5 Differences Between Social Work And Psychology

Social work and psychology are both honorable professions that meet the fundamental needs of society. Either option is a noble one when choosing a career path, and studies in both fields open up a world of career possibilities. They both contribute to the healing of society, although by different means.

But although they are alike in many ways, the following 5 differences between social work and psychology may influence your decision. So read on to learn more about how these two human sciences differ. They may be the key to why some people choose social work over psychology as a career. 

Educational Requirements

Whether you choose to become a medical social worker or a clinical psychologist, you’ll have to enroll in an institution of higher learning. The courses that are needed to become a medical social worker are similar to those for psychology. However, post-graduate studies and specialized psychology courses differ widely. 

After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field, you’ll need to pursue the appropriate graduate degree to become a clinical psychologist. A Ph.D. in psychology is the appropriate step when you want to be a clinical psychologist.

A social worker, on the other hand, starts with a Bachelor’s degree in social work. While this may be sufficient for entry-level social work positions, a Master’s degree in social work would be best for government positions and managerial posts.

Research positions in either field are greatly enhanced by holding a Master’s degree in the relevant discipline. But there are more graduates of psychology than social work in the upper echelons of academia.

Work Opportunities

The career planning steps for success as a social worker or a psychologist are very similar. Both social work and psychology will allow you many varied work opportunities. However, the field of social work is showing slightly faster growth than psychology. Learn how to navigate your social work career path with our insightful tips.

More growth means more work job openings, and that is something to consider when planning your studies and career path. But the types of job openings will differ. A postgraduate degree in psychology offers more scope for private practice, in addition to top positions in government hospitals and organizations.

There are also various highly specialized sub-disciplines, such as forensic psychology and criminal psychology. These fields in psychology promise high earning potential and status. Post-graduate social work degrees allow for better work positions, but without the variety and status afforded to psychologists. 

Social work is not a career one pursues reward and recognition. But it is the psychology of the working class, and will always have a place in society. Social work is a powerful vehicle for social change and one that has a long history of shaping laws and norms. 

Methods Used

The methods used by psychologists may seem, at first glance, to be very similar. However, social workers don’t focus as much on one-on-one psychotherapeutic services as psychologists do. Also, when they do focus on the individual, it is less mentally and emotionally invasive than most psychological methods. 

Psychology aims to improve mental health and diagnose psychological problems through the assessment and therapy of the individual. Rather than trying to resolve the client’s issues by looking at cultural factors, a psychologist will aim to help the client work through their problems on a more personal level.

Social work focuses more on providing counseling and services across a wide range of human needs. Social work also tends to target the cultural group and its effect on the individual while psychology looks at psychological factors in the individual’s personal experience. That said, some overlapping does occur. 

Social workers can and do sometimes place more emphasis on individual counseling. But it’s always within the context of how the person’s culture and position in society have shaped their life experiences. The social condition, more so than the individual one, is diagnosed and treated. 

Room For Personal Development

The student’s personal life situation may be a big determining factor in their choice of social work or psychology. Studying psychology can improve your personal development, as well as enhance your future career prospects. 

A better understanding of the mind is essential for all aspects of life and will be of help to you in your professional and personal life. Interpersonal relationships also benefit from this path of self-discovery. This does not seem as true for social work. 

That being said, you’ll gain a better understanding of how society functions from your social work studies. And this gives you a much more comprehensive view of how to address societal problems. This outlook that social work entails is instrumental in developing a culture of empathy.

 And the more professionals we have in human services with empathy as their core value, the more chance society has of positive change. That leads to the personal development of the greater society, not just the individual therapist and client.

Growth Of Industry

Tertiary education can be costly, and it takes time to pursue graduate and post-graduate studies. So the potential growth of the industry is a very relevant factor when deciding which direction to take.

Social work is a progressive and dynamic sector of human sciences. The profession is expected to grow by 12 percent by the year 2030. This is good news for anyone considering social work as a career. Employment of psychology degree holders, on the other hand, is projected to grow 6 percent from 2021 to 2031. This is on par with other fields but had that predicted for social work.

The main reason for this difference is probably the shift away from traditional psychology, to a more community-oriented grass-roots approach to societal ills. The stigma of ‘seeing a therapist’ does not seem to apply as strongly in social work as it does in psychology.

But whatever the reason, the stats are clear. While psychology is still as viable a career path as others, social work is predicted to show double the growth of other occupations. That makes it a sound choice for a career.