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Social Work – Distance Delivery (BSW)

Prepare for a career as a social worker while staying connected to your community. Designed for students outside Winnipeg with social services experience, this flexible program uses online learning to help you build on your experience and support people close to home.

Apply now

Bison at the centre of social innovation
Learn more about UM's Bisons at the Centre campaign
Diane Roussin [BSW/96] earned her bachelor of social work at UM. She leads the Winnipeg Boldness Project, one of Canada’s leading Indigenous social innovation labs.
“Finding your purpose is a lifelong journey. Whatever path you take, believe in yourself.”
-Diane Roussin

Faculty

• Faculty of Social Work
Degree

• Bachelor of Social Work
Expected duration

• 3+ years
Program options

• Flexible schedule

Experiential learning

Gain hands-on experience through field placements with a network of more than 100 community agencies. You’ll apply what you learn in real-world settings with support from experienced social workers, faculty members and agency partners.

Career pathways

Our graduates work in health care, child and family services, mental health, schools, government, justice, Indigenous organizations and community agencies.

Your career paths could include social worker, case manager, community outreach worker, child protection worker, policy analyst and program coordinator.

Fully accredited

Our Bachelor of Social Work program is one of two accredited Social Work programs, and the only English language one in Manitoba. This means our program is recognized across Canada making it easier for students to take their education beyond Manitoba.

Four delivery options

The Bachelor of Social Work program is offered at multiple locations and through multiple delivery methods to address the need for social workers from diverse backgrounds and educations.

Two students sit at a table working together.

A social work student works at a computer with a supervisor.

Several Indigenous students sitting together outdoors at a picnic table laughing and talking.

Elanor Welton standing inside the Northern Social Work Program library.

1943

Year the Faculty of Social Work was founded
2

Extension campuses
$55,000

Value of entrance scholarships, bursaries and financial aid
100

Agencies that provide fieldwork experience

BSW program changes

The new BSW program curriculum commences in Fall 2024. Please refer to the new curriculum page for the latest updates on program revisions.

Program details

The Distance Delivery Bachelor of Social Work program is intended to make a Bachelor of Social Work degree accessible to individuals who are employed in the social services and living outside of Winnipeg, but who may not have had the opportunity to pursue professional social work education.

Expected duration: 3 to 9 years

Full time: 3 years (plus qualifying year)
Part time: up to 9 years

Students are required to complete 123 credit hours of study.

Distance Delivery allows people to achieve a Bachelor of Social Work through two approaches:

To individuals by means of an online study program and
To community-based groups using the cohort method.

How courses are delivered

The Distance Delivery program includes a combination of web conferences and online courses.

All course examinations are scheduled and arranged by the university's Registrar’s Office to take place in the student's community.

Delivery of the program to the community-based cohorts involves face-to-face delivery with the option of a combination of face-to-face, web conferences, and online study.

Students must have access to a computer, high speed internet and a headset with microphone.

Sample course offerings

SWRK 1200 Introduction to Canadian Social Welfare
SWRK 1220 Social Justice, Diversity and Human Rights
SWRK 1240 Social Work and Professional Identity
SWRK 1250 Human Behaviour, Family and Community Wellbeing: Theory and Practice
SWRK 2000 Anti-Racist Social Work Practice
SWRK 2010 Indigenization and Decolonization in Social Work
SWRK 2020 Community Development and Social Work
SWRK 2040 Social Welfare Policy: Analysis and Advocacy
SWRK 3160 Feminist Perspectives in Social Work Practice and Social Welfare Policy
SWRK 3180 Social Work Practice with Immigrants and Refugees
SWRK 3200 Social Work Practice with 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities
SWRK 4254 Substance Use, Mental Health, and Social Work

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

A large room filled with students visiting various booths during Field Info Day.

Field placements

Distance delivery students are expected to locate their own field practicums. Students may choose a practicum in any community agency or institution which offers social work services. Students, when eligible, can be granted permission to complete a practicum at their place of employment.

About field education

Admission requirements

The following are minimum requirement for entry into the Distance Delivery Bachelor of Social Work program. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

The Distance Delivery Bachelor of Social Work is an advanced entry program, which means applicants require previous university-level study to be eligible to apply. Applicants can apply through one of two streams: Track 1 or Track 2.

Applicants seeking admission to the Distance Delivery Bachelor of Social Work program must:

Live or work outside of the City of Winnipeg
Have a minimum of one year (1750 hours) of work experience, within the last 5 years, in the social services.
Meet minimum eligibility requirements for Track 1 or Track 2 as outlined in of the applicant information page.

Please visit the information session page and watch the Pre-Application Information Session video before submitting your application.

All applicants are advised that this is a competitive program with limited spaces and that applicants meeting minimum eligibility requirements cannot be assured admission.

How to apply

Domestic student application fee: $100
International student application fee: $130

Applications to the University of Manitoba are completed online. To begin your application, select the Start or continue your application button. The online application includes several parts, and you may be required to submit transcripts, proof of English Language proficiency, and other documents.

Learn more about the application process

Apply now

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What are direct entry and advanced entry?

Direct entry students are current high school students or people who have already graduated from high school but who have completed fewer than 24 credit hours of post-secondary level study.

Advanced entry students are those who have already completed 24 or more credit hours of post-secondary level study.

Direct entry admission requirements

Annual application deadlines - Canadian citizens & permanent residents
Term	Type of entry	Application opens	Application deadline
Fall (September)	Direct entry	Early October	August 1
Winter (January)	Direct entry	Early May	December 1
Summer (May)	Direct entry	Early September	April 1

Annual application deadlines - International applicants
Term	Type of entry	Application opens	Application deadline
Fall (September)	Direct entry	Early October	May 1
Winter (January)	Direct entry	Early May	October 1
Summer (May)	Direct entry	Early September	February 1

Term	Type of entry	Applications open	Application deadline
Fall (September)	Advanced entry	Early November	May 1
Winter (January)	Advanced entry	Early May	October 1

Term	Application deadline
Summer (May, part-time)	February 2, 2026
Fall (September, full-time)	March 2, 2026

Program	Term	Type of entry	Applications open	Application deadline
Bachelor of Environmental Design (BEnvD)	Fall (September)	Advanced entry	Early November	April 1
Environmental Design Architecture Master Preparation Option (ED AMP)	Fall (September)	Advanced entry	Early November	January 15

Term	Applications open	Application deadline
Fall (September)	Early November	~~August 1~~ Extended to August 15
Winter (January)	Early May	November 1
Summer (May)	Early November	~~April 1~~ Extended to April 15

Term	Applications open	Application deadline
Fall (September)	Early October	March 1
Winter (January)	Early May	October 1
Summer (May)	Early September	February 1

Term	Applications open	Application deadline
Fall (September)	Domestic: Early November International: Early November	Domestic: July 1 International: March 1
Winter (January)	Domestic: Early May International: Early March	Domestic: October 1 International: July 1
Summer (May)	Domestic: Early November International: Early July	Domestic: March 1 International: November 1

Term	Type of entry	Applications open	Application deadline
Summer (May)	Advanced entry – Track A	Early November	April 1
Summer (May)	~~Advanced entry – Track B~~ (Temporarily suspended)	~~Early April~~	~~August 1~~

Term	Applications open	Application deadline
Fall (September)	Domestic: Early November International: Early November	Domestic: June 1 International: March 1
Winter (January)	Domestic: Early May International: Early March	Domestic: October 1 International: July 1
Summer (May)	Domestic: Early November International: Early July	Domestic: February 1 International: November 1

Type of applicant	Type of entry	Term	Applications open	Application deadline
First year applicants	Advanced entry	Fall (September)	Early September	December 1
Upper year applicants	Advanced entry	Fall (September)	Early November	June 30

Term	Annual application deadlines
Fall (September)	June 1
Winter (January)	October 1
Summer (May)	February 1

University of Manitoba

Social Work – Distance Delivery (BSW)

Bison at the centre of social innovation

Faculty

Degree

Expected duration

Program options

Experiential learning

Career pathways

Fully accredited

Four delivery options

1943

2

$55,000

100

BSW program changes

Program details

How courses are delivered

Sample course offerings

Field placements

Admission requirements

How to apply

Apply now

Northern Access students

Northern External students

Annual application deadlines

Annual application deadlines

Annual application deadline

Annual direct entry application deadlines

Canadian, US and international applicants

Annual application deadlines

Annual application deadlines

Learn more

Financial aid and awards

Tuition and fees

Research

Academic Calendar

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