What Can I Do With a Social Science Degree?

A social science degree is a powerful academic foundation. According to Portland State University, this course of study provides students with the opportunity to develop skills employers value in their employees, such as oral and written communication, interpersonal, teamwork, technical, analytical, critical thinking, organizational and problem-solving skills. The degree is like a resume that writes itself. What you do with this degree depends completely on your personal interests.

Social Services

An interest in social science may also indicate a desire to help people improve their lives. A social worker's role is to directly help people cope with issues in everyday life. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), social workers help people deal with relationship or family troubles or help clients who face a disability, a life-threatening disease or a social problem, such as inadequate housing, unemployment or substance abuse. They may also be involved in child- or spousal-abuse cases.

In addition to a bachelor's degree, each state also requires that applicants complete a licensing program before becoming social workers. Social and human services assistants, however, are not licensed and work to assist social workers in many cases, but their pay is considerably lower. The average social worker, depending on what part of the industry he works in, will earn between $32,000 and $48,000 per year, according to the BLS.

Education

A social science degree combined with a teaching certificate is a great way to get into K-12 teaching or adjunct teaching positions at the university level. Portland State University lists kindergarten teachers, elementary teachers, high school teachers, adjunct professors, academic advisers and library technicians as positions obtained by recent graduates of its social science program.

Public Administration

Government and nonprofit organizations have many administrative positions, and social science graduates are well suited for the roles, according to the University of Alaska's School of Arts and Sciences. From office administrators and executive director positions in charity organizations to government program offices, social science students have a wide array of options when it comes to their career paths.

References

• University of Alaska: What You Can Do with a Degree in Social Science
• Portland State University: What Can I Do With a Degree in Social Science?
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Social Workers