New BSW Curriculum
The Faculty of Social Work is excited to announce new changes to the Bachelor of Social Work program. The new BSW curriculum more strongly integrates theory, policy, and practice in a variety of new courses to better prepare students for a career in social work.
Mission and Vision
Our BSW degree program prepares social work professionals to engage in practices designed to transform unjust social arrangements, advance human and environmental rights, promote diversity and enhance well-being. The program strives towards social work excellence while creating just societies, connected communities and enhanced well-being.
About the program
The Faculty of Social Work Bachelor of Social Work has developed a new curriculum that was approved by UM Senate April 2022.
This new curriculum will include new core courses and electives for new and existing students. The conceptualization of the new curriculum aligns well with the direction of change in the CASWE core learning objectives, specifically in terms of decolonization, Indigenous Knowledges, and working with marginalized communities.
The new BSW courses are scheduled to roll-out in the Fall of 2023 and will take two academic years to fully implement it. New admission criteria will now be in place to accompany the new program changes.
BSW program changes
New courses
The Bachelor of Social Work introduced and modified over 40 courses within the program and these new and modified courses will be implemented starting Fall term 2023. These 40 new courses include sixteen new core courses, that focus on integrating theory with practice. Examples of the new core courses include:
-
Introduction to Canadian Social Welfare;
Social Justice, Diversity and Human Rights; -
Anti-Racist Social Work Practice; and
Indigenization and Decolonization in Social Work
Additionally, twenty-three upper-level electives have been added that cover current topics of interest integrating with social work practice. These focus on clinical, community, and policy practices with various marginalized populations in communities that social workers serve. These elective courses will be offered on a two-year rotational cycle. It is required that students complete four of these courses.
Required credit hours
Out of the 123 credit hours needed to complete the new program, students admitted in Fall 2023 will be required to take 75 credit hours of social work courses which include:
-
sixteen core courses (48 credit hours),
two field courses (12 credit hours),
two integrative seminars (3 credit hours), and
four practice-focused electives (12 credit hours)
Along with social work credit, there will be required non-social work elective courses needed for admission as well as courses required from particular subject areas.
Curriculum Transition
Transitioning to the new curriculum
Students admitted to the BSW prior to Fall 2023 will have the option to either complete the current curriculum or transfer to the new curriculum. Students who remain in the curriculum they were admitted into may need to take courses from the new curriculum, which have been determined to be equivalent to the previous curriculum’s courses, to complete their degree. Students who are interested in transferring to the new curriculum will be required to complete all the requirements of the new curriculum.
Students are encouraged to speak to their Academic Advisor if they have any questions, especially if they are considering transferring to the new curriculum. Legacy students wanting to opt into the new curriculum should contact their Academic Advisor prior to the start of Fall 2023 term.
Information for existing students
Students enrolled in the BSW program prior Fall 2023 (legacy curriculum) will now be referred to as legacy students.
A legacy student may choose to transfer to the new BSW curriculum, but they will be subject to all the requirements of the new curriculum including the admission requirements.
Starting Fall 2023, new courses will be rolling out over a two-year period. If a course(s) that was offered in the legacy curriculum is no longer offered, an equivalent course(s) will be taken to fulfill that requirement. Appendix J of the BSW Student Handbook outlines all the Legacy course equivalents in the new curriculum.
Please note: Legacy students will still be able to complete their BSW degree as the new curriculum changes will not affect program progress.
Course changes
Changes to Field:
- Removal of co-requisite requirement:
SWRK 3150: Field Instruction1 / SWRK 4120: Field Instruction 2 and SWRK 4200: Field Focus of Social Work Practice 1/ SWRK 4300: Field Focus of Social Work Practice 2 courses will no longer be required to be taken together beginning in Summer 2024. -
New SWRK elective courses replace Field Focus courses:
Starting Summer 2024, Field Focus courses (SWRK 4200/SWRK 4300) will be replaced by practice focused elective courses. -
Addition of Integrative Practice Seminars to Field Instruction courses:
Integrative Seminars are built into Field Instruction 1 & 2 respectively. This addition will help to integrate theory and practice and align with new field courses.
2023/2024 Course Changes:
The four courses in the current (legacy) curriculum listed in the first column in the below table will no longer be offered as of Fall 2023. If you are requiring these courses, register in the new equivalent course:
|
If the following course is needed |
Enroll in |
|
SWRK 1310 (3) |
SWRK 2040 (3) |
|
SWRK 2080 (3) |
SWRK 2030 (3) |
|
SWRK 3130* (3) |
SWRK 1200 (3) |
|
SWRK 3140* (3) |
SWRK 1240 (3) |
* The pre-requisites of legacy courses still apply. If you are still needing SWRK 3130 and 3140 from the legacy curriculum, you are required to complete their pre-requisites before registering in the equivalent course in the new curriculum.
2023/2024 Fort Garry campus legacy course offerings:
The following courses from the legacy curriculum will be offered by Fort Garry site this upcoming academic year:
- SWRK 3100 (3) **Offered through Distance Delivery, Systematic Inquiry in Social Work
-
SWRK 2110 (3) **Offered through Distance Delivery, Pre-Requisite: SWRK 1310, Emergence of the Canadian Social Welfare State
-
SWRK 4210* (6) Pre-Requisite: SWRK 1310, 2080, 2090 & 3140
Feminist Perspectives on Social Work Practice & Social Welfare Policy -
SWRK 4200/4300* (6) Pre or Co-requisites: SWRK 1310, SWRK 2080, SWRK 2090, SWRK 3140 & SWRK 3150/3152/4120
Field Focus Topics: Child & Family Services, Family Violence, Health and Aging, Community Development, Criminal Justice, From Oppression to Inclusion, Critical Race, Equity, Diversity and Decolonizing
*These courses will be offered one final time by the Fort Garry site this upcoming year. If you still need to meet these requirements, we recommend you register for these course where possible this upcoming year.
**Legacy students will be waived the 6-credit hour limit for DD BSW courses if the following courses are not available through a site’s regular scheduling: SWRK 2090 (6CH), SWRK 2110 (3CH), SWRK 4210 (6CH), SWRK 4220 (6CH)
2024/2025 Course Changes:
Depending on the delivery site, the legacy courses listed in the first column below may no longer be offered as of Fall 2024. If students are requiring any of these courses, they may need to register in the new equivalent course. Check with an Academic Advisor.
|
If the following course is needed |
Enroll in |
|
SWRK 3100 (3) |
SWRK 3170 (3) |
|
SWRK 4210* (6) |
SWRK 2000 (3) |
|
SWRK 4220* (6) |
SWRK 1210 (3) And one of the following: SWRK 2010 (3) |
* The pre-requisites of legacy courses still apply.
Summer 2024 courses:
For students planning to apply and register for summer 2024 field instruction there are some changes to the field focus courses:
|
The following course is needed |
Enroll in |
|
SWRK 4200 (6) Field Focus of Social Work Practice I |
SWRK 4000-level elective (3) |
|
SWRK 4300 (6) Pre-Reqs: SWRK 3150 OR 3152 & SWRK 4200 Field Focus of Social Work Practice II |
SWRK 4000-level elective (3)
|
There are four SWRK 4000-level electives that are equivalent to legacy courses 4200/4300 (12CH). A few of these new 4000-level electives will be available starting Summer 2024. Pre-requisites for the new courses are waived for legacy students as long as they meet the prerequisite criteria for SWRK 4200/4300.
Course program
Students are required to take 123 credit hours to complete the BSW program.
| Non-Social Work courses | 48 CH |
| Social Work courses | 75 CH |
| Total credit hours | 123 CH |
| Core courses | 48 CH |
| Field | 12 CH |
| Integrative seminars | 3 CH |
| Practice-focused electives | 12 CH |
| Total credit hours | 75 CH |
Core courses
Core courses offered in the new program now include more content on cultural diversity, Indigenous practices, and working with specialized populations such as immigrants, refugees, and 2SLGBTQ+.
The four domains consist of:
Social Justice – Rights – Diversity
- SWRK 1200 Introduction to Canadian Social Welfare (Pre or Corequisite: none)
- SWRK 1220 Social Justice, Diversity and Human Rights (Pre or Corequisite: none)
- SWRK 2000 Anti-Racist Social Work Practice (Pre or Corequisite: SWRK 1220)
- SWRK 2040 Social Welfare Policy: Analysis and Advocacy (Pre or Corequisite: SWRK 1200)
- SWRK 3160 Feminist Perspectives in Social Work Practice and Social Welfare Policy (Pre or Corequisite: WOMN 1600 & pre/co SWRK 2000)
For full course descriptions, please view the list of new courses.
Indigenization – Decolonization – Reconciliation
- SWRK 1210 Mitakuye Oyasin (We are All Related) (Pre or Corequisite: INDG 1200 or INDG 1220 + INDG 1240)
- SWRK 2010 Indigenization and Decolonization in Social Work (Pre or Corequisite: SWRK 1210)
- SWRK 3190 Social Work Practice with Indigenous Peoples: Towards Reconciliation (Pre or Corequisite: SWRK 2010)
For full course descriptions, please view the list of new courses.
Social Work Professional Ethics & Identity
- SWRK 1240 Social Work and Professional Identity (Pre or Corequisite: none)
- SWRK 2030 Communication and Relational Skills in Social Work (Pre or Corequisite: none)
- SWRK 3170 Discovering Social Work Research: How knowledge is framed and forging a review (Pre or Corequisite: SWRK 2010 & SWRK 1240)
For full course descriptions, please view the list of new courses.
Community Well-Being & Practice
- SWRK 1230 Community Health and Well-Being: Imagination for Social Work Practice (Pre or Corequisite: none)
- SWRK 1250 Human Behaviour, Family and Community Well-Being: Theory and Practice (Pre or Corequisite: none)
- SWRK 2020 Community Development and Social Work (Pre or Corequisite: none)
- SWRK 3180 Social Work Practice with Immigrants and Refugees (Pre or Corequisite: SWRK 1220 & SWRK 1210)
- SWRK 3200 Social Work Practice with 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities (Pre or Corequisite: SWRK 1220 & SWRK 1210)
For full course descriptions, please view the list of new courses.
Elective Courses
The program now offers 23 new elective courses. Students must choose 4 electives once 24 credit hours of core courses have been completed. Electives can be chosen from any of the following groups:
Impact of Social Phenomena on Social Work Practices
- SWRK 4252 Violence in Families: Direct Practice Interventions in Primary Helping Systems
- SWRK 4254 Substance Use, Mental Health, and Social Work
- SWRK 4256 Trauma-Focused Social Work Practice: Legacies, Development, Post-Traumatic Growth
- SWRK 4258 Loss, Grief, Bereavement and Social Work
- SWRK 4262 Homelessness and the Housing Continuum: Ethics of Caring and Community Development
- SWRK 4264 Critical and Emergent Practices of Child Welfare
For full course descriptions, please view the list of new courses.
Specialized Practices and Modalities in Social Work
- SWRK 4266 Introduction to Social Work Practice with Groups
- SWRK 4268 Creativity and Arts-Based Methods for Social Work Practice
- SWRK 4272 Mindfulness and Contemporary Contemplative Practices in Social Work: Cultivating Practice Integrity
- SWRK 4274 Wholistic Indigenous Land-Based Practices for Social and Environmental Justice
- SWRK 4276 Community Building: Social Work Skills for Outreach, Networking, and Connecting
- SWRK 4278 Building Knowledge in Social Work: Research Methodologies and Practices
For full course descriptions, please view the list of new courses.
Social Work Practices within Specific Populations
- SWRK 4280 Social Work Practice with Mandated/Justice-Involved Populations
- SWRK 4282 Social Work Practice with Older Adults
- SWRK 4284 Disability and Accessibility- Rights, Policies, and Communities
- SWRK 4286 Mino Shkaabis with First Nations, Metis, Inuit Children, Youth and Families
- SWRK 4288 Mino pimatisiwin in Northern Rural and Isolated Communities focusing on Treaties 5 and 10
- SWRK 4290 Inner City Social Work Practice
For full course descriptions, please view the list of new courses.
Policy Impacts on Society and Social Work Practice
- SWRK 4292 Violence in Families: The Practice of Policy Development
- SWRK 4294 International Social Work and Global Migration
- SWRK 4296 Diversity in Aging: Theory and Policy
- SWRK 4298 Poverty and Inequality: Policy and Social Work Practice
- SWRK 4310 Disaster, Risk Reduction, and Resiliency: International Social Work Perspectives
For full course descriptions, please view the list of new courses.
For full course descriptions, please view the list of new courses.
What's new for potential students
Non-Social Work electives
Students applying for Fall 2023 admission must now take 48 credit hours of non-social work electives, and 30 credit hours need to be taken before applying to the Faculty of Social Work BSW program (for those applying to non-ACCESS programs).
For details on admission requirements to the different Social Work program sites you may wish to apply to, please visit our Programs of Study page for more detailed information on how each site may differ.
Of the 30 credit hours, at least 21 credit hours must be from the following list:
- 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
Note: The above requirements are effective for the Fall 2025 admission year and forward.
Once admitted and in order to graduate with a Bachelor of Social Work, students will be required to have completed a minimum of 3 credit hours of both the Written English (W) and Mathematics (M) requirements.
Beyond the outlined required courses for admission and Written English and Mathematics requirements, students can take any other non-social work electives to make up the remainder of the 48 credit hours of non-social work elective credits required for the degree.
Changes to Field Education
In this new curriculum, four practice-focused electives will replace field-focus SWRK 4200 and SWRK 4300, giving students greater flexibility to choose courses in line with their areas of interest, academic or career goals. There will still be two Field Instruction courses but with an alteration to the credit hour value. The new Field Instruction courses I and 2 (6 credit hours each) will each have an Integrative Practice Seminar (1.5 credit hours each) as co-requisites. These new field courses will be available starting in the Fall of 2024 for students admitted as of Fall 2023.
The option of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) is still available for incoming students who have fulfilled field requirements in prior programs. This is considered a new course, SWRK 3250 Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), with new credit hours (7.5 credit hours) as the corresponding courses for which students are seeking a recognition of credit, Field Instruction 1 and Integrative Seminar for Field Instruction 1, have a different number of credit hours than in the past.
Students will still complete two field placements including two new Integrative Practice Seminar courses. An approximate breakdown of the hours is outlined below for those interested in taking their field through accelerated/concentrated versus through the general stream.
Option in Aging
The Interfaculty Option in Aging is offered by the following faculties/ colleges: Arts, Agriculture and Food Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Kinesiology and Recreation Management, and Social Work. To complete the option, students will complete each of the following requirements:
| Course | Title | Required | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
|
NURS 2610 or KIN 2610 |
Health and Physical Aspects of Aging | Yes | 3 |
|
FMLY 2650 |
The Social Aspects of Aging |
Yes | 3 |
|
SWRK 3150/3240 or SWRK 4120/4350 |
Field Instruction 1 (Placement in Aging) or |
Select one | 6 |
|
SWRK 3220 or SWRK 4240 |
Integrative Seminar 1 or Integrative Seminar 2 |
Co-requisite with Field 1 & Field 2 |
1.5 |
| SWRK 4282 | Social Work Practice with Older Adults | Yes | 3 |
|
SWRK 4258 or SWRK 4296 |
Loss, Grief, Bereavement and Social Work or |
Select one | 3 |
| Total | 19.5 | ||
Upon the successful completion of these requirements, a notation will be added to the student’s transcript. For further information on the Interfaculty Option in Aging.