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Social Work – Indigenous Knowledges (MSW)

The Faculty of Social work at UM developed the Master of Social work based in Indigenous Knowledges to address the need for a social work program that is directly relevant to Indigenous peoples, communities, perspectives and practices.

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Faculty

• Faculty of Social Work
• Faculty of Graduate Studies
Degree

• Master of Social Work
Expected duration

• 2 years

The Master of Social Work based in Indigenous Knowledges supports students to:
- work from Indigenous perspectives;
- understand the colonial history of events which have led to present circumstances;
- understand social justice, anti-oppressive practices, anti-colonialism, and Indigenism;
- explore Indigenous forms of helping and support(s) applicable to social work;
- recover and support Indigenous values, practices, and structures;
- empower Indigenous identities;
- maintain a close connection with Indigenous communities and agencies;
- and develop as advanced social work practitioners.
This work is relevant to Indigenous and non-Indigenous persons in their personal and professional development as social workers with advanced training.

Program details

The foundational material of this program gives particular attention to knowledges, perspectives, values, and practices of Indigenous peoples that will support graduates to work from both Indigenous and critical social work theory perspectives.

Expected duration: 2-4 years

The MSW-IK program provides two entry routes:

Foundation level for students who have completed a four-year undergraduate degree, but do not have a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited program or its equivalent;
Specialized MSW-IK courses for students with a BSW degree from an accredited program.

If you have a BSW then you go into the specialized MSW-IK courses and if you do not have a BSW you will have to take year 1 foundation level.

Year 1 foundation level

Students who have completed a four-year undergraduate degree, but do not have a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited program or its equivalent, will be offered admission into the first and foundation year of the MSW program. This first year will be 24 credit hours of foundation level courses and six credit hours of field work. Courses for this level will be taken at the Fort Garry campus.

All courses and the field component of the foundation year must be completed before students register into the year two advanced level courses. In order to complete and receive the MSW degree, students (who have completed a four-year undergraduate degree, but do not have a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited program or its equivalent) must complete both the year one foundation level and the year two advanced level courses of the MSW Program. The program requires at least one year to complete the foundation level courses and at least another 12-18 months of full-time study for the advanced level courses of the MSW Program. Once students are ready to progress into the Advanced Level of the MSW program, they choose either the course-based or thesis option.

Sample foundational level course offerings:

SWRK 7002: Foundation in Social Work Practice and the Profession
SWRK 3130: Contemporary Canadian Social Welfare
SWRK 4220: Social Work and Aboriginal People
SWRK 4200 Field Focus of Social Work Practice
SWRK 6020: Social Work Practice Seminar Course
SWRK 6050: Advanced Field Practice

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

Tuition and fees: One year tuition, then continuing fees in subsequent years (refer to Graduate tuition and fees)

Students are required to complete 13 courses from the Master of Social Work based in Indigenous Knowledges program in order to graduate. A student can choose to take a project or thesis focus.

Sample course offerings

Social SWRK 7700: Grounding Our Foundation in Indigenous Knowledges and Social Work
SWRK 7710: Remembering our Histories: Setting our Knowledges
SWRK 7720: Critical Theory and Indigenous Peoples
SWRK 7730: Indigenous Research Methodologies and Knowledge Development
SWRK 7740: Indigenous Peoples, Identity and Social Work
SWRK 7750: Indigeneity, Power, Privilege, and Social Work
SWRK 7770: Social Challenges and Indigenous Helping Practices
SWRK 7780: Social Work, Social Challenges and Indigenous Peoples
SWRK 7800: Indigenism
SWRK 7810: Anti-Colonial Social Work

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

This program is only available through in-person instruction. We do not offer graduate programs through distance delivery or online learning. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person classes are held over Zoom.

Our commitment to educational equity

This program is for Indigenous and non-Indigenous social workers. Every effort is made to ensure that people from marginalized groups have access to the MSW based in Indigenous Knowledges program. Our Educational Education Initiative aims to correct the conditions of disadvantage in professional education experienced by First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples in Canada, persons with disabilities, immigrants and refugees to Canada, 2SLGBTQ people and persons who are members of racialized groups in Canada.

Career options

A range of positions within the human services are open to graduates, such as family therapists, case managers, group workers, community developers, policy analysts, and administrators. In addition, graduates may be active as scholars, politicians, senior civil servants, private consultants, and international development.

Admission requirements

To qualify for admission to the Master of Social Work based in Indigenous Knowledges program, you must have a minimum of:

A Bachelor of Social Work degree or other 4-year undergraduate degree (by June 30 of the application year) from an accredited university recognized by the University of Manitoba
- with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) in your last sixty credit hours of university study.
Relevant social work experience in Indigenous communities and/or with Indigenous peoples (paid or volunteer).

If you have taken courses subsequent to the degree as a Special Student and/or Occasional Student and/or in a subsequent degree or a Pre-Master program, they will be calculated into the GPA as part of the last 60 credit hours.

Applicants who self-identify as members of one or more of the Educational Equity priority groups and who possess a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99 will be reviewed for special consideration. Applicants with adjusted GPAs below 2.5 will not be considered.

In addition to the admission requirements described here, all applicants must meet the minimum admission and English language proficiency requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

How to apply

Applications for the MSW based in Indigenous Knowledges program are accepted for September entry only. Applications must be completed online and include several parts:

$100 application fee (non-refundable)
Unofficial copies of transcripts
Three letters of recommendation from academic, employment, and Indigenous community sources (must be requested from within the application)
Paid and volunteer work history (must be completed within application)
Area of specialization statement (must be completed within application)
Proof of English language proficiency, if required

Applicants will also be required to participate in an admissions interview process.

Please read the Faculty of Graduate Studies online application instructions before beginning your application.

Application deadlines

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Canadian and US applicants
Term	Applications open	Annual application deadline
Fall (September)	Early April	January 15

International applicants
Term	Applications open	Annual application deadline
Fall (September)	Early April	December 1

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated.

Term	Applications open	Annual application deadlines
Fall (September)	Early April	May 1
Winter (January)	Early July	October 1

Term	Applications open	Annual application deadlines
Fall (September)	Early April	March 1
Winter (January)	Early July	July 1

Term	Applications open	Annual application deadline
Fall (September)	Early April	June 1
Winter (January)	Early July	October 1
Summer (May)	Early February	February1

Term	Applications open	Annual application deadline
Fall (September)	Early April	January 8
Summer (May)	Early February	January 8

Term	Applications open	Annual application deadline
Fall (September)	Early April	February 15
Winter (January)	Early July	June 1
Summer (May)	Early February	October 1

Term	Applications open	Annual application deadline
Fall (September)	Early April	February 1
Winter (January)	Early July	June 1
Summer (May)	Early February	October 1

Term	Applications open	Annual application deadlines
Fall (September)	Early April	May 15
Winter (January)	Early July	September 15
Summer (May)	Early February	January 15

Term	Applications open	Annual application deadlines
Fall (August)	Early October	May 1
Winter (January)	Early October	October 1

Term	Applications open	Annual application deadlines
Fall (September)	Early November	February 1
Winter (January)	Early February	May 1

Explore UM

Explore UM

Social Work – Indigenous Knowledges (MSW)

Faculty

Degree

Expected duration

The Master of Social Work based in Indigenous Knowledges supports students to:

Program details

Year 1 foundation level

Sample course offerings

Our commitment to educational equity

Career options

Admission requirements

How to apply

Application deadlines

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian, US and International applicants

Canadian and US applicants

International applicants

Canadian, US and international applicants