Over 3.95 million students have graduated with a sociology degree until 2019. There are over 700 social work graduate programs available all over the US. Also, there has been a 3.28% increase in enrollment in both sociology and social work graduate programs since 2017. It is a significant trend among youth to choose sociology or social work because both open many employment opportunities after graduation.
Yet, social work and sociology seem similar disciplines, but both lead toward different career highways. Here, you’ll know about both of them and which is a better career choice for you. So, keep reading further. It’ll help you decide the best for your future education goals.
Let’s begin!
What is Social Work?
Social work is a professional occupation that serves specific people who need help and support. Such groups of people can be of any gender, social class, community, or religion. Institutions teach practical social work approaches to students that help them act in specific roles, such as counselors, mediators, clinical health workers, and many more.
Social work involves various actions and things that meet the challenge of supporting and empowering marginalized people. As a social worker, you’ll help both individuals and communities.
Many people do not know the difference between social work and sociology studies. That’s why they consider both of them the same discipline and line of work. However, social work vs sociology can be a full-day seminar that can spread awareness and acknowledge the value of both disciplines inside our society.
What is Sociology?
Sociology is a graduate-level study of society and falls into social sciences. It focuses on the structures, developments, and functions of human society. By following scientific principles, sociology pays attention to social problems, their causes, their first origins, their impact on generations, and their solutions. In other words, sociology revolves around social interactions, day-to-day cultural activities, and social relationships, both in general and particular. Sociology offers theories on several processes in human society. And the change that occurred in them with time, such as daily eating habits, cultural norms, gender perceptions, social identities and affiliations, and many more.
What is the Difference Between Social Work Degree and Sociology Degree?
Here are the key differences that’ll give you an understanding of both in detail.
- Sociology is more of a theoretical discipline of social sciences specializing in studying social behaviors and human interactions. The study, in particular, chooses a specific group of society for gender, class, ethnicity, nationality, or religion.
- Sociology researches and examines social behavior, social challenges, problems, and social issues of a particular group of people in a society.
- Social work is a physical activity that revolves around individuals and communities with special problems and issues. Social workers help people in need of support, such as abused children, lonely aged people, improvised persons, uneducated women, and people living in subpar living conditions. A social worker always aims to improve the daily life of needy people.
- Social workers use all problem-solving techniques to overcome social problems and change the immediate environment of people in need.
What Are the Job Opportunities After a Social Work Degree?
Here are your career avenues as a social work graduate.
- You can work in a clinical position in any public facility. Your job will help hospitalized people overcome behavioral, emotional, and mental disorders. Most hospitals, medical centers, and psychiatric institutes employ social work graduates and pay handsome benefits. Also, you can progress your career to a management role using continuing professional education courses.
- You can work at child welfare organizations. Your job will be to care for children who are neglected or have a history of abuse. You’ll also work for child adoption, child care management, child protection, and law enforcement.
- You can also work as a public health social worker. Your job will deliver awareness and treatment regarding diseases and unhealthy practices in communities. Also, you can work with welfare organizations that help aged people, addicts, prisoners, and poor women.
- You can also be employed at public service organizations. Your job will be to provide immediate and necessary care during specific situations.
What are the Job Opportunities After a Sociology Degree?
Here is what you can do after graduating with a sociology degree.
- You can work as a counselor or therapist at schools, hospitals, or as a private practitioner. Your job will help individuals overcome their personal and professional problems.
- You can work in the education sector and provide value with your knowledge. Many schools, universities, and learning centers employ sociology graduates and pay handsome salaries with benefits.
- You can be employed by specific communities to study, investigate, and solve their social problems. Also, you can be a mediator for two different groups of people and help them reach a common ground without violence. Many sociologists work independently to resolve social issues among diverse communities.
- You can work as a public servant in various state departments, including the police, army, and law enforcement agencies.
- You can also be employed by non-profit organizations that research human society and develop new opinions.
Conclusion
Social work and sociology offer satisfying career avenues to you, and you’ll certainly be employed after graduation. If you are more of a researcher and want to theorize new concepts, you should take a sociology degree. On the other hand, if you want to make a difference in people’s lives in need, you should consider a social work degree. Have a great day.
