Sociology is the study of the various institutions and realities that exist within and affect human society’s organization, such as gender, religion, race, and class. Those who want to work in the field of sociology will almost certainly need to earn a bachelor’s degree in the subject. Bachelor of Arts (BA), Master of Arts (MA), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) are the most common types of sociology programs (PhD). The difficulty, length, and range of careers for which these programs prepare graduates vary.
Many colleges and universities offer undergraduate sociology programs that lead to a BA degree. These programs usually take four years to complete full-time and can be completed on a traditional college campus or, less commonly, online. Some BA in sociology programs require students to specialize in a particular area of sociology, such as aging or social inequalities, while others provide a broad overview. A BA program usually entails taking a few sociology classes as well as some electives in other subjects. While a BA in sociology may prepare students for some entry-level sociology positions, advancing in this field often necessitates a graduate degree.
MA and PhD programs in sociology are available at the graduate level. An MA in sociology is typically completed in two to three years of full-time study. Most programs require students to specialize in a specific area of sociology, and they must usually take classes in that area as well as research methods classes. Students are usually required to complete a major research project or a thesis toward the end of an MA in sociology program. With an MA in sociology, you could work in a variety of fields, including high school teaching, research, and policymaking.
The PhD in sociology is the most time-consuming and demanding of all sociology programs. It can take five years or more to complete, as with most PhD programs. Typically, students spend their first few years of college completing seminars on a variety of sociological topics. They then select a field of study and conduct original research in that field, culminating in a dissertation that must be defended in front of a committee. Graduates with a PhD in sociology may be qualified for a variety of jobs, including college teaching, counseling, and a variety of research positions.