Types of Internships for Sociology Majors

Because sociology is such a broad field, sociology majors end up working in a variety of different industries including politics, law and social work. Not sure which field is right for you? An internship is a great way to explore your options and build your skill set while gaining some professional experience.

Here are just a few of the most common internships for sociology majors:

Political intern

Many nonprofits and legislative offices have a political intern who is dedicated to helping the political team with legislation, policy and any other related tasks. As a political intern, your duties may include sitting in on hearings held by your city or state government, drafting campaigns related to specific policies, creating policy recommendations and writing notes and briefings.

Development intern

For sociology majors who choose to work in the nonprofit world, many will find themselves focusing on helping causes gain traction and raise money. As a development intern, you’ll help your organization discover donors, raise money, keep in contact with loyal donors and apply for grants.

Social work intern

As a social work intern, you’ll work at a nonprofit to support its full-time social work staff. Depending on what type of organization you work for, your responsibilities may include becoming an advocate for a particular client or case, creating notes and briefings for case files and assisting clients in the office.

Legal intern

Whether you’re working for a nonprofit, a law firm or a government agency, being a legal intern allows you to sit in on client meetings and cases, create important briefings and keep case files organized. You’ll also get to take your learnings and apply them to a specific field or a particular problem, allowing you to really make an impact in a meaningful way.

Research intern

If you want to go to grad school or work in a research-related field, every bit of research experience you can add to your resume will make a big difference. Regardless of whether you work at an academic institution or a nonprofit, this internship will help you learn the basics of collecting, cleaning and organizing data for statistical analysis. You’ll also get to create reports from your findings and learn how to gain valuable insights by interpreting those reports.

From knowing the details behind every case file to understanding how to write a grant proposal, an internship is a wonderful and safe space for sociology majors to explore their options, learn new skills and reinvent themselves.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Sociology Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is a Panel Interview?