Social Work – Northern Program in Thompson (BSW)

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.

The Bachelor of Social Work program gives students the tools to help families, individuals and communities with social issues such as poverty, unemployment, domestic violence and mental health. Graduates of the Bachelor of Social Work program go on to work in a number of areas including community development, disability services, corrections and child welfare.

There are two ways to study in the Northern Social Work Program:

Access students are accepted directly into a four-year Bachelor of Social Work program and do not require prior university study.

External students are students who live in Thompson, MB or surrounding communities and have already completed some university study.

Access student admission requirements

You may be eligible to apply to the Northern Social Work program if you:

• Applicants are at least 21 years old by the program start date.
• Applicants are a resident of Northern Manitoba (North of the 53rd parallel).
• Applicants have 27 credit hours or less of university-level coursework and must be in good academic standing. Only grades of C or higher will be included in the credit hour count.
• Applicants demonstrate suitability for the social work profession based on the assessment of an autobiography and a face-to-face interview that indicates: 
  • Northern experience 
  • Interest in the profession 
  • Volunteer or lived experience related to the practice of social work.
  • Being active in community
• All applicants whose primary language is not English will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English through one of the options listed at the Admissions office.
  • Results for most language tests, including TOEFL, IELTS and CanTEST, expire two years from the test date. Test scores must be valid at the start of classes.
• Participate in a reading and writing comprehension test. (This assessment consists of vocabulary and reading comprehension sections of CAAT-C through the Assessment Centre at the YWCA). 

For more detailed information, please read through the applicant admission requirements page:

• Northern Access applicant admission requirements

External student admission requirements

If you have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours of university-level courses and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 you may be able to apply to the Northern Social Work program as an external student. Of those 30 credit hours, students must take the following required courses and required course subjects:

• 3 credit hours of WOMN course 1000 level or higher
• 6 credit hours of INDG course 1000 level or higher
• 12 credit hours from any Social Science, Humanitites, or Family Social Science subject. Strongly recommend taking courses from PSYC, FMLY, and SOC.
• 9 credit hours of non-social work electives

The Northern Social Work program requires at least six months of residency in Northern Manitoba before the date of application.

For more detailed information, please read through the applicant admission requirements page:

• Northern Access applicant admission requirements

How to apply as an Access student

To apply as an Access student, you must submit:

• A complete application form, including autobiography, in your own handwriting
• Attend a scheduled interview
• Official school transcripts (including high school, Adult Basic Ed., G.E.D.)
• Two letters of reference
• Proof of age (a photocopy of your driver’s license, birth certificate, baptismal certificate)

Return the complete application to:

University of Manitoba Northern Social Work Program
Attention: Student Records
3 Station Road
Thompson, Manitoba R8N 0N3
204-677-1450

How to apply as an external student

To apply, please complete the online application to the Admissions Office. 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

All applicants need approval from the Northern Social Work Program before applying. To request approval to apply, contact:

University of Manitoba Northern Social Work Program
3 Station Road
Thompson, MB R8N 0N3
204-677-1450

Program inquiries

Northern Social Work Program
3 Station Rd.
Thompson, MB R8N 0N3 Canada

Phone: 204-677-1450
Toll-free: 1-866-237-5509
Fax: 204-677-4110
nswp@umanitoba.ca