I ryne,
Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology,
2005 graduate
- what was the main benefit for you as a former Sociolgy student?
To me, the main benefit of studying Sociology was not only obtaining deep knowledge of different social sciences (Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, etc.) but what’s much more important – developing an ability to think, to express my thoughts, to discuss and reflect on various topics, being able to participate in conversations and argue my personal opinion. The amount of knowledge you obtain is impressive, but most of it you will never use in your life, even if you end up working in that field. What’s much more precious is that, unlike any other discipline, Sociology teaches you to be a smart, intelligent, well-versed human being that can adopt anywhere in society. This is the only science that studies society as a whole and, at the same time, as a conglomerate of various facets. You can study anything you’re interested in: there’s sociology of individual, sociology of sport, of family, art, demography, etc, etc, etc. So my point is: after you graduate, you can be whatever you want. You can adopt anywhere in society after you’ve learned its rules.
- what was the most pleasant/challenging for you personally while studying and after having graduated?
While studying, the most pleasant aspect was realizing that I was a student of the best and most successful university in the country that employed most educated, experienced and qualified professors. I trusted them, I respected them and I believed that their input would help me become a successful intelligent person. After graduating, the pleasant part was realizing that my beliefs were true. :)
One of the greatest challenges while studying was to be able to catch up with the busy schedule and digest that amount of information that was necessary for passing all the tests successfully. They certainly don’t let you relax too much there.
After graduating… no challenges really. One would probably think that the biggest challenge would be to find a job in the field. I didn’t have that problem due to some unexpected circumstances… :) And it doesn’t look like anyone in our group had that problem either. Now, after 4 years, everyone is employed, some are outside of the country. :)
- if you were a 1st year student now, what would you have changed/have done differently in your attitude to studies?
If I were a 1st year student now… Holy cow, I’d hang myself. Just kidding… I wouldn’t change a thing. I like the way it worked out for me. Just one advice for the students: be proactive. Talk, express your opinion, don’t be afraid to look stupid. Any opinion is valuable. Make teachers remember you and gain respect.
A
nna,
Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology,
5th year student
- what was the main benefit for you as a former Sociolgy student?
As a sociology student, I enjoyed much of the things in the academy I think unavailable to many other students, even in the social sciences and humanities. Being a sociology student allows you to participate actively in a huge range of activities, and not only as a student but as an active citizen, too. With Sociology as a ‘major’ I took part in several projects where wide knowledge on society was requested. Those who study Physics or, say, Linguistics, are often unaware of the problems around us. And with Sociology you can be always up-to-date. That was what I personally enjoyed in Sociology. If you had a philosophical twist, you could join some Philosophy classes and contribute to them successfully. If you read History, you could not but watch behind the lines, and that was distinctive of Sociology, too, I think. In the end, studying Sociology has taught me not to trust what people say, even if they speak from the bottom of their heart. ‘Everyone lies’, as one protagonist would put it. Critical thinking, or being not that naїve as otherwise you’d be expected to, is what I enjoyed in studying Sociology most.
- what was the most pleasant/challenging for you personally while studying and after having graduated?
The most pleasant thing for me during my studies was, by far, communication. It was at university that I have found a few people with whom it is interesting to talk, to discuss, and to share something that is important for you professionally and intellectually. University environment presents many opportunities for different projects, for cooperation, although this may be not that obvious at first sight. The thing is, you never know what comes next, and with people around you and you personally changing dramatically in these five years, it is always a matter of fulfilling your projects that comes easiest and hardest at the same time.
Normally, our students as well as tutors are not used to extra-curricular activities. They are always implied but rarely put into life. And as you grow older (from being a fresher to a senior student) you realise that intellectual projects you were ready to do (or did) earlier were really challenging, and now you would hardly risk doing them again.
As far as it concerns ‘after-having-graduated’-experience, the hardest thing is to get accustomed to the way of life of the ‘adult’. No more spontaneous parties, no more selectiveness in the things you are to attend, I guess. It is often said that studentship is something quite extraordinary in everyone’s life, and I would agree probably. You are always in a unique situation, but with university, it is quite a promising situation, too.
- if you were a 1st year student now, what would you have changed/have done differently in your attitude to studies?
Hmm, that’s an interesting question. It seems to me that 1st-year students now enjoy more opportunities in terms of access to information and personal freedom as well. What you learn in your first year is something that shapes very much your frame of thinking later on, and although I do not remember having much free time in my first year, I would encourage myself to be curious behind the curriculum any time it were possible. I think that every year is different from another, and if I were now in the 1st year, I would be a much richer in terms of opportunities that I would have around me. Unfortunately, it takes time to realise what you can do, or could have done, but it is the best thing, I think, to be independent in your studies as much as one can afford to. Studies are like an endless, Alice-like journey. Being always curious is something that I would wish myself were I a 1st-year student now.
Task 2 Now work with your group-mate from the other group answer the questions about the person you have read:
1. What is the person’s name and educational status?
2. What personal benefits did this person get from having Sociology as “major”?
3. What is the peculiarity of Sociology?
4. What was the most pleasant aspect of studying, for this person?
5. What was the greatest challenge?
6. Do you appreciate the advice given by this person? Do you think it is a good idea to follow it?
Fill in the chart with Iryne’s and Ann’s answers:
Iryne |
Ann |
You |
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2.
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2. |
2. |
3.
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3. |
4.
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4. |
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In the third column write your own comments on the information that you got from Ann’s and Iryne’s answers. Do you share their opinion, or maybe your opinion is different?
Task 3. Find in the texts the words and word combinations that can be translated as:
сочетание различных элементов;
успевать в перегруженном учебном плане;
«переваривать» объем информации;
ой, я шучу, конечно!
иметь философскую «струнку»;
реализовывать свои планы (проекты);
предоставлять множество возможностей;
привыкнуть;
доступ к информации;
Task 4. Write a short e-mail to Ann or Iryne about the way you see your present and future studies of Sociology at the BSU.
To: __________________________________ From: ________________________________ Date: ________________________________ Subject: _______________________________ __Dear ____________, __How are you? I am a fresher in Sociology and I have read your interview about your experience as a Sociology student. I think ______________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ _Best regards,_______________
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Additional Texts
Sociology: Looking to the Future
The future appears bright for sociology. The next century may be the most exciting and critical period in the field's history. People increasingly realize that we must renew attempts to understand, ameliorate, or solve problems in the United States and around the world--problems that affect individuals, like alcoholism or unemployment, and problems that affect societies, like ethnic conflict or environmental pollution. Some of the best employment prospects may be in policy research and administration, in clinical and applied sociological practice, as well as in the traditional areas of teaching and basic research.
During the last part of this century, the demand for college professors should increase because of high rates of retirement among "baby boom" faculty and the predicted growth in college student populations in the late 1990s. Internationalization of both higher education and the profession of sociology will also lead to new opportunities inside academia and in applied settings.
There are increasing opportunities in what Jeremy Rifkin calls "the third sector," the careers serving a post-industrial economy. Sociology is ideal preparation, both in its general liberal arts underpinning, as well as in the skills sociology hones particularly well: the ability to take in the big picture, the ability to bring multiple sources of information and data to bear on a problem, the ability to take the role of the other, and the ability to communicate to different audiences.
All this makes for an optimistic employment picture for sociology graduates. Because of its appeal as a career that is intrinsically fascinating and allows one to contribute to the common good, many talented people are drawn to sociology. The field remains exciting and competitive.
http://www.butler.edu/career/?pg=336http://www.butler.edu/career/?pg=336