In short, the study of Sociology gives a view of social reality that fosters an understanding of social arrangements. Sociology is the scientific study of society. It is the knowledge base upon which social work is based. An engineer needs a physics background. One would need much experience studying sociology to do social work.
Some schools offer degrees specifically in social work.
We are a liberal arts college interested in developing broader thinking skills rather than just particular job-skills. We believe that students are best prepared with skills in thinking and writing, with ability to analyze and to create new knowlege. These kinds of skills, we believe, will be better for the person in the long run. That way if graduates want to change careers, they have greater flexibility to do so. The range of variations in human ways of life is staggering.