If you’re looking for a straightforward answer, you can do a lot with a social science degree. Social science majors can explore careers in a wide variety of fields that include more than just social work. There are avenues for you to explore, and they depend on the area of specialization you select for yourself.
Social science degrees are about building strong academic foundations and skill sets that come in handy during professional responsibilities. A major in this field teaches you about society on different levels and the human behaviors that shape them. Economics, political sciences, and psychology are some common social science areas to explore.
Introduction to social sciences
Before diving into what you can do with a social science degree, learning what this qualification entails is essential. The primary objective of social sciences is to study trends in relation to human choices, interactions, and motivations when they are part of various collective settings like a company, culture, community, or society.
Critical topics and issues like national or regional cultures, sexuality, gender, sociology, anthropology, linguistics, and ethnicity or race are just some areas you can explore with a BS in Social Science. These and numerous other concentrations can give you the fundamentals you need to make a successful career in various industries.
That being said, here’s what you can do with a degree in social science:
1. Intelligence analyst
An intelligence analyst collects, evaluates, and comments on qualitative data to aid in policy or decision-making. They can work as industry intelligence analysts for government agencies or private businesses and organizations. The qualitative research, writing, and critical thinking abilities acquired throughout a social science degree program can be useful to these occupations.
An anthropological background from a specialized social science degree might be used by those who research intelligence for a certain region of the world. It might not be the highest paying job to get with a social science major, but these roles help you work with data from global sources to ascertain various trends, forecasts, and projections for various markets.
2. Human resources manager
As the name indicates, these professionals are responsible for every aspect of people management at organizations or government institutions. They advertise roles, interview candidates, hire qualified applicants for relevant positions and then manage numerous aspects like training, remuneration, and exit paperwork for employees across the board.
Although social science may not be the primary requisite for a human resource job, it can help candidates fit into this position by teaching them about the basic dynamics of employee relationships and workplace cultures. HR managers are also responsible for benefit policies, addressing the grievances of employees, and handling the paperwork for general compliance too.
3. Public relations manager
A PR manager manages an organization’s interaction with the media and the community. By preparing press releases, developing contacts with journalists, arranging interviews and press conferences, and strategizing strategic communications, PR managers oversee a team of PR experts who work to build a positive reputation for the employer organization.
4. Social worker
Children, older people, and people with disabilities are among the groups of individuals social workers try to help. They can organize assistance for both physical and mental health services, create wellness programs for communities or groups of people, or offer support to those undergoing major life changes while working for public organizations or government agencies.
With a degree in social science, workers are able to build the foundation in psychology, criminology, and sociology they require. The education provides all the right tools for the job while offering a competitive edge to excel in the field. Social workers with an education in social sciences are much better suited to fulfill their assigned roles in these domains.
5. Political consultant
This political campaign manager and communications specialist work to elect candidates or pass legislation to elected officials. In order to persuade people or those making decisions to support the positions of the person running for office or corporation they represent, they manage campaign workers, direct strategic communication plans, organize publicity events and develop consistent messages. Political consultants may benefit from education in psychology, political science, and culture.
6. Urban planner
An urban planner develops plans for managing land, organizing the location of buildings, and enhancing the neighborhood through better transportation and more accessible and safe public places. Bachelor’s degree holders in social science are well-equipped to evaluate a geographical place, humans’ effects on it, and the effects of landscape on the people who live there.
7. Psychologist
A psychologist assists people in creating positive coping strategies, routines, and methods for resolving issues with their short- or long-term mental health. There are numerous specialized areas of psychology, but a bachelor’s degree in social science gives you the psychological, sociological, cultural, and linguistic grounding you need for this position.
Your education will contain a lot about human behaviors, their evolution, and various essential elements about basic traits. This knowledge can perform wonders when trying to help patients with their mental ailments.
8. Anthropologist
Like archeologists, anthropologists research and study the development of human societies, their origins, and the behaviors that modern communities and individuals depict. They use linguistic, cultural, and archeological remains to recreate the characteristics and traits that humans of the past used to depict.
Anthropology is a part of social sciences where students study present and past societies and the people who made them. A social science degree helps pave the way for you to become an anthropologist, where you observe various patterns to find cultural connections and meanings among them. It is a job that pays well and is fascinating and exciting, all at the same time.
Conclusion
A social science degree is extremely useful because there is a whole lot you can do with it. The biggest beauty of it is that you are not limited to a particular field. There are diverse and vast opportunities to explore areas like management, biology, administration, research, and ancient findings. Having one degree that lets you experiment with so many different fields is nothing short of amazing, so if you want to decide whether to choose this area of study, go for it.
