What Can I do With a Degree in Social Science?

The short answer is that you can do a lot. Your social science degree prepares you for many careers in many fields.

That's great, isn't it? Many possible careers... But if many careers are possible, how will you choose among the possibilities?

Social science is a powerful academic foundation that provides you with the opportunity to develop skills employers value in employees. These include: oral and written communication, interpersonal, teamwork, technical, analytical, critical thinking, organizational, and problem solving skills.

Remember that your social science major, in and of itself, does not determine your career path. No major does — not business, not psychology, not biology.

It's up to you to determine which career is right for you, but you don't have to do it alone. The Career Center can help you with the process of identifying your preferred skills, interests, and values, and identifying potential careers to explore. We can also help you think about how your coursework relates to the world of work and how to effectively describe your educational background to employers.

Job Titles of Recent PSU Social Science Graduates

Places of Employment of Recent PSU Social Science Graduates

Vocational Biographies

Vocational Biographies describes the career success stories of 1001 real people. Search by career title, keyword, topic, and career cluster. Username: portland su and pass code: 3w9n.

Sites with Career-Related Information for Social Science Majors

• What Can I do With a Major in Social Science — Lists jobs obtained by social science graduates. From the Career Center at the University of Minnesota, Morris, Minnesota.

Sites with Job Search Resources for Social Science Majors

• See Links to Job Search Sites from the PSU Career Center.
• Federal Jobs by College Major — From USAJobs. "...Groups Federal jobs that are often filled by college graduates with appropriate academic majors. As you study the table, please keep these facts in mind: (1) The jobs listed under each major are usually examples, not an all-inclusive list. (2) Many jobs do not require a college degree; job-related experience is just as good. And (3), you can qualify for a large number of administrative jobs with a degree in any academic major."
• League of Oregon Cities — Intern Placement and Referral Service

Places of Employment

Students with degrees in social science develop skills that are valued by employers. They may find employment in government, nonprofits, social services, educational institutions, and businesses, depending on their skills, experience, and interests. Internships or relevant part-time jobs may be a prerequisite to finding employment in some fields.

The following list of employers and job titles was derived from the Career Center's jobs database where the employer specifically requested social science majors. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for social science majors. This list does not reflect current openings; it is meant to show some typical job listings.

• Associated Services for International Adoption (ASIA) — International Adoption Coordinator
• Benton County — Parole & Probation Sergeant
• Cascadia Behavioral HealthCare — Counselor I, Counselor III
• City College of San Fransisco — Institutional Research Officer
• Clackamas Community College — Student Services Coordinator, Workforce Development Specialist
• Community Action Organization — Community Resource Advocate
• Contra Costa County — Victim/Witness Assistance Program Manager
• Cowlitz County -- Probation Counselor I or II, Probation Officer, Health Educator
• C-Tran — Training & Compliance Specialist
• Dirkse Counseling & Consulting —- Vocational Consultant
• Doernbecher Children's Safety Center — Safety Advocate
• Evergreen State College — Coordinator of International Programs and Services
• Gartner, Inc. — Custom Researcher-Methodology
• Hopelink — Child Development Manager
• Human Services Council — Interpreter Services Coordinator, Information Specialist - Senior Information & Assistance, Case Management Supervisor, Employment Transportation Coordinator I
• Human Solutions — Family Advocate: Bilingual English/Spanish
• Jackson County — Community Justice Director
• Knowledge Learning Corporation — Senior Human Resources Specialist
• Lane Education Service District — Gender Equity/Career Coordinator
• Lifeworks NW — Medical Case Manager
• Loaves & Fishes Centers, Inc. — Center Manager
• Luke-Dorf, Inc. — Residential Counselor
• Metropolitan Family Services — Program Coordinator
• Morrison Center Child & Family Services — Program Coordinator
• Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) — Financial Aid Coordinator
• Multnomah Education Service District — Oregon Trail Field Instructor
• North Santiam Watershed Council — Education and Outreach Coordinator
• Northern Arizona University — Career Service Specialist
• Northwestern Mutual Financial Network — Financial Representative
• Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) — Project Delivery Training Program Coordinator
• Oregon Department of Education — Dormitory Operations Manager (Dormitory Program Supervisor)
• Oregon Judicial Department, Oregon Courts — Juvenile Court Programs Analyst
• Oregon Office of Homeland Security — Program Analyst 2
• Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) — Operations and Policy Analyst I
• Oregon Social Learning Center — Bilingual Assessor
• Oregon State University — Assistant Director - COAS Student Programs
• Outside In — Housing Specialist
• Portland Community College (PCC) — Career Specialist
• Portland State Department of Sociology — Research Associate/Project Manager
• Portland VA Medical Center — Health Science Specialist (Clinical Coordinator)
• REACH Community Development, Inc. — Tenant Services Coordinator, Rose Apartments (TSC)
• SAIF Corportation — Claims Adjuster Trainee, Claims Adjuster, Training and Development Manager, Employee Relations and Employment Manager
• Sisters of The Road — Project Associate
• Tongue Point Job Corps Center — Residential Living Supervisor
• TriMet — Community Relations Specialist
• Umpqua Community College — Upward Bound/Educational Talent Search Director
• Universal Forest Products — Wood Technologist
• Westmark Industries — Outside Sales Representative
• Yakima Valley Community College — Workforce Education Grant Coordinator

Related Social Science Sites Available From the Career Center

The following pages may have additional information and ideas for careers. What Can I do With a Major/Certificate/Minor in: