Findings From ASA Surveys of Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD
Recipients: Implications for Departments in a Jobless Recovery
Roberta Spalter-Roth Director of Research
American Sociological Association
Overview Purpose: Results from studies about sociologists’
participation in the non-academic job market. List of surveys used
“What Can I Do with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology?” 3 year longitudinal survey starting in 2005
“What Can I do with a Master’s Degree in Sociology?” 3 year longitudinal survey starting in 2006
“Beyond the Ivory Tower: Professionalism, Skills Match in Sociology” (non-academic PhD survey) One-time survey, 2006
Students are particularly satisfied with the quality of teaching, their ability to see faculty outside of class, the availability of technology, the availability of courses they need to
graduate, and the interaction with fellow majors. Students at baccalaureate schools are the most satisfied with these aspects of their major (about 80 percent).
8.7
13.4
46.9
52.8
60.0
60.9
63.4
68.5
69.0
12.8
19.3
46.1
58.7
51.5
62.6
64.2
67.1
68.2
12.8
17.6
55.4
68.9
70.9
75.7
82.4
70.9
77.7
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Graduate school advising
Career advising
Undergraduate advising
Interaction with fellow majors
Getting courses needed tograduate
Quality of teaching
Ease in seeing faculty outside ofclass
Access to necessary technology
Overall Satisfaction withExperiences
Baccalaureate & OthersMastersDoctoral
Figure 1. Senior Majors' Overall Satisfaction with Outcomes of Sociology Programs by Type of School Attended: 2005(Percent Very Satisfied; Weighted Data)
Source: ASA Research and Development Department, What Can I Do With a Bachelors in Sociology? A National Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology Wave I, 2005.
Majors who intend to go into the workforce directly after graduation are most likely to participate in activities outside the classroom that expose them to the workforce. Majors who go on to graduate school participate in sociology clubs or are mentored by faculty
through working on research projects, as well as other scholarly activities.
On-the-JobTraining/Networking
ScholarlySocialization
Mentoring Activities
68.5%
Figure 2. Senior Majors' Participation in Broad Categories of Activities: 2005(in percents)
30.2% 28.8%
Source: ASA Research and Development Department, What Can I do With a Bachelor's in Sociology? A National Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology Wave I, 2 005 and Wave II , 2007.
The highest percentage of responding senior majors report that they will list their ability to use statistical packages in the social sciences on their resumes (with 4 out of 10 strongly agreeing
that they will list this skill), yet, this is the same skill that these majors were least likely to strongly agree that they learned. These results suggest a mismatch between vocational skills
used in job searches and the conceptual and methodological skills learned as part of the sociology curriculum.
25.6
28.5
30.5
33.6
33.0
35.2
39.1
32.3
34.4
37.5
37.4
37.2
41.7
44.7
23.0
25.7
38.5
35.1
37.8
40.5
40.5
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Identify ethical issues inresearch
Evaluate different researchmethods
Use computer resources todevelop reference list
Develop evidence-basedarguments
Interpret the results of datagathering
Write a report understandableby non-sociologists
Use statistical software (SPSS,SAS, STATA)
Baccalaurate & OthersMastersDoctoral
Source: ASA, Research and Development Department, What Can I Do With a Bachelors in Sociology? A National Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology Wave I, 2005.
Figure 3. Top Seven Skills Listed by Graduating Senior Majors on their Resumes by Type of School: 2005 (Percent Listing Skill on Their Resume; Weighted Data)
During their senior year, nearly a quarter of students planned on attending graduate school after graduation, yet only 13.1% ended up doing so as of 2007. A large majority of
students reported working while not enrolled in a graduate program 2 years after graduation.
42.1%
60.3%
22.2%
13.1%
26.9%22.0%
8.8%
4.7%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Job Only Grad School Only Both Neither
20052007
Source: ASA Research and Development Department, What Can I do With a Bachelor's in Sociology? A National Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology Wave I, 2005, and Wave II , 2007.
Figure 4. More Sociology Bachelor's Recipients are in the Labor Market Plans for Future in 2005 versus Status in 2007
Two-years after graduation, about one-quarter of former majors employed full-time are in social service and counseling occupations, most in non-profit organizations dealing
with a variety of social problems they explored as part of the major.
Source: ASA Research and Development Department, What Can I do With a Bachelor's in Sociology? A National Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology Wave II, 2007.
Table 1. Types of Occupations of Sociology Bachelor's Degree Recipients: 2007
Occupation Example %
Social Services, Counselors, Psychologists
Oversee AIDS outreach team 26.5%
Administrative support Scheduler for State Representative 15.8%
Management Handle employment and labor relations
14.4%
Marketing Planning and developing marketing strategies
10.1%
Services Crime scene technician 8.3%
Teachers, Librarians Provide reference, research, and database searching
8.1%
Social Science, Researchers Research climate change policies 5.7%
Others Professionals Website design 6.8%
Other 4.4%
Source: ASA Research and Development Department, What Can I do With a Bachelor's in Sociology? A National Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology Wave II, 2007.
Those who communicated their sociological skill set to potential employers in interviews and/or on resumes were more likely to use them on the job, which led to increased
satisfaction in jobs that were closely related to sociology.
Skills
Resume
Educated parents
Type of School
Interview
RaceOn-the-job activities
Closeness to Sociology
Job Satisfaction
Figure 5. Sociology Bachelor's Degree Recipients' Pathways to Job Satisfaction
Source: ASA Research and Development Department, What Can I do With a Bachelor's in Sociology? A National Survey of Seniors Majoring in Sociology Wave I, 2005 and Wave II , 2007.
There are significant differences between applied and traditional master’s programs. The greatest differences are that applied programs are significantly
more likely to offer an internship program and to offer on-line courses.
Table 2. Comparison of Characteristics of Master's Programs*
Master's Program Characteristics
Departments Offering a Professional,
Applied, or Clinical Track
Departments Without a Professional,
Applied, or Clinical Track
Master's thesis required 56.6% 58.3%
Non-thesis option 70.4% 68.8%
Internship required 33.3% 4.1%
Has an external advisory board
9.8% 2.0%
Faculty members have non-academic professional experience
33.3% 24.5%
Majority of candidates received their BAs from the same department
40.4% 20.4%
Offers online master's courses
26.9% 2.0%
* Includes freestanding master’s programs only.
Source: ASA 2009 Survey of Graduate Directors
12.214.2
28.331.431.6
36.833.7
38.7
46.142.643.1
45.042.1
47.943.6
50.0Seeing faculty out of class
Ease of getting core courses
Interacting with fellow students
Availability of technology
Quality of teaching
Quality of advising
Overall satisfaction
Quality of career preparation*
Do not expect a PhD Expect PhD
Figure 6. Satisfaction with Activities Varies by Future Degree Plans for Master's Students(Percentage of Respondents Selecting "Very Satisfied")
Source: ASA Research Development Department, What Can I Do With a Master's Degree in Sociology? 2009
*statistically significant, chi square (p < 0.05)
The study of master’s students show less overall satisfaction with their programs than baccalaureate students (less than 13% compared to more than 2/3). Along with
baccalaureate students, master’s students are similarly not satisfied with career preparation.
56.2
61.3
63.6
66.8
71.0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Interpret findings
Write a report
Computer skills
Organizeinformation
Work with people
Source: ASA Research Development Department, What Can I Do With a Master's Degree in Sociology? 2009
Figure 7. Skills Used by Sociology Master's Recipients Most Often on the Job (in percents)
Even though 2/3 of jobs require technical skills including computer, organizational, and report-writing skills, master’s graduates report that “people skills” are the most widely
used skills in their jobs.
16.6
17.1
18.9
29.0
32.3
57.6
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Stat packages
Graphics packages
Field specialization
Internships
Career counseling
Grant writing
Source: ASA Research Development Department, What Can I Do With a Master's Degree in Sociology? 2009
Figure 8. What Do Working Sociology Master's Grads Wished They Had Learned? (in percents)
The majority of master’s graduates wished they had learned grant-writing skills.
Working Full-Time Jobs 40%
Attending Graduate School 60.0%
Program Coordination & Management Case Work & Counseling
Table 3. Where Are They? Master's Degree
Recipients: 2009
Research Assistants, Associates, Directors
Source: ASA Research Development Department, What Can I Do With a Master's Degree in Sociology? 2009
The majority of master’s graduates were attending graduate school during the 2009 short follow-up survey. The 40% who were working in full time jobs clustered into 3 types of
occupations: Research, Program Coordination and Case Work/Counseling.
The largest group (36%) of PhD sociologists are in applied, research, and policy positions in the private, not for profit sector and another 32% are working in the government sector.
26%
33%
28%
13%
18%
36%
32%
14%
Private-For Profit Private Not-for-Profit Government Self-Employed & Other Sector
NSF (1997-2003) ASA Survey
Figure 9. PhD Sociologists Working in Non-Academic Employment Sectors (Percentage of Total Non-Educational Labor Force)
Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond the Ivory Tower: A Survey of Non-Academic PhD's in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2006); National Science Foundation, Science Resource Statistics, Characteristics of Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in the United States (Arlington, VA: NSF, 1999-2006), retreived December 15, 2006 (http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/pubseri.cfm?seri_id=13#1993).
Applied and public sociology PhD sociologists work on a wide variety of topics, with close to 1/3 working on health issues.
1.9
2.3
2.9
2.9
4.5
4.8
4.8
5.2
6.5
10.0
10.0
14.2
30.0
Life Course
Economics and Community Development
Substance Abuse
Other Topic Areas
Marketing
Social Policy, Human Rights, Public Affairs
Psychology
Environment
Law, Criminal Justice, Military/Homeland Security
Demography and Migration
Statistics
Education
Health
Figure 10. Topical Area Characteristics of Non-Academic PhD Sociologists (Percentage of Respondents)
Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond the Ivory Tower: A Survey of Non-Academic PhD's in Sociology (Washington, DC: ASA, 2006).
Applied and public sociology PhD sociologists think that the best training they received was in research design and statistical analysis.
NOTE: Under Trained: Important skills for current job but less than adequate training in graduate school. Well Matched Job Skills and Training: Important for current job and adequate graduate training. Over Trained: Less important skill for current job although adequate graduate training.
4.010.9
5.211.2
78.0
54.4
63.0
46.3
18.0
34.7 31.9
42.6
Research Design Survey Methods Statistical Analysis PC Programming &Stats Software
Undertrained Well Matched Job Skills and Training Overtrained
WELL MATCHED JOB SKILLS & GRADUATE TRAININGQuantitative & Survey Research Tools
Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond The Ivory Tower: A Survey for the Ford Foundation of Non-Academic PhD’s in Sociology: First Results (Washington, DC: ASA, 2005, p.4).
Figure 11. Skills Match between Graduate Training and Current Job for PhD Sociologists Working in Applied and Research Settings (Percentage of Respondents)
Applied and public sociology PhDs think that more training is needed in preparing visual presentations, grant writing and program evaluation.
Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond The Ivory Tower: A Survey for the Ford Foundation of Non-Academic PhD’s in Sociology: First Results (Washington, DC: ASA, 2005, p.4).
Figure 12. Skills Match between Graduate Training and Current Job for PhD Sociologists Working in Applied and Research Settings(Percentage of Researchers Responding)
NOTE: Under Trained: Important skills for current job but less than adequate training in graduate school. Well Matched Job Skills and Training: Important for current job and adequate graduate training. Over Trained: Less important skill for current job although adequate graduate training.
49.1
60.6 59.7
51.9
26.4 25.1
13.5
22.124.5
14.3
26.7 26.0
Policy Analysis Visual Presentation Grant Writing Program Evaluation
Under Trained Well Matched Job Skills and Training Over Trained
LESS WELL MATCHED JOB SKILLS & GRADUATE TRAININGApplied Research Administration & Communications
Applied and public PhD sociologists want more career information and less snobbery.
1.8
1.8
4.1
5.9
7.3
7.3
9.6
12.3
15.1
16.4
18.3
Organizational dynamics
Theoretical grounding
Sectoral and topical issues (e.g., health, education, housing, transportation, globaltrade)
Grant w riting
Policy orientation (legislative process, policy analysis and development)
Interdisciplinary courses and collaborations
Project and business management
Communications: Writing for lay public, data presentation
Mentoring and netw orking (outside of academy) Internships, w orking w ith clients
Various methods of applied or evaluation research (biostatistics, experimental design,advanced modeling, demographic methods, ethnography)
Information about non-academic careers and reduce snobbery
Figure 13. PhD Respondent Recommendations for Improving Graduate School Curriculum(Percentage of Respondents)
Source: American Sociological Association, Research and Development Department, Beyond The Ivory Tower: A Survey for the Ford Foundation of Non-Academic PhD’s in Sociology: First Results (Washington, DC: ASA, 2005, p.4).
Suggestions for a “Jobless Recovery”
Understand that a large majority of baccalaureate and master’s graduates go into the paid labor market rather than to graduate school. The majority of those who go on to graduate school do not go on in sociology.
Departments need to learn how to guide students to focus on careers that use their sociological skills without becoming career counselors. ASA’s Launching Majors into Satisfying Careers http:/ / e-noah.net/ asa/ asashoponlineservice/ ProductDetails.aspx?productID=ASAOE630R10 has many suggestions, as does information on the ASA career page.
Set up external advisory boards, internships, alumni sessions, and other ways for students to network with non-academics.
Suggestions (cont.)
Include grant-writing, graphics, and evaluation skills either in your department or via on-line courses or other departments.
Ensure students learn research and computer skills and list these on their resumes.
Emphasize health care as a subject area via courses on medical sociology, internship programs, or pairing with a professional program.
Show data presented here to careers departments so they have a better idea of what sociologists do.
Emphasize how sociology teaches about race, class, gender and working with diverse groups.
Encourage PhD students to think about non-academic careers.
