The Department of Sociology and Social Work is among eleven Departments in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The Department is headed by the Head of Department who works collaboratively with all members of academic and administrative staff in the department and the faculty as a whole to make sure that the programmes are ran successfully to meet the intended outcomes. Students are admitted in Faculty following all the admission procedures as per OUT set regulations for eligible undergraduate sociology students stipulated in the OUT Prospectus. 

Until 2011/2012 The Department offered two sister programmes: Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Bachelor of Arts in Social Work which were considered two in one degree programme whereby students graduated either as social workers or as sociologists. However the twin programmes had been phased out and currently the department runs two undergraduate programmes (Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Bachelor of Social Work). The Department also offers Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work, Master of Social Work and Master of Arts in Gender Studies. The Doctor of Philosophy of the Open University is another programme offered under the Department of Sociology and Social Work. The Department is also offering  none degree programme (Certificate and Diploma in Social Work) which was developed by the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children in collaboration with the Association of the Schools of Social Work (ASSWOT).

The Department of Sociology and Social Work has the workforce that involves 1 Professor, 1 Associate Professor, 5 lecturers, 6 Assistant lectures and 3 Tutorial Assistants. 12 members of the Department are placed at the Open University Head Quarter and 4 are located in the Regional Centers.