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Department
of Sociology and Social Work
Careers in Sociology
Careers in Social Work
Comments from Alumni
Scholarships, Internships, and
Opportunities for Students
Careers in Sociology
In this time of rapid social change, it is impossible
to anticipate fully what lies ahead. Yet, because the field of sociology
gives students a broad liberal arts preparation, it is a solid base
for many career paths. Students graduating from the Fort Hays Sociology
Program are very marketable because of the heavy emphasis on skills--research,
advanced research, interviewing, grant writing, mediation and computer
applications. These skills pave the way for interesting and fulfilling
employment opportunities and careers.
What is Sociology?
Sociology is the systematic study of social life and the social
causes and consequences of human behavior. Exposure to sociology
provides an individual with powerful tools to comprehend and understand
issues ranging from world events to relationships in their own lives.
In this increasingly complex, technological
and global economy, individuals are likely to pursue not one but
a series of careers in their lifetimes. Solid training in sociology
at the undergraduate level provides students with a strong foundation
for flexible career development.
Many students select sociology as a major because
it provides:
- a broad liberal arts base for professions such
as law, education, social work, and counseling
- a broad liberal arts preparation for entry level
positions throughout the business, government, and human services
areas
- a broad liberal arts preparation for careers
in journalism, politics, public relations, community developement,
non-profit management, and human resources
Some common occupations held by sociologists show
a diversity of career avenues:
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Careers in Social Work
Social workers are professionals who
have many different roles. They provide services to people of any
age, income, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and sexual orientation.
They help people cope with complex interpersonal and social problems
and assist in obtaining resources for people.
What is Social Work?
The historic mission of Social Work has been to help people who
are disadvantaged. Social workers today work with people from all
walks of life with all kinds of problems in all kinds of settings.
Social workers with Baccalaureate of Social Work
degrees can be found in:
Social Workers are also active in community
roles such as social planning, social action, social policy and
program development.
The Social Work Program prepares
students for baccalaureate-level entry jobs and for future graduate
study.
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Comments from Alumni
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One of the reasons I was considered for this position was that my
employer saw that I was working towards my Bachelor of Sociology
degree at FHSU and would complete this degree and would continue
on to earn a Masters in Liberal Studies from FHSU. When I joined
the FHSU Virtual College, I was scared to death. It was exactly
30 years since I had graduated from High School. If it hadn't
been for the support of Sociology Professor Rose Arnold, my
degree advisor, I don't know if I would have proceeded after
that first class. She was supportive and helped me 'plan' my
route. I must have set a new record for the number of times
a student has emailed her advisor with a question. We older
adults need assurance that we can handle the new technology
and get the support we need when pursuing a new adventure such
as this. I got that!
Jeanne Billings, B.A. in Sociology, FHSU
(FHSU Virtual College class of 2007)
Registrar, Hesston College
Hesston, Kansas
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I loved each sociology class I took and knew I was getting
a valuable education from the first day of class. My experiences
since graduating from FHSU have illustrated how the sociology
degree program provided me with countless benefits that prepared
me to excel in graduate school and be a leader in the work
place. The focus on developing strong writing skills surpasses
many other undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The
incorporation of a multicultural focus is vital to graduate
education programs and the modern workplace. In addition,
the unparalleled commitment and attention provided by department
staff provides individualized guidance and direction, essential
to navigating the professional arena and world that follows
graduation. Most importantly, each of these benefits is transferable
and valuable to a wide variety of professional and personal
endeavors. I left FHSU prepared and strengthened both personally
and professionally.
Morgan Campas-O'Hara, B.A. in Sociology, FHSU
(Class of 2003)
M.S.W. University of Denver
Intake Clinician and Patient Rights Representative
Devereux Cleo Wallace
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Since graduating in 2004, I have worked for both city governments
and private business as a planner and project manager. I am
currently the City Planner for the City of Thomasville, Georgia.
In this capacity I report directly to the City Manager, and
I am responsible for planning, zoning, code enforcement and
building review. Additionally, I am nearing completion (only
four courses left) of my Masters in Public Administration
from Troy University.
While the certificate in Community Development helped to
focus my attention on a career in city planning, it is the
reflective skills I gained through the B.A. in Sociology program
at FHSU that benefit me as a city planner. The sociology program
at FHSU focused on the development of my "sociological
imagination". It is this "imagination" that
I use daily in my endeavors to develop solutions to community
concerns.
Lee Chastain, B.A. in Sociology, FHSU
(FHSU Virtual College class of 2004)
City Planner
Thomasville, Georgia
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The Sociology Department at FHSU prepared me to become a
productive member of the labor market. Through my educational
experience I was exposed to survey research methods and survey
design. This gave me an upper hand when entering the labor
market, compared to others in my cohort. The research methods
classes in Sociology gave me the knowledge necessary to immediately
go to work with surveying in real world applications.
Upon graduation I accepted a job at the College Of Southern
Maryland, as a Research Analyst. As a Research Analyst in
the Outcomes Assessment and Research unit I was responsible
for compiling recruitment and state board of education descriptive
statistics about the college. In 2006 I returned to the Midwest,
and took a Research Analyst position with National Research
Corporation in Lincoln, Nebraska. National Research Corporation
(NRC) is comprised of four divisions: NRC Picker, The Governance
Institute, Payer Solutions, and Healthcare Market Guide. Each
division is deeply involved in some fashion or another with
the healthcare industry. I was first hired by NRC Picker division,
which conducts patient satisfaction surveys for hospitals
throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. As an
analyst, the primary goal was to align healthcare measurement
and quality improvement with behaviors identified as improving
the patient experience.
In 2007 I accepted an advancement in the NRC's Healthcare
Market Guide division (HCMG) as the division's Survey Manager.
The HCMG study is the most comprehensive consumer reported
assessment of hospitals, health plans, and health systems
in the industry. The HCMG study collects approximately 300,000
completes throughout the year in over 300 Core Base Statistical
Areas. My primary responsibilities toward ensuring the success
of the surveying include: survey design, survey implementation,
sample management, and achieving 100% accuracy in the Internet
Reporting tool used by HCMG. During my tenure with NRC I have
been fortunate enough to continue my professional development
through graduate studies at the University of Nebraska.
Knowledge and skills learned in the FHSU's Sociology methods
classes allowed me to work in research organizations right
after graduation. I have had the privilege to work in interesting
and important research positions since graduating from Fort
Hays State University in December 2005.
Ryan Nelson, B.A. in Sociology, FHSU
(Class of 2005)
Survey Manager
National Research Corporation
Lincoln, Nebraska
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More Comments from Students
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Scholarships,
Internships, and Opportunities for Students
Student Scholarships
The Department has 15 Awards of Excellence that are
given each fall to incoming freshman students who demonstrate interest
and aptitude in sociology or social work. The Department also awards
scholarships to the senior sociology student and the senior social
work student who have the highest GPA. These scholarships have been
made available through an endowment made to the Sociology and Social
Work Department in 1997 as an ongoing yearly scholarship in memory
of Mary Pancake Coffee. Book scholarships are awarded from the Lee
Van Dorsten Memorial Book Scholarship funded by family and friends
of the late Dr. Van Dorsten. Book scholarships are also awarded
from the Rose M. Arnhold Scholarship fund endowed by Judy Pfannenstiel,
a graduate of the program.
The Docking Institute of Public Affairs
The Docking
Institute provides opportunities for students interested in
survey research, focus group, research, strategic planning, community
and economic development, etc... Select students are asked to
internship with the Docking Institute and have the opportunity
to work as student staff members.
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Docking Institute Mission
The primary mission of Fort Hays State University’s
Docking Institute of Public Affairs is to facilitate effective
public policy decision making among governmental and non-profit
entities. To that end, our main services include Survey and Focus
Group Research, Economic Impact Analysis, Public Policy Analysis,
and Strategic Planning. Student Activities
Students on the Fort Hays State University campus
have a variety of organizations and activities available to them
ranging from special interest clubs and departmental organizations
to honorary societies, sororities and fraternities.
Students in the Social Work Program are eligible for
memberships in Phi Alpha, the social work honorary society. Social
Work students have a very active social work club open to pre-social
work and social work majors. The Social Work Club sponsors a Christmas
"hat and gloves" drive for children in Headstart; hosts educational
programs; conducts fund raising activities; and sponsors and hosts
the annual reception for graduating social work students.
Students majoring in sociology are eligible for memberships
in Alpha Kappa Delta, the sociology honorary society.
The Sociology Club is open
to sociology majors and non-major alike. The Club holds social events
and academic seminars to provide those students with an interest
in sociology to meet and socialize with other like-minded individuals.
The Club also conducts fundraising activities, proceeds from which
are used to allow students to attend the annual Midwest Sociological
Society Meeting each Spring.
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