Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

To investigate the nature of employment taken up by anthropology and sociology graduates some five years after being awarded their degrees.

Main Topics:

Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions This study was part of a larger longitudinal project designed to map career choices and job influences of sociology graduates in general. Interest in the survey focussed, first of all, on the respondents' job history: their first job after graduation; present occupational situation (whether in full-time study, full-time job, part-time job/study, housewife or unemployed); if a student, then nature of study; if employed, then job title, name and address of employer, kind of work involved and method of obtaining job. The relevance of sociological education in obtaining the job and in fulfilling its requirements successfully are ascertained, as are the reasons why the present job was taken in preference to other possibilities. A further set of questions examines in detail the respondents' views of themselves as sociologists and of the characteristics of the ideal job for a sociologist. The ways in which present jobs held fulfil the requirements of such an ideal job are examined, as are the respondents' personal experience of the job market, both immediately after graduation and in recent periods. Respondents are asked how typical they think their personal experience has been and are also asked for their opinion of the overall job market for sociologists at present. Background Variables Age, sex, marital status, number of children, university at which first degree obtained, subject content and class of first degree, any higher post-graduate degrees obtained and subject content of this, any further post-graduate training undertaken and membership of the BSA.

No sampling (total universe)

Postal survey