Members

Society (or Social Sciences)

If you have ever stopped to think about issues such as poverty, crime or drug misuse, then you are interested in people and the way they live  this is also known as society. A career in society would involve dealing with people, looking after their interests and helping to improve their lives.

Because this area is so varied, there are many types of jobs that you can do. As well as looking at how needs are met, you could also investigate social problems and how we can work to make things better. Subjects such as politics, sociology, international relations, law and criminology are just some of the many degrees that you can study.

Politician

Some people say that they are not interested in politics, but what they forget is that politics affects absolutely everyone in one way or another. If you have ever talked about Live Aid, or wondered why you have to stay at school until you are 16, then you’ve actually been discussing political issues.

The term Member of Parliament usually refers to a politician who sits in the House of Commons in Westminster. Just like a class representative looks after the needs of the class, an MP will look after the needs of the people in their area (or constituency). It is an MPs job to represent their constituency as new laws or issues are debated.

Solicitor

A solicitor provides advice and assistance on the law. They can work in a general law firm, or they may specialise and work for the government or an organisation such as a bank or university. In smaller firms they will work with people who are dealing with more personal situations, such as moving house, divorce or criminal cases. relations.

As its name suggests, international relations involves understanding the differences and similarities between countries. This could mean studying anything from the history of a country, to their politics, media or education and comparing them to the way that we do things in the UK. Alternatively, you may wish to specialise and study an area in depth. For example, some people study the Americas, where as others choose Europe.

Because the subject is so broad, there are many careers that international relations can lead to. Whether you are working as a diplomat, a political advisor, an international health worker, helping to fight the war on terror or as a foreign journalist, an extra qualification in another language is always useful (particularly if you plan to stay in the country where the language is spoken). And of course there is always plenty of opportunity to travel.

Criminology

If you are one of those people who can solve the case before Grissom in CSI has even spotted all the clues, then you may like to think about a career working in criminology. Criminology is the study of crime and the motives of criminals and covers all aspects of teaching, research or education about crime, criminal behaviour and the criminal justice system in the United Kingdom. Crime is always in the public eye, so there are plenty of opportunities for someone with qualifications in this field including working in the police, courts, prosecution services, prisons and rehabilitation centres.

Crime Scene Investigator

Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs), also known as Scenes of Crime Officers (SOCOS), attend crime scenes to record and examine evidence. They may attend the scenes of murders, attempted murders, suspicious deaths, assaults, burglaries, accidents and car crime. The evidence they discover is then used to investigate crimes.

Other careers that involve society Barrister Civil servant Counsellor Court usher Diplomat Forensic psychologist Immigration officer Judge Journalist Legal executive Police officer Prison officer Probation officer Psychologist Teacher Youth and community usher

Want to know more?

www.bbc.co.uk/news get all the latest political news from the BBC.

www.hiddenclue.co.uk  have a go at being a detective on this interactive site, which is based on the Channel Five TV show CSI  Crime Scene Investigation.

www.policecouldyou.co.uk  information about the many different career paths within the police force, such as police officer, call handler, PCSO special constable.

www.jobsincharities.co.uk  charity work roles, i.e. fund raiser, researcher, care worker, counsellor.