactions to a commercial to what kinds of people give to charities and what kinds do not so that the charities can target their campaigns better.  If you like designing surveys or if you like administering them (focus groups, 1:1, etc.)  this might be an interesting field to explore, as well.  It is really eye opening to see some consumer thoughts and
responses.

2.  If you are interested in culture, but not the "for profit" type, or you hate the idea of sociological methods being used to manipulate the masses, you can look into research placements at the "think tanks".  Each of them have web sites ---- among them Rand organization (California);  many in Washington -- Brookings, Urban Institute, and so on.  These folks hire research assistants (straight out of college -- BA required) and are eager for your skills.   Ideally, I suggest trying to get an internship at one of these places for a summer and see how it works out.

3.  Do you like deviance and social control?  Ever thought about working for the FBI?   They are interested in your research skills as well and they offer summer internships (which I think are pretty competitive).  If you can speak more than one language fluently -- you have a better shot there.

4.  I work at a social science research and consulting firm.  There are few of these in existence.  The web site is www.abtassoc.com.   Take a look if you get a chance -- if for nothing else than to see what social science research firms do in the world.

Consulting firms are basically places where clients come to them and get them to answer questions or solve problems.  Sounds simple, but can get quite complex.  The project I am involved with is a government contract that is a nation wide study on child immunizations.  We are studying that 5% of the US population who have children between ages 1-3 and asking for detailed histories on the immunization records.  Why is this done?  So the client can track WHO is or is not being immunized (which I am sure you can imagine the grave consequences if they are not) and WHERE these target areas in the USA are located.  That is it in a nutshell. It is a lot more complicated - but that is a good overview.  My company is called Abt Inc.  and it is pretty unique.  They do hire research assistants (people w/ BA's) and also look for MA's and then the senior consultants pretty much all have Ph.D's and have published fairly extensively -- not unlike your professors.  Ph.D. level consultants with experience can make a LOT of money -- close to $200,000 a year.  Moral of that story?  If you want to continue on in grad school for sociology -- there are MANY career paths for people who do not want to become professors.  Abt is also international -- a lot of the work done abroad is studying development in
the third world.

5.  There is also the social policy route.  Sociology is a wide and diverse major that gives you a lot of options.  If you are interested in policy -- I recommend getting an internship in this area and trying it out.  Government employees work all over -- not just in DC.

6.  There is the route of social services.  A lot of people think you are a social worker anyway when you say you study sociology  -- they have no idea who Durkeim or Weber are and what it means to understand their theories!  If you enjoy helping people, can survive on little pay, and generally want to impact society life by life -- think about this path.

7.  I have many friends from my alma mater who went the "sociological angst" route, as well.  They are basically stuck in dead end temp jobs and sit around complaining about capitalistic society and how they can not find a "cool job" that pays decently or is worth their brain power.  Don't get stuck in the rut.  There are MANY exciting opportunities out there -- you just have to dig a bit to find them.

8.  Two bits of advice I have for you are:

1)  DO AN INTERNSHIP ...... get out there -- whether FT in summers or PT during the year -- and try out one of these areas listed above -- or think outside the box and try something completely different.  You will learn things about an industry by "sampling" it in this way that you can never, ever find out in any career guidance book.   In addition -- internships look great on that resume for the future - because it shows you have gained some initial exposure in that field and are not just picking at straws.  Also -- if you had three candidates for your one position -- all were equal in GPA, and so forth -- but one had interned in your field -- it is more than likely that the one with "previous experience" will be selected.

2)  Be careful about selecting your thesis topic for your senior thesis in sociology.  The reason I say this is because if you DO decide to go down the road of research like I described  -- your thesis is an invaluable resource for you in the interviewing process.  Not only will it help you stand out in a stack of resumes....but it is also something they will often ask you about in interviews.  You want to have your anecdote on that down pat.  What was your research question, what was your methodology, and what were your results -- plain and simple.  It is a fantastic way to set yourself apart.  For example, my undergraduate thesis was on Mosh Pits -- and you can bet that lead to many an interesting conversation in my interviews that followed.

If any of you have questions or would like to get in touch with me, feel free to e-mail me at hollyh@gateway.net.

 A GRADUATE STUDY PROGRAM: Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences is being offered at Columbia University in NYC.  Enroll in New York City's only Ivy League School and one of the world's premier universities.  For more information, call 212-854-8120 or e-mail gsas-admit@columbia.edu.

Return to Career and Graduate School Information

California University of Pennsylvania

George Washington University

Georgetown University

Long Island University - Brooklyn Campus

Montclair State University

Syracuse University

Tufts University

www.gradschools.com