School of Social, Historical and Literary Studies

Career prospects: Sociology

As a sociology graduate from Portsmouth you will have developed a range of capabilities and skills that are valued by prospective employers and are easily transferable to the workplace.  You will have the capacity to analyse arguments and interrogate data, to handle information from a variety of sources, to manage and analyse large amounts of complex information, to undertake independent and team-based research, to construct and communicate reasoned arguments, to write in a concise and informative way and to manage your own time and projects efficiently. You will also have developed excellent written and oral presentation skills, essential qualities in a graduate. These transferable skills are used in a wide range of career opportunities across the private, public and voluntary sectors.

In addition, the subject specific skills of a sociology graduate are highly valued by employers. The in-depth of knowledge of human societies, the ability to critically evaluate central issues affecting society and the capacity to gain insights into how people respond to a variety of situations will enhance your employability in a range of fields. Graduates from our sociology degree programmes pursue careers in a wide variety of professions, including the police force, housing services, local government, youth work and the civil service. Many have also entered careers in marketing, advertising, journalism, banking and finance. Some also continue their education in postgraduate programmes of study, either related to their sociology degree or that take them into specific careers like law, social work, teaching, probation, counselling and journalism.