Motivations and Self-Perceived Career Prospects of Undergraduate Sociology Students

Alexandra Valéria Sándor
Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Doctoral School of Sociology

Abstract

Sociology undoubtedly plays an important role in the world of sciences, since it provides an opportunity to examine the society in which we live and our social relationships by widely accepted means with real scientific value. As Giddings has noted, 'sociology tells us how to become what we want to be' (Giddings, 2011). However, the perception of social sciences can be controversial, as they are sometimes referred to as ‘inferior’ to natural sciences. To alleviate this discrepancy, it is essential to qualify professionals with usable knowledge in the field of sociology, know their motivations, and ensure the best career prospects to them. In this preliminary study, 18 sociology B.A. students answered 7 open-ended questions in the form of a short essay regarding their motivation in the choice of faculty, initial expectations and the fulfillment of those, the aim of studying sociology, preferred area of employment, willingness for further training, 5-year plans; and their opinion about the prospects of newly graduated sociologists in Hungary – compared to the graduates from other areas in terms of the usefulness of the knowledge gained, the perception of the profession, and earning opportunities. According to the results, future plans of the participants were very different, but all of them thought that an undergraduate sociology degree provides extensive knowledge on the functioning of society and has an attitude-forming effect that they consider extremely valuable on the labour market.


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