Faculty of Social Work
Student experience
We want you to experience a learning environment that promotes and supports respect for difference, risk-taking, democratic participation, a spirit of inquiry, equity, innovation, originality and collaboration. We have numerous ways to support you during your studies, including advising, financial support, student groups and events.
Support for students
The Faculty of Social Work offers advising and financial to support to help you navigate your studies.
Resources for students
Student handbooks
Current students can find detailed information about their program within the following student handbooks. Please contact your student advisor for any questions you may have.
Graduate-level forms
Newly admitted students (Undergraduate)
The Faculty of Social Work would like to welcome new students to the Faculty.
Bachelor of Social Work
(Fort Garry Campus)
Newly admitted BSW Fort Garry students are required to read the 2024 Welcome Package and are responsible for completing all tasks.
Bachelor of Social Work
(Distance Delivery)
Newly admitted BSW Distance Delivery Students are required to read the 2024 Welcome Package* and are responsible for completing all tasks.
- Order your Criminal Record Check, Vulnerable Sector Checks and other checks that pertain to your province/territory.
- If you receive your checks electronically, forward the original to ddsocial.work@umanitoba.ca.
- If your checks were completed via hard copy, mail the original check to: Faculty of Social Work Distance Delivery BSW Program, 521 Tier Building, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2
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Claim your UMNetID and confirm you can access your UM student email.
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Email ddsocial.work@umanitoba.ca with subject: “Newly Admitted: Requesting Access to Orientation Portal”.
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Complete Self-Declaration Form that is in the orientation portal on UMLearn and select your preferred online orientation and wrap-up session times.
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Attend online Orientation Session.
If you have any questions please contact ddsocial.work@umanitoba.ca.
Newly admitted students (Graduate)
Master of Social Work
Newly admitted MSW students must carefully review and read the information below and to submit the required forms to the MSW student advisor.
- Orientation information - To be announced
- Claim U of M Computer ID
- Required forms - The following forms must be returned to the Faculty of Social Work within 40 business days of receiving the letter of offer:
- Self-Declaration Form / Information Sheet
- Criminal Record Check
- Vulnerable Sector Check or Child Abuse Registry Check (Canadian, permanent residents, immigrants and refugees only) (if applicable)
- Advanced (1 Year) MSW Program Forms
- MSW Program Planning form - The student’s assigned MSW Faculty Advisor may review this form prior to the initial registration.
- Foundation (2 Year) MSW Program Forms
- MSW Program Planning form - The student’s assigned MSW Faculty Advisor may review this form prior to the initial registration.
- Review the Advanced (1 Year) MSW Program Field Information Process prior to beginning the Field Practice Application form - must be submitted to the Field Program Assistant at patti.kafka@umanitoba.ca.
- Review the Foundation (2 Year) MSW Program Field Information Process prior to beginning the Field Placement Application form: Summer or Fall/Winter - must be submitted to the Field Program Assistant at patti.kafka@umanitoba.ca.
- MSW Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any questions please contact Karen.Singleton@umanitoba.ca.
Master of Social Work based in Indigenous Knowledges
Newly admitted MSW-IK students must carefully review and read the information below and submit the required forms to the MSW-IK student advisor.
- Orientation information - To be announced
- Claim U of M Computer ID
- Required forms - The following forms must be returned to the Faculty of Social Work within 40 business days of receiving the letter of offer:
- Self-Declaration form
- An official Adult Criminal Record Check, Child Abuse Registry Self-Check and/or Vulnerable Sector Check - See information on how to obtain these documents: Information Sheet
Ph.D. Social Work Program
Newly admitted Ph.D. students must carefully review and read the information below and to submit the required forms to the MSW student advisor.
- Orientation information - To be announced
- Claim U of M Computer ID
- Required forms - Complete the Ph.D. Program Planning form with their faculty advisor (supervisor) prior to registering for fall and winter courses in mid-July. The completed program planning form must be submitted to the Ph.D. student advisor.
Educational equity
In June 2006, the Faculty of Social Work formally adopted the University of Manitoba Faculty of Social Work Equity Plan to provide the basis for the continued development and institutionalization of policies and practices which support a faculty-wide strategy which embraces equality, inclusion and accessibility. The plan focuses on six priority groups:
- Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples of Canada including: First Nations, Metis, Dene, and Inuit.
- People with disabilities
Those who would consider themselves disadvantaged by reason of any physical, intellectual, mental, sensory or learning impairment.
- Racialized people
Non-white people, also described as visible minorities.
- People who identify as 2SLGBTQ+
Persons who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, two-spirited, queer or questioning. While this definition is intended to be inclusive of sexual and gender variations, we recognize it is not meant to be exhaustive or excluding.
- Immigrants and permanent residents
Those who do not record Canadian Citizenship by birth, and whose native tongue is not English.
- Refugees
An individual who has left their country of residence because of persecution for belonging to a particular social, cultural, religious and/or national group, and/or for holding particular political beliefs, and has been accepted for residence in Canada.
An Educational Equity Committee composed of faculty members, people from each of the priority groups, and students guide the initiative. Members from each respective priority community provide additional resources. Funding for the initiative has been provided by the Faculty of Social Work, University of Manitoba and grants from Culture and Heritage Canada Human Resources and Development Government of Canada.
The purposes of the Equity Plan are:
- To recognize the existence and effects of current social inequities and past disentitlements and to redress these through specific and measurable strategies.
- To ensure that the faculty is in every instance meeting or exceeding the standards and guidelines set out in the CASSW Accreditation Standards and Educational Policy Statements, particularly with reference to diversity.
- To ensure that the faculty offers an educational program that enables graduates to engage in professional action to remove obstacles to social functioning and to eliminate all unjust forms of inequality
- To ensure that the rights and freedoms of all individuals as guaranteed under the Manitoba Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are protected and promoted in all aspects of the program.
The Educational Equity Initiative applies to Canadian citizens and permanent residents in Canada. Educational Equity priority groups do not pertain to international applicants and visa students.
Inner City Social Work Program Spotlight
Opportunities to join in
Join the Social Work Students' Association to learn about events, advocate for your fellow students and get involved at UM.
Mission and vision statement
The Social Work Students’ Association (SWSA) is a feminist, undergraduate student association that values inclusivity, diversity, accessibility and democratic-participatory decision-making. In acknowledgement of inequality, SWSA recognizes and supports social change initiatives that aim to reduce social, political and environmental injustice. It is the intention of the Social Work Students’ Association to support and advocate on behalf of all undergraduate Faculty of Social Work students through community building events, student advocacy, provision of relevant training opportunities and representation on various student councils.
SWSA Students' Voice E-Magazine:
Issue l - December 2021
Issue ll - April 2022
Issue lll - January 2023
Social Work Students' Association
Room 506 Tier Building
173 Dafoe Rd.
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2 Canada
Contact us
Faculty of Social Work
Room 521 Tier Building
173 Dafoe Rd W.
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
Social Work Association of Graduate Students
Mission Statement:
The Social Work Association of Graduate Students (SWAGS) is a student-led organization open to membership for all graduate students in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba-All Campuses. The mission of SWAGS is to:
Vision Statement:
To represent the voice of graduate students in the Master’s and PhD Social Work programs, as a forerunner in addressing social justice issues and affecting policy change, to serve as an ideal example of practicing social work ethics, and to be a source of community and support for the Faculty of Social Work and all of its affiliates.
SWAGS Constitution 2023