Sociology and Social Work

Pursue your passion for people

Do you have a heart to see all people in society—the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the healthy and the ill—flourish in their circumstances?

Calvin's accredited bachelor of social work (BSW) program will prepare you to help others discover their God-given strengths and resources to improve their life situations. You'll combine classroom learning in social work and other disciplines with hands-on learning in a community field education experience. And when you graduate, you'll be equipped with the skills and virtues necessary to bring healing to a broken world.

Delve into tough questions about how communities and social relationships shape our lives with the Sociology program. Instead of easy answers, you'll find rich conversations and different approaches to God's plan for the world. As you develop a deeper understanding of human behavior and relationships, you'll uncover tension and disorder in society. By examining the causes of injustice and suffering, you'll identify efforts and programs that work to bring hope and renewal into broken lives and social systems. 

As a Criminology student at Calvin, you'll explore crime from a scientific perspective, asking questions like "Are current efforts to address crime effective?" and "Who defines crime?". Study systems, groups, social relations, and institutions to gain broader, more holistic perspectives on the sources of crime and debunk common myths about crime and punishment. Be part of the solution to address the root cause of crime that are grounded in values of justice, compassion, courage, and humility.