Curious about the world? Want to make an impact in your surroundings? Tired of the ho-hum desk job and want to hit the books for a brand-new you? Welcome to the world of social scientists, where the world is literally your classroom and playground all rolled into one.

Social scientists get their feet wet in a variety of fields including anthropology, archeology, communication studies, cultural studies, economics, geography, history, media studies, political science, psychology, social work and sociology. Social science covers several disciplines, and programs will require extensive research and writing skills. Whether traveling the world in search of artifacts is your thing or whether you get excited about social work and helping people, it's all good.

Here's the thing: not only do social science schools educate students on the subject matter, they also help students satisfy their curiosity about the very essence of the topics involve examining people and cultures. After all, social science studies society from past events to human behavior to relationships among groups. Research helps students ascertain the variety of ways individuals, groups, and institutions interact on a smaller level and also more broadly, too.

Research classes within social science schools consist of collecting information, whether it's conducting interviews, distributing questionnaires, or experimenting with animals in a laboratory. The data is studied, analyzed, re-analyzed, and of course, interpreted. Many students decide to work as policy analysts for governments or private organizations after they graduate to make suggestions as they relate to various social, government, business, and even environmental issues. Other social scientist students decide to continue with field work such as anthropologists, archaeologists, and geographers. While they get to travel, social scientists often live with the people they study, getting immersed in the language and culture and sometimes working under rigorous conditions. Other social scientists may decide to pursue academia and become professors. Flexible teaching schedules provide them with opportunities to research, write, consult and also conduct their own field work studies.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, outside of career opportunities within colleges and universities, master's degrees in applied specialties are typically required. A bachelor's degree will provide a conduit to entry-level positions demonstrating the nuts and bolts of social, such as a research assistant or analyst, but graduate degrees from social science schools are often required for the niche areas of study. Employers also look for field research backgrounds from social science candidates along with experience in statistics and math.

Quantitative research method skills are often mandatory as social scientists possess sharp analytical skills and technical skills as well. Research typically entails knowledge of robust programs to extrapolate the data. For instance, geographers use specific technology extensively that is also being used by archaeologists and sociologists. Undergraduate students at social science schools may take advantage of internship programs to get hands-on experience in field work, which is highly coveted by future employers.

In addition, it's not uncommon for social scientists to switch fields. Once they've earned their degree from a social science school and have had hands-on experiences, the skill set or research abilities plus communication skills translate well into different social science niches. Historical societies, government agencies, non-profit organizations, local museums, and other organizations usually offer volunteer research opportunities or internships.