Sociologist - How to become a Sociologist

Sociologists are a professional who studies society and social behaviour. They do it by examining the groups, cultures, organizations, and social institutions people form. They also study the activities in which people participate, including activities conducted in social, religious, political, economic, and business organizations. Sociologists study the behaviour of, and interaction among, groups, organizations, institutions and nations, and how they react to phenomena such as the spread of technology, crime, social movements, and epidemics of illness. There are many job scopes for them after passing their degrees in Sociology both graduate and postgraduate. They need deep human behaviour understanding skills. 

Sociologist Eligibility

Educational Qualification
Students should have a Bachelor’s Degree for becoming a Sociologist.

Sociologist Required Skills

• Sociologists possess excellent written and oral communication skills as they have to report research findings and to collaborate on research.
• They also need intellectual curiosity and creativity because they constantly are seeking new information about people, things, and ideas.
• They also have the ability to think logically and methodically also is essential in analyzing complicated issues, such as the relative merits of various forms of government.
• Sociologists possess broad training and education in analytical, methodological, conceptual, and quantitative and qualitative analysis and research.
• They should also have skills like broad training and education in analytical, methodological, conceptual and quantitative and qualitative analysis and research.

Institutes offering Courses for Sociologist

• University of Pune, Pune
• University of Mumbai, Mumbai
• Annamalai University, Cuddalore
• Bangalore University, Bangalore 

How to become Sociologist?

One has to follow the given steps for becoming a Sociologist:

Step 1
Here, initially, students have to earn a Bachelor's Degree. As we know, some of them come from different academic backgrounds, but some of the most common degrees for people in this profession include sociology, statistics, English and psychology. Many institutes offer courses in India in Sociology both undergraduate and postgraduate.

Degree courses:

• B.A. (Hons) (Sociology)
• B.A. (Sociology)

Educational qualification
For graduation courses, they must be 12^th class pass with sociology as one of the subjects.

Step 2
After earning a Bachelor's Degree, students need to enrol in a postgraduate program and earn either a Master's Degree or a PhD. The type of degree that they pursue, depending on what their professional goals are.

Post graduation courses:

• M.A. (Sociology)
• M.Phil. (Sociology)
• PhD (Sociology)

Educational qualification
For Masters’ degrees, they must have been passed graduation with sociology as one of the subjects.

Sociologist Job Description

Sociologists also trace the origin and growth of these groups and interactions; they analyze how social influences affect different individuals and groups, and the ways organizations and institutions affect the daily lives of those same people. To analyze these social patterns, sociologists usually begin by designing research projects that incorporate a variety of methods, including historical analysis, comparative analysis, and quantitative and qualitative techniques.

Sociologist Career Prospects 

• Sociologists can find work conducting policy research for consulting firms, and their knowledge of society and social behaviour may be used as well by a variety of companies in product development, marketing, and advertising.
• They can also work for the government and social services agencies, where they may help lawmakers understand more about issues impacting poverty, drug use, crime, or other social issues.
• Sociologists also work in business, human resources and journalism sector.
• They also work closely with economists, political scientists, anthropologists, psychologists and social workers.
• People with sociology degree most often choose to teach as a profession, teaching in a college/universities level. 

Sociologist Salary 

The salary of Sociologists depends on the education and experience of an individual, as well as on the location and kind of job. The salary can be from Rs.6,000 to Rs.10,000 for beginners and increases with experience and knowledge. Those employed under government sector earn in a range of Rs.8,000 to Rs.10,000 per month. For lecturers in colleges, salary will be as per UGC norms. A higher salary can be expected for those who are working in industries and corporate houses.