[GGREENPii]

anyone has or planning to have sociology as their major here? and what kind of careers are offered for this major?
im becoming kind of interested in this major ... any advices?
and is this a competive major would u say?

[Delster]

I'm a Sociology major at UBC. I'd really like to go into Human Rights and Development later on, hopefully in finding ways to help or studying social and economic development in third world countries. But really to get into that kind of job, you're gonna have to work your ass off and make connections Another thing I'd like to do is Foreign Services with the Canadian government, in immigration services. Again, that's a very competitive field to get into. You have to write a nation wide exam and be fluent in French also (they'll train you if you're not fluent but being fluent to start off with is a huge help).

Personally, getting into it isn't competitive at all. It's getting the career afterwards that is. But then again, that can be said for a lot of Art majors.

[xstarBURST]

I am i just started out, I want to work in Human Resources or smthing like that, so i might take the Human Resources program at another school. I have to check if they offer it first before making my final decision and transferring into that school.

Oh im not sure about the schools in your area, but prepare to do a lot of readings and familiarize yourself with different sociologist and their theories.
After the Social Theory and concept course, I despise Marxism and Foucault...he writes as if punctuation doesn't exist at all.

[suki_*]

I am i just started out, I want to work in Human Resources or smthing like that, so i might take the Human Resources program at another school. I have to check if they offer it first before making my final decision and transferring into that school.

Oh im not sure about the schools in your area, but prepare to do a lot of readings and familiarize yourself with different sociologist and their theories.
After the Social Theory and concept course, I despise Marxism and Foucault...he writes as if punctuation doesn't exist at all.

cool we're in the same path.. sociology major and HRM minor totally relying on my minor to find me a job though. Sociology is fun but just be prepared for many days and nights of classical and contemporary theory... LOTS OF READING. but it does good if you want to stem into law.

[Delster]

I am i just started out, I want to work in Human Resources or smthing like that, so i might take the Human Resources program at another school. I have to check if they offer it first before making my final decision and transferring into that school.

Oh im not sure about the schools in your area, but prepare to do a lot of readings and familiarize yourself with different sociologist and their theories.
After the Social Theory and concept course, I despise Marxism and Foucault...he writes as if punctuation doesn't exist at all.

Foucault isn't too much of a problem cause you won't be reading him much, but Marx, Durkheim and Weber are like the big three of sociological theory just to warn you Structuralist theories too also have Marxist roots.

Take Rita Isola's classes for sociology! She's so open with topics when it comes to papers so I actually had a lot of fun doing it.

[suki_*]

I'm a Sociology major at UBC. I'd really like to go into Human Rights and Development later on, hopefully in finding ways to help or studying social and economic development in third world countries. But really to get into that kind of job, you're gonna have to work your ass off and make connections Another thing I'd like to do is Foreign Services with the Canadian government, in immigration services. Again, that's a very competitive field to get into. You have to write a nation wide exam and be fluent in French also (they'll train you if you're not fluent but being fluent to start off with is a huge help).

Personally, getting into it isn't competitive at all. It's getting the career afterwards that is. But then again, that can be said for a lot of Art majors.

you should try to find a network into non-profit organizations, i've heard of this great company that specializes in micro-financing for third world nations and they have a great department for HR related fields in your interest. i forgot the company name but if you're interested i can look it up for you.

Foucault isn't too much of a problem cause you won't be reading him much, but Marx, Durkheim and Weber are like the big three of sociological theory just to warn you Structuralist theories too also have Marxist roots.

Take Rita Isola's classes for sociology! She's so open with topics when it comes to papers so I actually had a lot of fun doing it.

yess i have them all in a flow chart that i made to better understand their theories and concepts if you want me to upload it i'll be glad to share ^___^v

if you are majoring in sociology you'll get exposure to both classical and contemporary theorists i find mary wolfstonecraft very good if you have a chance to pick a feminist theorist to read up on.

Simmel is very confusing cuz his theories are fragmented but once u get him he's good!

what textbook are you using??? anything by George Ritzer is going to be tough but very knowledgeable. you'll love hate his books. he's the man who wrote the mcdonaldization thesis. but the part i don't admire about this guy is... how he gets other women to write the feminist chapters in his textbooks lol

[D_K]

Can someone direct me to the essential readings in sociology?

I'm looking for fundamental research papers, essays, and books. For books, I'm heavily allergic to the textbook type. I would prefer something lighter in material, along the style of historical/biographical context.

Thanks.

[suki_*]

Can someone direct me to the essential readings in sociology?

I'm looking for fundamental research papers, essays, and books. For books, I'm heavily allergic to the textbook type. I would prefer something lighter in material, along the style of historical/biographical context.

Thanks.

Classical Sociological Theory
by George Ritzer

gives you a good biolgraphic and historical background of classical theorists.

The McDonaldization of Society
by George Ritzer

extended thesis off of weber's rationalization. This is basically a giant research paper and a good read~

WEBER: PROTESTANT ETHIC & THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM
max weber

his thesis

Theories of delinquency : an examination of explanations of delinquent behavior
Donald J. Shoemaker

I don't think there is a light read for sociology since it's alot of essays and theory... so mostly very rich in information and amounts to alotta pages. lol

u can just go to the bookstore and check out sociology and culture section they would have better suggested readings on the shelf if it's for leisure reading~

[reuniw]

My cousin is a junior in college majoring in sociology now. Her aim is to enter diplomatic service. My question: How is sociology related to diplomatic service? Is it useful it a useful major. I always though sociology was a brother to psychology. In all honesty, I thought it was pretty much dead end major careerwise. What does one do with a sociology major and what is sociology in general? Thanks for your responses.

[suki_*]

My cousin is a junior in college majoring in sociology now. Her aim is to enter diplomatic service. My question: How is sociology related to diplomatic service? Is it useful it a useful major. I always though sociology was a brother to psychology. In all honesty, I thought it was pretty much dead end major careerwise. What does one do with a sociology major and what is sociology in general? Thanks for your responses.

You can do a lot with sociology. Depending from what you want to minor (HRM) to specialize (Deviance, Criminology, Management, etc…). It’s essentially as study of society and different ways that it functions as a collective. You can study it objectively and subjectively. It builds a good foundation to a lot of different understandings of human behavior to human interaction. With that said you can go to Law School and become a lawyer (anyone can with a diff degree too), you can work as a counselor for a school, hospital, clinic, community centre, etc… If you are really hardcore about sociology you can actually conduct full fledged research either for the government or other organizations that pay you. Research can range from qualitative to quantitative all the way to cultural anthropology, qualitative research is just like cultural anthropology actually…

A sociologist can be found conducting surveys at the mall, working for the government to compile statistics, researching the latest trend of youth behavior, to researching indigenous people at an uncontacted part of the world. You can also get as specific as just studying a certain topic that is of interest and hasn’t been studied much on such as… gender relations (latest topics have been about homosexuality, bisexuality, transsexuals and transgenerism).

You gotta learn statistics too in sociology. Psychology and Sociology is very very different… even their theorists are different! We deal with people in a different way. Your cousin wants to go into diplomatic services because it deals with people and it also deals with organizational structure and planning which is also an area that sociology covers if we choose to cover during school. We’re the watchers, the people who understand one’s underlying intentions and understand their behavior and how they came to be… which ever level micro, macro or meso. Sociology can range from a study of people (gender relations, sexuality and law, etc…) to functions in society to structures in society (organizational structures, technology and mass communication, cyberspace, etc…). It’s all about finding out different types of causes for functions and dysfunctions (trying to explain crime rates, poverty, welfare, the rich, the poor, the structural segregations and hierarchy) and with that knowledge we hope to take a proactive approach to changing or improving the organizational structure of society to avoid future mishaps.

[D_K]

Classical Sociological Theory
by George Ritzer

gives you a good biolgraphic and historical background of classical theorists.

The McDonaldization of Society
by George Ritzer

extended thesis off of weber's rationalization. This is basically a giant research paper and a good read~

WEBER: PROTESTANT ETHIC & THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM
max weber

his thesis

Theories of delinquency : an examination of explanations of delinquent behavior
Donald J. Shoemaker

I don't think there is a light read for sociology since it's alot of essays and theory... so mostly very rich in information and amounts to alotta pages. lol

u can just go to the bookstore and check out sociology and culture section they would have better suggested readings on the shelf if it's for leisure reading~

Awesome. Thanks Suki.

I actually have Weber's Protestant Ethic & the Spirit of Capitalism. I didn't bother going past the first chapter because i found it rather tough to digest. I shall revisit this book when time permits.

I'll visit the library at my alma mater and check your suggestions out.

[xstarBURST]

Foucault isn't too much of a problem cause you won't be reading him much, but Marx, Durkheim and Weber are like the big three of sociological theory just to warn you Structuralist theories too also have Marxist roots.

Take Rita Isola's classes for sociology! She's so open with topics when it comes to papers so I actually had a lot of fun doing it.

I will keep that in mind when the fall semester comes, I just don't know if she's still at cap. I had soc 101 with Graham Cook, and I like the way he does his lectures... and does a whole movie recommendation after class

any ways I used Brym's book in my introduction book, and i used a book one of my profs wrote with another prof at UoT i forgot his name..
But i read an article of George Ritzer, and he was brought up again in my social theory and concepts class.

I think i did mary wolfstencraft, bell hooks and i forgot another one.
Now i wished i didn't sell my Social Theory and Concept book...


and to top it off, sociology is pretty interesting, as to PoliSci

[suki_*]

^^

yeah if you take the right courses sociology can be very interesting...i like gender and sexuality courses... alongside with deviance and criminal law down to religious cults.. lol

D__K
np PE&SC by weber is pretty boring because he's classical.

try Georg Simmel and his essay on the "Philosophy of money" he's present in both classical and contemporary but it's easier to understand where he's comming from compared to the oldies. haha

[reuniw]

You can do a lot with sociology. Depending from what you want to minor (HRM) to specialize (Deviance, Criminology, Management, etc…). It’s essentially as study of society and different ways that it functions as a collective. You can study it objectively and subjectively. It builds a good foundation to a lot of different understandings of human behavior to human interaction. With that said you can go to Law School and become a lawyer (anyone can with a diff degree too), you can work as a counselor for a school, hospital, clinic, community centre, etc… If you are really hardcore about sociology you can actually conduct full fledged research either for the government or other organizations that pay you. Research can range from qualitative to quantitative all the way to cultural anthropology, qualitative research is just like cultural anthropology actually…

A sociologist can be found conducting surveys at the mall, working for the government to compile statistics, researching the latest trend of youth behavior, to researching indigenous people at an uncontacted part of the world. You can also get as specific as just studying a certain topic that is of interest and hasn’t been studied much on such as… gender relations (latest topics have been about homosexuality, bisexuality, transsexuals and transgenerism).

You gotta learn statistics too in sociology. Psychology and Sociology is very very different… even their theorists are different! We deal with people in a different way. Your cousin wants to go into diplomatic services because it deals with people and it also deals with organizational structure and planning which is also an area that sociology covers if we choose to cover during school. We’re the watchers, the people who understand one’s underlying intentions and understand their behavior and how they came to be… which ever level micro, macro or meso. Sociology can range from a study of people (gender relations, sexuality and law, etc…) to functions in society to structures in society (organizational structures, technology and mass communication, cyberspace, etc…). It’s all about finding out different types of causes for functions and dysfunctions (trying to explain crime rates, poverty, welfare, the rich, the poor, the structural segregations and hierarchy) and with that knowledge we hope to take a proactive approach to changing or improving the organizational structure of society to avoid future mishaps.

Thank you very much Suki.

[Delster]

Just want to add to that book list, George Ritzer's Contemporary Sociologial Theory and Its Classical Roots. It does a very good job of summarizing theories (classical, contemporary and feminist theories) and defining key terms. Just remembered that book because it did a great job summarizing Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

That being said, I do enjoy Ritzer's books, I didn't know about the Feminist theory sections though! But Suki, uploading that flow chart would be very nice if you have the time, it sounds great! I'm gonna be taking another theory class this semester, on family. It sounds very interesting and I'm excited as I haven't studied family since first year intro sociology!

[suki_*]

Just want to add to that book list, George Ritzer's Contemporary Sociologial Theory and Its Classical Roots. It does a very good job of summarizing theories (classical, contemporary and feminist theories) and defining key terms. Just remembered that book because it did a great job summarizing Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

That being said, I do enjoy Ritzer's books, I didn't know about the Feminist theory sections though! But Suki, uploading that flow chart would be very nice if you have the time, it sounds great! I'm gonna be taking another theory class this semester, on family. It sounds very interesting and I'm excited as I haven't studied family since first year intro sociology!

yeah damn Ritzer, he pretty much covers everything and all the popular theorists ranging from classical to contemporary!!! yeah women started to complain about why he never had any feminist theorists in his chapters and what he did was nominate other feminists to write the chapter for him. what's worse? each male theorist has their own chapter and he has one feminist chapter with multiple feminists within it... *sigh*... it could be because the guys were more popular but it's because of the same reason why feminists are never heard because they're never published enough or studied... T____T;;

i tried to upload Karl Marx but some words keep get cut off i dunno how to fix the error but Emile Durkheim looks okay so here he is ^____^;; i spent about... 5 hours or so making this flow chart. it covers everything from Ritzer's Classical Theory book and it covers the whole Durkheim Chapter. it was great making it cuz i got to review and study along the way ^___^


P.S.
DOL = Division of Labour

EDIT.// omg.. some words are cut here too T____T;; but you sorta get the flow if you want the whole one i can send u a read only copy ^__^

[mz simmonz]

I've just switched over to being a sociology major and start classes in the fall. I'm prepared to do a lot of reading and papers, as my dean advised me..she suggested I look into being an analyst for the UN or some other large company..and I've known a few soc. majors that went on to law school so that's another option. She sounded disappointed that I'm not considering any social work though. anyway, the course offerings seem very interesting.."criminology" and "deviant behavior", etc...sounds much more exciting than "physics lab" of last year haha.

[suki_*]

I've just switched over to being a sociology major and start classes in the fall. I'm prepared to do a lot of reading and papers, as my dean advised me..she suggested I look into being an analyst for the UN or some other large company..and I've known a few soc. majors that went on to law school so that's another option. She sounded disappointed that I'm not considering any social work though. anyway, the course offerings seem very interesting.."criminology" and "deviant behavior", etc...sounds much more exciting than "physics lab" of last year haha.

yes they are! but don't be fooled cuz some courses sound interesting can be fully loaded with a bunch of theories and what not that you will have to memorize and understand for midterms and exams. so far being in sociology i never got the advantage of writing anything multiple choice... it was always short answer and essay questions.

[xstarBURST]

^well imo Short Answers and Essay questions are kind of better for us, i mean after taking 2 poli sci course with a prof who doesn't believe in MC, MC gives you a chance of getting it right. It doesn't really show that you learned anything in the course.

I can't wait to see what my school's offereing in september, i just found out i need to take 1 class to xfer schools XD

[suki_*]

^^^

well MC is good for Engineering or Math and Sciences since there is only one answer... lol

yeah it's just alot more writing and alot more explaining to do in short answer and essay question which requires more memorizing than really understanding when it comes down to the final exam since alotta profs just look for regurjitation of info.