Social Work
Master of Social Work (MSW)
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Program overview
The Master of Social Work (MSW) is a nationally-accredited program that prepares students for advanced professional practice in social work. The thesis-based route is designed for students who intend to pursue doctoral studies and/or anticipate a career requiring advanced program evaluation and research skills.
The Faculty of Social Work offers MSW programs in Calgary, Edmonton, and Lethbridge.
In Calgary, students are admitted annually and choose one of three Specializations (listed below). Students holding a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree are admitted directly into a two-year Specialization program. Students with an undergraduate degree in another discipline are admitted into a three-year program and complete a Foundation year followed by their Specialization year.
In Edmonton, students are admitted in odd-numbered years (i.e., 2021, 2023) to the Clinical Social Work Practice Specialization. Students holding a BSW degree complete the Specialization program in three years. Students with an undergraduate degree in another discipline complete the Foundation courses followed by the Specialization courses, requiring a total of four years of study.
In Lethbridge, the Faculty of Social Work offers the Clinical Social Work Practice Specialization to students with a BSW. Admission occurs in odd-numbered years (i.e., 2021, 2023). Students complete the program in three years.
Specializations
- Clinical Social Work Practice
- International and Community Development
- Leadership in the Human Services
Outcomes and next steps
Hospitals/community health centers, mental health clinics, schools, non-profit/advocacy groups, government, social service/child welfare/family service agencies, correctional facilities, social housing, family courts, employee assistance programs, private counselling, school boards, consultation.
A master’s degree in social work is a preferred pre-requisite for a PhD.
Degree at a glance
Completion requirements
Thesis-based
Courses
Foundation: Nine courses; Specalization: Ten courses.
MSW students with a non-social work bachelor's degree must complete Foundation courses prior to Specialization courses
Program requirements
Class delivery
Classroom
Commitment
Two to three years full-time (Calgary); three to four years (Edmonton); three years (Lethbridge); four years maximum
Supervisor
A supervisor is required, but is not required prior to the start of the program
Fees and funding
Flat annual fee; funding may be offered
Related programs
If you're interested in this program, you might want to explore other UCalgary programs.
Supervisors
A supervisor is required for this program. Students are not required to identify potential supervisors prior to applying to the program.
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Sally St. George
- Qualitative methodologies; practice, issues, teaching, and supervising in social work and family therapy
accepting inquiries
William Pelech
- Group Work
accepting inquiries
Yahya El-Lahib
- Social work; Critical Disability Studies; Immigration, refugee and displacement studies; Social work & Bedouin Arabs; The scholarship of teaching and
accepting inquiries
Yeonjung Lee
- Outcomes of Caregiving for Older Adults
- Aging-in-place and Long-term Care in Later Life
- Aging in Poverty and Wealth Inequality in Later Life
- Perceived Discrimination in Older Adults
- Psychosocial Risk Factors for Dementia
- Cross-national/Cultural Comparative Study
- Population-based Secondary Data Analyses
accepting inquiries
Additional supervisors may be available. Contact the Your Program of Interest for more information.
Completion requirements
Courses
Students take four courses in advanced social practice, four specialization courses, and two thesis research courses.
Thesis
Students in the thesis route conduct original research and prepare a thesis which is evaluated on the written content and is orally defended before an examination committee.
Research Proposal
Calgary: Students should complete all coursework prior to having their proposal approved by their supervisor.
Edmonton and Lethbridge: Students have their proposal approved by their supervisor in the summer following their admission to the Specialization program.
Admission requirements and information
Requirements for the Social Work Program
GPA
A minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 point system, over the past two years of full-time study (a minimum of 10 full-course equivalents or 60 units) of the undergraduate degree.Minimum education
A Bachelor of Social Work, or a four-year bachelor’s degree in another discipline.Work samples
NoneWork Experience
Applicants must have the equivalent of two years of full-time paid or volunteer work (or the equivalent of 3000 hours) in the human services field.
Documents
- A study plan outlining the applicant's educational goals and career expectations. (If applying to the Calgary program, the study plan must indicate the applicant’s intended area of Specialization: Clinical Social Work Practice or International and Community Development)
- An additional statement providing a rationale for selecting the thesis route and a preliminary research proposal
- A resume
Reference letter
Two; one professional and one academicTest scores
NoneEnglish language proficiency
An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:
- TOEFL score of 97 (Internet-based). Our institution code is 0813
- IELTS score of 7.0, or higher (Academic version)
- MELAB score of 83, or higher
- Tier 3 of the International Foundations Program with minimum grades of B,B,B (Writing & Grammar, Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension & Oral Fluency).
Deadlines
For admission on May 1
Canadian and permanent residentNov. 1 Application deadline for Spring 2020
InternationalNov. 1 Application deadline for Spring 2020
If you’re not a Canadian or permanent resident make sure to read and learn about international specific requirements
Tuition fees and funding
All graduate students must pay general fees each year, as well as program fees.
Fees
Estimate for full-time students
Canadian and
permanent resident
International
student
General fees
12 months of study
$1,843 CAD
$1,843 CAD
Program fees
First 12 months of study
$5,593 CAD
$12,695 CAD
Total fees
For first year of studies
$7,436 CAD
$14,538 CAD
What are annual continuing fees?
Domestic Continuing Fees: $1,627 CAD
International Continuing Fees: $3,693 CAD
Continuing fees apply after the first full year of studies.
Funding availability
We have a variety of scholarships, bursaries and awards for social work students that recognize success and support their post-secondary studies. More information is available in the Graduate Awards database
Fees listed here are estimates only, and have been rounded to the nearest dollar. These amounts should not be considered accurate. All amounts are in Canadian Dollars.
Fees are subject to change.
For more details and the most accurate information go to the Academic Calendar
For more general information, see our Fees and Funding Guide
Highlights of the Social Work Program
Social Work researchers find cultural gaps in mental health services
David Este and Christa Sato work to reduce the stigma of mental illness in Asian men
Helping our society transition to a lower carbon future
Mishka Lysack focuses on helping Canadians make the shift to a lower carbon future
Preventing domestic violence before it occurs
Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence seeks to reduce and prevent domestic violence
Learn more about this program
Faculty of Social Work
Professional Faculties, Room 3256
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, ABT2N 1N4
403.220.5942
Go to our contact page and connect with the right person to answer any questions you might have
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