Bachelor of Social Work

The Social Work Program at St. Thomas places major emphasis on understanding the structural roots of social problems in Canadian society. The cause of much of the suffering and inequality in society is seen to be rooted in our social and economic order, and not in the individual, the family, or the subculture. All interventions are seen within the context of this understanding and, although much of social work practice is concerned with the immediate needs of individuals, the resolution of social problems is seen as necessarily involving interventions in our major social institutions.

The main objective of the post-degree Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree is to provide graduates with a generic practice framework so that they are prepared to deliver services to various client constituencies at a level of competence suitable for beginning practice.

The post-degree BSW is designed for university graduates whose undergraduate programs include a substantial liberal arts component, and who are familiar with, and committed to, a career in social work. Limited in enrolment, the post-degree BSW is an intensive, 60-credit hour, 15-month program. It builds on your previous undergraduate education and leads to the professional BSW credential.

The post-degree BSW is limited in enrolment to 52 students. Admission is highly competitive and possession of minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Candidates are assessed on the basis of academic preparation and professional suitability.

The post-degree program is designed to provide students with 60 credit hours in social work courses over a period of four semesters. The following is a description of the program design and courses to be taken in each semester. Prior to acceptance, applicants will have completed an empirical research methods course which provides familiarity with a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research methods as well as research ethics. This course will be reviewed by the admission committee.

Applicants with an overall IELTS score between 5.0 and 6.0 or an overall TOEFL score between 61 and 88 may be offered acceptance on the condition that they enrol in English as a Second Language support at St. Thomas. Applicants with an overall IELTS score of 6.5 or higher or overall TOEFL score of 89 or higher are not required to enroll in English as a Second Language support.