VOLUME 34 JANUARY 2006 NUMBER 1 What Research Skills Do Sociology Undergraduates Take into the Labor Market? by William Erskine and Roberta Seniors’ Satisfaction with advising, regardless of the type of Generally, majors seem more confident Spalter-Roth, Research and Sociology Programs schools they attend. they have learned the research commu- White students responding to the nication skills presented in Figure 1— Development Department Seventy percent of students say they survey are most likely to say that they developing arguments and report are “very satisfied” with their educa- are strongly satisfied with faculty access writing—than the more technical skills ecent sociology college graduates tional experience as sociology majors. R outside of class (68 percent), while such as learning statistics and statistical are highly satisfied with their under- There are, however, significant differ- African American graduates are most software. graduate experience, according to a ences in satisfaction with aspects of likely to say they are strongly satisfied African American and Hispanic survey of 1,777 graduates in 2005, sociology programs across type of with course availability (65 percent). graduating seniors are more sanguine although the skills and concepts they schools. Almost 80 percent of majors There are no significant differences than whites about their quantitative take away from their programs may not graduating from baccalaureate-only between men and women regarding skills. About two-thirds strongly agreed, show up on their resumes. As part of a departments report strong overall overall satisfaction with their sociology compared to 55 percent of whites, that National Science Foundation-supported satisfaction, compared to about 70 program. they could interpret the results of data (NSF) survey, ASA asked seniors why percent at master’s comprehensive, and gathering. Half of African American they majored in sociology, what skills doctoral institutions. Majors at baccalau- Seniors’ Skills students, compared to 40 percent of and concepts they learned, what reate-only schools are particularly Hispanic and 36 percent of white activities they participated in, and their satisfied with access to faculty outside of Senior majors seem confident in a students, strongly agreed that they could post-graduation plans. Email addresses class, teaching quality, availability of number of skills they gained from their discuss percentages and tests of signifi- for majors graduating during the 2004/ technology, ease of obtaining the courses sociology baccalaureate programs. cance in a bi-variate table. No significant 2005 academic year were provided by 96 they needed to graduate, and interaction Figure 1 presents in descending order differences were found between men schools. Students completed an online with fellow majors. About two-thirds of the research-related technical and and women concerning statistical questionnaire hosted by Indiana respondents from masters and doctoral communication skills seniors strongly software skills. University’s Center for Survey Research. universities report strong satisfaction agree that they learned. About 70 Despite their relative pessimism This article focuses on the relation with the quality of teaching, availability percent of participating graduates about their statistical skills, graduating between skills learned and those of technology, and faculty access. strongly agree that they can identify sociology majors strongly agreed that featured on their resumes. Relatively few graduating majors are ethical issues in research, develop they learned conceptual skills that help satisfied with career or graduate school evidence-based arguments, evaluate methods, write reports, and form causal them to explain relationships between hypotheses. On the other hand, fewer institutions, social processes, and Teresa Sullivan Selected as Provost of graduates express a high comfort level individuals, and to understand how to with statistical software and statistics. change society. More than 80 percent The University of Michigan Less than half strongly agree that they strongly agree that they learned about could use leading statistical packages. See Research, page 6 Teresa A. Sullivan has been selected forward to working with President as provost and executive vice president Coleman, the vice presidents, deans and for academic affairs of the University of others in helping move UM into a bright Social Science Consortium Hosts U.S. Michigan in Ann Arbor (UM). Since future.” 2002, she has served as the Executive Science Advisor, NSF, and NIH Social Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of Labor Scholar Science Leadership* the University of Texas System, where Sullivan will also hold a tenured she was the first woman to serve in this faculty position as professor of sociology his past fall, the Consortium of Marburger reiterated the “value of the role. T at the University of Michigan. She has Social Science Associations (COSSA), of social sciences” and lamented that the Sullivan was chosen after an eight- distinguished herself as an outstanding which ASA is a founding member, held U.S. goverenment does not sufficiently month national search. The provost is scholar in labor force demographics, another well-attended annual meeting in utilize social science research approaches the chief academic and budgetary officer with a particular focus on economic Washington, DC, hosting four notable or findings. He also indicated that and is responsible for sustaining and marginality and consumer debt. Her national science policy leaders. Among solutions to today’s challenges could enhancing the University’s academic other interests include social the leaders presenting to the 70-plus more effectively arise if policymakers teaching, research, and demography, law and society, audience of COSSA societies’ representa- were to better “use the knowledge and creative excellence. She will and the sociology of cultural tives were John Marburger, the techniques developed in these fields.” oversee the activities of UM’s institutions. Most recently, President’s science advisor (a.k.a. Marburger pointed out that the social 19 schools and colleges as her research has focused on Director of the Office of Science and sciences are participating in a broad well as numerous interdisci- credit and debt in America. Technology Policy (OSTP)); David transformation that is affecting all plinary institutes and Author of six books, her Lightfoot, the director of the National sciences and that this is “changing the centers. latest include The Social Science Foundation’s (NSF) Social, tools, methods, and sociology of every “I am extremely pleased Organization of Work (2002) Behavioral and Economic Sciences field.” He attributed this transformation that Terry Sullivan will be and The Fragile Middle Class: Directorate (SBES); David Abrams, the to “extraordinary enhancements” in our joining the University and Americans in Debt (with Director of the Office of Behavioral and ability to gather, store, analyze, charac- the administration,” said UM Elizabeth Warren and Jay Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) at the terize, and communicate massive President Mary Sue Teresa A. Sullivan Westbrook, 2000), which is National Institutes of Health (NIH); and amounts of data. Because of such Coleman. The search now in its third edition and is Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). information technology advances, the advisory committee did an considered by many the leading text- These science policy leaders made social sciences, like other disciplines, are outstanding job in recruiting a large and book on the sociology of work. presentations on the role of the behav- able to more effectively participate in superb pool of candidates, from which At the University of Texas-Austin she ioral and social sciences in helping revolutionary discovery. she emerged as the clear choice for this holds appointments as professor of advance the nation’s science and Marburger revisited his April 2005 important position. Dr. Sullivan is a fine sociology and Cox & Smith Inc. faculty technology enterprises. DeLauro plea—originally delivered to the general scholar, an outstanding educator and an fellow in law. Before her current position anchored a concluding panel, which science community at the annual Policy accomplished administrator with a keen at Austin, she was the Vice President included sociologist William D’Antonio, Forum of the American Association for ability to nurture academic excellence and Dean of Graduate Studies and examining political influence of religion the Advancement of Science (AAAS)— and identify and develop strategic professor of law and sociology at Austin. in America. for the development of a new “social opportunities.” Her other administrative positions at science of science policy.” (See ASA Sullivan said of her new position, “It Austin included, vice provost, chair of Marburger on the Social Sciences Executive Officer’s column in the is an honor to join the University of the Department of Sociology, and December 2005 Footnotes, p. 2.) His hope Michigan and its excellent administra- This was Marburger’s second director of the Women’s Studies Pro- is that such a science, based partly on tive team. I am excited to get to know presentation at a COSSA annual meet- gram. She received her BA from James econometrics and partly on other social this great University and its faculty, staff ing, and he used the opportunity to Madison College at Michigan State sciences, would help national