College of Social Sciences, UH Mānoa
College of Social Sciences, University of Hawaii at MānoaCollege Logo
College of Social Sciences, University of Hawaii at MānoaCollege Logo

What You Can Do with a Social Science Degree

Graduates of the College of Social Sciences find employment opportunities in a wide variety of fields. Here are just a few examples of possible career paths in your chosen field.

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Accordion content.

  • Education – Teaching, research, administration.
  • Museums and Archives – Management and administration, curatorship, conservation, restoration, research, education, libraries, development.
  • Archaeology – Cultural resource management, research, excavation, fieldwork.
  • Government – Administration, cultural resource management, surveying, site management, excavation, research, museum conservation, legislative compliance review, program management and evaluation, impact assessment, policy analysis, urban planning, translation and interpretation.
  • Nonprofit – Administration, program management and development, policy analysis, fundraising and development, research, grant writing, counseling.
  • Business – Management, sales/marketing, human resources, public relations.
  • Communications – Documentary film production, photography, photojournalism, journalism, writing and editing, publishing.
  • Public relations professionals.
  • Social media strategists.
  • Broadcast journalists.
  • Writers and editors.
  • Strategic planning professionals.
  • Public policy analysts.
  • Media relations specialists.
  • Communication technology specialists.
  • Film and multimedia production professionals.
  • Marketing directors.
  • Non-profit fundraisers and outreach strategists.
  • Grant writers.
  • Managers of communication companies.
  • Managers of telecommunication companies.
  • Intercultural specialists and trainers.
  • News media producers and on-air personalities.
  • Some graduates also elect to continue their graduate studies in MA, PhD or professional programs, such as law or business, before starting their careers.
  • Government – Administrative, Legislative, and Judicial branches of government at local, state, federal, and international levels.
  • Education – Administration, teaching, student affairs, counseling, advising.
  • Nonprofit Organizations – Administration, program management and development.
  • Law – Public interest, family and juvenile, human rights, politics.
  • Conflict Resolution – Negotiation, facilitation, community and civic relations, policy analysis.
  • Education – K–12 and college teaching, research, administration, evaluation.
  • Government – Administration; land and resource management; research on county, state, and national economies; program management and evaluation; impact assessment; policy analysis; statistical agencies; Honolulu Rail Transit Project; U.S. Congress, State Legislature.
  • Nonprofit – Administration, program management and development, policy analysis, fundraising and development, research.
  • Business – Management, sales and marketing, human resources, banking, insurance, real estate, finance, ‘big data’ consulting firms, airlines.
  • Communications – Economic and business journalism.
  • Advanced Degrees – Law, public policy, public administration, public health, economics, business, urban planning.
  • Education – Teaching, research, administration, counseling, student affairs, library and information science.
  • Social Services – Administration, program management, grant writing, outreach, counseling.
  • Government – Administration, policy analyst, law making, legislating.
  • Business – Management, sales and marketing, human resources, public relations, communications.
  • Law – Legal representation, arbitration, judiciary, enforcement.
  • Cultural and Labor Organizations – Administration, outreach, programming, research, archiving and curating.
  • Communications – Documentary film production, photography, photojournalism, journalism, writing and editing, publishing.
  • Nonprofit – Administration, program management and development, policy analysis, fundraising and development, research, grant writing, counseling.
  • Environmental Planning
  • Resource Management
  • Conservation
  • Tourism
  • Social Policy Development
  • Geographic Information Systems and Digital Mapping
  • Government and Law – Public policy, research, regional planning, foreign service, law enforcement, legislation.
  • Politics – Elected or appointed leadership, campaign management, public advocacy.
  • Nonprofit – Administration, management, public relations, fundraising.
  • Business – Sales, human resources, management, advertising, public relations.
  • Journalism – Editing, reporting, circulation, sales, broadcasting.
  • Academia – Research, teaching at all levels of education.
  • Sales Representatives – The psychology major can help students acquire a range of interpersonal skills, which can be applied in a number of different sales and marketing positions.
  • Advertising Agents – Careers in this field involve researching the target audience for a product, and developing a message and advertising materials based on this research.
  • Psychiatric Technicians – Job titles in this area include psychiatric technicians, mental health technicians, and social work assistants. These individuals usually work directly under the supervision and guidance of a licensed professional.
  • Market Researchers – People working in the field of market research perform a variety of tasks, including conducting interviews, performing opinion polls, collecting data, and interpreting results.
  • Laboratory Assistants – Some settings that might employ psychology lab assistants include university psychology programs, government agencies, and businesses that study human behavior.
  • Local Government – City management, financial administration, budget analysis, general services, community affairs.
  • State Government – Legislative, Executive, Judicial branches, state agencies and programs.
  • Federal Government – Legislative, Executive, Judicial branches, or independent agencies.
  • Non-profit – Management, advocacy, program management and evaluation, policy analysis, development.
  • Political Support and Lobbying – Advocacy, political action committees, political parties, community engagement.
  • Business – Human resources, budget analysis, management, sales and marketing, management consulting.
  • International Affairs – Governance, policy making and analysis, public sector reform, poverty reduction, environmental protection, ethics.
  • Business – Human resources, management, sales, marketing, public relations, office administration.
  • Criminal Justice – Corrections, rehabilitation, law enforcement, judiciary.
  • Education – Teaching, research.
  • Government – Social statistics, demography, public administration, policy analysis, research, program development, human services, city planning, law enforcement.
  • Human Services – Counseling, case management, advocacy, mental health services, programming, administration.
  • Social Science Research – Research, data analysis, demography, market research, information sourcing. 
  • Education
  • Economic Development
  • Environmental Stewardship
  • Food Systems
  • Disaster Risk Reduction
  • Government
  • Historic Preservation
  • Housing
  • Infrastructure
  • Land Use Management
  • Planning
  • Resource Management
  • Transportation
  • Non-profit
  • Art and Media – Writer, director, producer, filmmaker, journalist, curator and artist, editor.
  • Business – Management, sales and marketing, human resources, public relations.
  • Education – Professor, researcher, administrator, counselor, teacher.
  • Human Services – Child welfare worker, domestic violence victims advocate, substance abuse prevention advocate, clinical social worker, human rights advocate.
  • Law or Politics – Lawyer, politician, legislative aide, union representative organizer.
  • Non-profit – Administration, program management and development, policy analysis, fundraising and development, research, grant writing, counseling.