Breadcrumb
Careers & Alumni
Graduates from our programs have the broad liberal arts knowledge and skills most consistently sought by employers: working on teams, critical thinking, analyzing and interpreting data, hands-on experiences, strong writing and speaking, and the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds (AACU 2021). Alumni report that their coursework and applied experiences helped them be successful in a wide variety of careers. By the time you complete your degree, you will have experience with designing and conducting your own research, performing data analysis, reading and writing at a high level, and making many formal and informal presentations. You will be well prepared to enter law school, a Master’s or Ph.D. program, or transition directly into the workforce.
Sociology prepares students to be transformative leaders in a variety of locations, from community activism and policy research to legal advocacy and law enforcement. Above all, students will have a solid foundation to work and effect social change.
Related job titles
- Admissions Counselor
- Attorney/Mediator
- Community Organizer
- Diplomat
- Drug Counselor
- Employment Counselor
- Health Services Consultant
- Population Analyst
- Researcher
- Urban Planner
Criminology & Justice Studies prepares students to be transformative leaders in a variety of locations, from community activism and policy research to legal advocacy and law enforcement. Above all, students will have a solid foundation to work and effect social change.
Graduates have solid skills that look good on a resume, but also have the critical thinking skills to be successful in a wide variety of careers. Employers tell us this is a desirable skill in a variety of professions. You will be able to use your sociological imagination to understand issues faced by people and groups that interact with the criminal justice system.
Students pursuing traditional criminal justice careers in law enforcement, probation, and prisons will have a solid foundation to work and effect change. Because of the breadth, adaptability, and practical applications of a liberal arts degree in CJS, graduates choose to work in many different sectors. These include, for example, non-profit, private industry, social services, education, health services, public relations, criminal justice and government, as well as graduate studies.
Related Job Titles
- Attorney
- Community Organizer/Activist
- Conflict Mediator
- Criminalist
- Crisis Response Team Worker
- Domestic Violence Service Provider
- Drug Counselor
- Law Enforcement
- Legal Advocate
- Public Defender
The knowledge and skills students gain through the Cannabis Studies program can be applied to many different careers that specialize in cannabis and other industries. These include compliance officers, research and environmental scientists, attorneys, and accounting specialists.
Related Job Titles
- Attorney
- Community Organizer/Activist
- Conflict Mediator
- Criminalist
- Crisis Response Team Worker
- Domestic Violence Service Provider
- Drug Counselor
- Law Enforcement
- Legal Advocate
- Public Defender
Whether you are a recent graduate or a working professional, our Master's Degree in Public Sociology can take you, and your career to the next level. Our Masters program is unique, with an explicit focus on Public Sociology. Public Sociology takes sociological knowledge and skills beyond the confines of the academy into the communities where these resources are much needed. In other words, we teach students to translate their work for the non-academic world and impact communities. You will choose an experience emphasis with a Teaching Sociology or Field Site Practicing Placement, and develop a capstone project portfolio or thesis. Our program is a good fit for students who need a bridge to career advancement. We also provide great preparation for students who plan to pursue a doctorate.
Related Job Titles
- College and University Professors
- Director, Career Center
- Director, Strategic Marketing & Communications
- Executive Diversity Officer
- Grant Writer
- Harm Reduction Research Analyst
- Healthcare Data Analyst
- Organizing Director, Community Organizing Network
- Policy Analyst
- Program Director, Non-profit
- Professional Advisor, College and Universities
- Research Analyst
- Research Director, Institutes and Agencies
- Senior Health Education/Health Equity Coordinator
Marketable Skills
Human Relation
- Sensitivity to people and problems
- Understanding of social processes
- Ability to represent others
- Assessing people's needs
Developing/Organizing/Managing
- Planning/designing projects
- Organizing ideas/materials/objects
- Decision-making
- Developing/generating ideas
- Adapting ideas
Communication
- Informing/explaining
- Interviewing
- Writing
Research
- Gathering information
- Analyzing & Problem solving
- Clarifying
- Organizing ideas and materials
- Reviewing/evaluating projects/ideas
- Knowledge of survey research methods
Featured Alumni
Degrees in Sociology, Criminology & Justice Studies, and Cannabis Studies have given alumni opportunities to work in their fields around the world.
Sociology Alumni
Criminology & Justice Studies Alumni
Alumni Updates
Neil L Aaland
SociologyGeography emphasis, 1979
Neil recently retired after 16 years as a sole proprietor environmental/natural resources planner and 25 years in local and state government service in Washington State. After obtaining his B.A. from HSU, he spent a year in Ohio at Bowling Green State University where he received a M.A. in Geography. He has fond memories of his time at HSU and intends to visit in retirement.
Barbara Brovelli-Moon
Sociology, 1967
Awarded the 2021 Alaska SeaLife Center's Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person or team that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy. It is sponsored by the Alaska Ocean Observing System. After retiring from over 40 years in education, Barbara Brovelli-Moon’s passion for teaching and Alaska’s wildlife continues through her company, Ocean Otter Publishing. Barbara has written and published six field guide books for children and families about Alaska’s animals, filling a niche previously unavailable to youth. Her work is a valuable resource that helps children connect to the living creatures here in Alaska and teaches them they can make a difference.
Joseph E. Torr
Sociology, 1996
Joseph Torralba, Sociology, 1996, recently retired from the Department of Justice-Bureau of Prisons after 22 years. Torralba served previously in Los Angeles and Lompoc, California. and Hazelton, West Virginia.