Social Work

The Faculty of Social Work offers a four year program of studies leading to the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. The BSW program is unique in that it is offered at three urban locations (Calgary, Edmonton and Lethbridge) and in various rural, remote, and aboriginal communities.

The Faculty of Social Work has been an innovator in social work education for more than 30 years. The University of Calgary is the only Alberta institution to offer degrees in Social Work and attempt to meet the diverse needs of undergraduate students by offering three routes to the BSW. The University Transfer route, primarily geared toward developing urban-based social workers, is offered at the Calgary, Edmonton, and Lethbridge locations. The Diploma Transfer route, also geared toward urban social work, is offered in Calgary and Edmonton. Please refer to the following table, which summarizes the program:

Site	Post Diploma	University Transfer After 2 Years *
Calgary	√	√
Edmonton	√	√
Lethbridge	x	√

The Learning Circles route is offered to university transfer and diploma students who are interested in studying at a rural, remote, or aboriginal community.

Why study Social Work at the U of C?

Our undergraduate program will prepare you with the knowledge and skills necessary for professional social work practice. You will gain in-depth theoretical knowledge, extensive practical experience and reflective understanding of various social issues. Our internationally-known educators and researchers will help you develop the qualities and skills necessary to become a social worker, while our small class sizes and friendly atmosphere will enhance your learning experience.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Faculty of Social Work requires either:

• Two years of study, which includes completion of 20 University Transfer half courses (including SOWK 201); or
• A social work diploma from an approved college in Alberta that is part of the Alberta Association of Social Work Diploma Programs Agreement.

Applications to all BSW routes and sites are considered on a competitive basis. Our programs have limited space and we regularly receive more applications than spaces available. The Faculty’s Admissions Committees take into consideration applicants’ academic potential, demonstrated commitment to and experience in social service work, and recommendations from professionals and teachers.

A BSW degree can be obtained through our main campus in Calgary as well as at our Edmonton and Lethbridge regions. Both the University Transfer and Post Diploma programs are offered at the Calgary and Edmonton locations, while the University Transfer program only is offered at our Lethbridge region.

If you are interested in furthering your education after your undergraduate degree, you may consider our MSW, MBA/MBA, PhD and Post Master’s Diploma programs.

Applicants to the Post Diploma Route

The Faculty of Social Work offers a Post Diploma route to the BSW. An applicant can be considered for admission into this route if she/he received a diploma from an Alberta college or university that has a transfer agreement with the Faculty of Social Work and has completed a minimum of 8 university transferable half courses as part of the diploma. Applicants with a social work diploma who do not meet these criteria will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants to the Post Diploma Route of the BSW program must meet the following requirements:

• Admissibility to the University of Calgary
• A completed Alberta social work diploma
• A grade point average (GPA) of 2.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale, based on the last 10 university transferable half courses completed

Applicants to the University Transfer Route

The Faculty of Social Work offers a University Transfer Route to the BSW. An applicant can be considered for admission into this route if she/he has completed a minimum of twenty transferrable half courses or equivalent (nineteen of which are non-Social Work courses) or who have completed a non-social work degree.  Social Work 201 is a prerequisite to admission into the University Transfer Route and must be completed prior to admission.  Applicants to the University Transfer Route of the BSW program must meet the following requirements:

• Admissibility to the University of Calgary
• Completed twenty transferrable half courses or equivalent which must include Social Work 201 or equivalent
• A grade point average (GPA) of 2.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale, based on the last 10 university transferable half courses completed

To make application to the BSW program, students must:

• Complete the University of Calgary Application online and pay the application fee. The application form is available through the U of C web site: www.ucalgary.ca
• Applicants applying to the Calgary campus location should go to http://fsw.ucalgary.ca/BSW/Application to access an online version of the application form. Follow the directions on the online BSW application form regarding the submission of current resume, summary of social work related experience, application essay, reference letters, and one copy of all official transcripts
• Applicants applying to the Virtual Learning Circles program should go to http://fsw.ucalgary.ca/BSW/Application to access an online version of the application form.  Follow the directions on the online BSW application form regarding the submission of current resume, summary of social work related experience, application essay, reference letters, and one copy of all official transcripts
• Applicants applying to the BSW program in Lethbridge or the Medicine Hat Learning Circles program should visit the FSW Southern Alberta Region website at: http://www.ucalgary.ca/fswsouth/ to download the paper copy of the application.
• Applicants applying to the Edmonton area BSW or the community-based Learning Circles Program at Grande Prairie, Red Deer or Fort McMurray should visit the FSW Central and Northern Alberta Region website at www.ucalgary.ca/fswcentralandnorth to download the paper copy of the application.

The BSW degree is also offered through our Learning Circles route at a number of rural, remote and Aboriginal centers across Alberta, as well as online through the Virtual Learning Circles site.

 

Application/Document Deadlines

What can I do with a Social Work degree?

As a BSW graduate, you may work with vulnerable and at-risk people, including the frail elderly, abused women and children, urban Aboriginals, immigrants and refugees, at-risk children and youth, people with disabilities, mental illness and addictions. The great thing about studying in Social Work are the careers that open up in your life. You also gain skills that all employers are excited to see, such as:

• Situational management
• Mediation
• Critical reading
• Active listening
• Interpersonal communication
• Mediation
• Ethical reasoning
• Report writing

Graduates from the Social Work program have a number of career options available to them. Here is what some U of C grads have done with their Social Work degree:

• Relief Counsellor
• Labour Relations Specialist
• Child Welfare Generalist
• Addictions Counsellor
• Correctional Services
• Victim Services Worker
• Family Court Advisor
• Children and Family Counsellor

To see a full list of potential skills, careers and industries available to you, visit the Career Services website.

Additional Information

Faculty of Social Work