MSW – Two-Year Program
Updated May 28, 2025
The two-year MSW program is designed for students who have received a non-BSW bachelor degree from a recognized university.
The first year of the program provides training in foundational social work knowledge and skills. The second year of the program provides students with an opportunity to specialize in a specific field of study (as listed below). Degree requirements are normally completed within two years, with a maximum time length of three years.
The two-year program consists of 17 half-credit courses for a total of 8.5 full-credit equivalents (FCE). This includes the practicum courses, which over the course of two years, are equivalent to one and a half credit courses.
Full details of the program requirements can be found in the SGS Calendar. Note that the Calendar is published annually, and is effective for the academic period September 1 to August 31 for the specified year and relevant to students who begin their studies in that year. In the case of any discrepancy between this page or the printed Calendar, the HTML version shall apply. Any post-publication corrections and/or updates to the Calendar will be posted as amendments. Students are strongly advised to consult the web page regularly to keep informed of changes.
Curriculum
Year 1 courses – Fall
| Course Code | Course Title | FCE |
|---|---|---|
| SWK1999H | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Workshop (Credit/No Credit) | 0 |
| SWK2999H | Indigenous Learnings Workshop (Credit/No Credit) | 0 |
| SWK4102H | Social Policy and Social Welfare in the Canadian Context | 0.5 |
| SWK4103H | Elements of Social Work Practice | 0.5 |
| SWK4105H | Social Work Practice Laboratory | 0.5 |
SWK4602H | Social Work Practice with Groups | 0.5 |
| SWK4107H | Foundations of Social Work: Knowledge, Theory, and Values that Inform Practice | 0.5 |
Year 1 courses – Winter
| Course Code | Course Title | FCE |
|---|---|---|
| SWK4510H | Research for Evidence-Based Social Work Practice (SWK4510H must be completed before taking any of the research courses in the field) | 0.5 |
| SWK4605H | Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families | 0.5 |
| SWK4654H | Social Work Practice in Organizations and Communities | 0.5 |
| SWK4701H | Social Work Practicum 1 (prerequisite: SWK4105H completed prior to beginning practicum) | 0.5 |
Year 1 annual subtotal: 4.5 (FCE)
Year 2 Courses
| Course Code | Course Title | FCE |
|---|---|---|
| SWK4702Y | Social Work Practicum 2 | 1.0 |
| Various | Courses included in field-specific requirements (including elective courses) | 3.0 |
Year 2 annual subtotal: 4.0 (FCE)
Program total: 8.5 (FCE)
Practicum
- Practicum 1 is completed in the Winter Session (January-May) or Summer Session1 (end of April-August) [0.5 credits]1To assist with planning, students taking the summer practicum option are asked to notify the Practicum Office by October 1st
- Practicum 2 is completed from September to April and must comply with the selected field of study [1.0 credits]
Get more information on Practicum.
Additional Opportunities
Our program offers several collaborative specializations to students.
Students have the opportunity to participate in one of the world’s largest Interprofessional Education programs.
The MSW Thesis Option may be available to a maximum of three students in any given year and is subject to faculty availability. Students in the thesis option must complete 1.0 FCE as the thesis course (replaces elective courses), which may require at least one additional academic session to complete the program