Sociologists and social workers dedicate themselves to understanding and helping people.

Sociology and social work complement each other: Sociology majors study to understand how human beings relate to each other, while social work majors emphasize changing and improving lives so that people can reach their full potential.

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Sociology

Are you fascinated by human behavior and society, and want to understand what drives people? Sociology majors are curious about the world ɫɔ and its people ɫɔ around us. With a sociology degree, youɫəre able to initiate change from a top-down level, and by understanding policy issues and the ways they affect individuals and societies as a whole, youɫəre better able to understand yourself.

We study to understand how human beings relate to each other. Using theoretical models and carefully gathered data, sociologists seek to explain how and why we create families, build communities, engage in work, develop places to worship and bring about social and cultural change.

Social Work

When you see others struggling, is your first thought, ɫɜHow can I help?ɫɝ If so, a social work degree may be for you. Perhaps youɫəll practice on a macro level ɫɔ where youɫəll initiate change from the top, working on policy and with communities, cities or major institutions. Or you might choose to work directly with individuals, families or groups. In any level of practice, youɫəre getting the chance to establish meaningful change. At Hope College, students learn to work with all levels through our generalist-practice course of study.

Like sociology, we study human behavior, but our emphasis is on changing and improving lives so that people can reach their full potential. The social work major is fully accredited by the , the principal accrediting agency in social work education. Accreditation means that our graduates are prepared for entry-level social work practice, and it qualifies some students for advanced standing in graduate social work programs. Find additional information about our programɫəs accreditation and student outcomes

Our Shared Ideals

At Hope, these separate but intimately related disciplines share a department, giving you access to faculty who understand the breadth of the human condition and work together to equip you for leadership and service.

Across our majors and minor we:

  • Incorporate inquiry-based research into our courses and programs
  • Provide hands-on learning experiences through internships and field placements
  • Get you out of the classroom and off-campus, studying in Philadelphia and around the world
  • Prepare you to step right into a career
  • Equip you for success in graduate school

Recent blog posts

  1. Global Connections: The Zhengzhou Jiefu Mutual Aid Center for Parents with Exceptional Children

    Posted by Sociology & Social Work

    One of the Sociology & Social Work Departmentɫəs partner organizations, the Zhengzhou Jiefu ...

  2. Sociology & Social Work Research Symposium 2022

    Posted by Sociology & Social Work

    On March 29th, the Sociology & Social Work Department hosted a research symposium, where five...

  3. Community Action House

    Posted by Sociology & Social Work

    ɫɜFood Disparities and Food Justice in Greater Holland" is a collaborative project linking an in...

  4. Breakthrough in East Garfield Park

    Posted by Sydney Peters

    The Chicago Semester program gave me the opportunity to grow professionally, academically and per...

  5. Borderlands May Term 2022

    Posted by Debra Swanson

    Have you been overwhelmed by recent news reports of refugees gathered on our southern border seek...

  6. Spring 2022 Courses

    Posted by Sociology & Social Work

    Senior Seminar: Learning from the Margins (IDS 492-04) MW, 4:00-5:20 with Professor Rodrigo Serra...

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