Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.)

Admission

Enrolment in this program is limited. Eligibility is dependent upon completion of an undergraduate degree from a recognized university, including six units from SOCIOL 1A06 A/B  or SOCWORK 1A06 A/B  and six additional units of introductory level courses from the Course List (See below), normally with a minimum average of 6.0 on the most recent 30 units (five full credits) of university-level courses completed and evidence of personal suitability which may be evaluated by one or a combination of written statements, tests or interviews.

Course List

• ANTHROP 1AA3 - Introduction to Anthropology: Sex, Food and Death
• ANTHROP 1AB3 - Introduction to Anthropology: Race, Religion and Conflict
• CMST 1A03 - Introduction to Communication
• ECON 1B03 - Introductory Microeconomics
• ECON 1BB3 - Introductory Macroeconomics
• GEOG 1HA3 - Human Geographies: Society and Culture
• GEOG 1HB3 - Human Geographies: City and Economy
• HLTHAGE 1AA3 - Introduction to Health Studies
• HLTHAGE 1BB3 - Aging and Society
• INDIGST 1A03 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies
• INDIGST 1AA3 - Introduction to Contemporary Indigenous Studies
• LABRST 1A03 - An Introduction to Labour in Canada
• LABRST 1C03 - Voices of Work, Resistance and Change
• PEACEST 1A03 - Introduction to Peace Studies
• POLSCI 1G06 A/B - Politics and Government
• PSYCH 1X03 - Introduction to Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
• PSYCH 1XX3 - Foundations of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
• PSYCH 1F03 - Survey of Psychology
• RELIGST 1B06 A/B - What on Earth is Religion?
• RELIG ST 1D06
• RELIGST 1J03 - Great Books in Asian Religions
• RELIGST 1K03  
• SOCPSY 1Z03 - An Introduction to Social Psychology
• SOCSCI 1SS3 - Inquiry in the Social Sciences
• SOCWORK 1A06 A/B - Introduction to Social Work
• SOCIOL 1A06 A/B - An Introduction to Sociology
• WOMENST 1A03 - Women, Culture, Power
• WOMENST 1AA3 - Women Transforming the World

Admission Notes

Students who have successfully completed the two-year College of Applied Arts and Technology Social Services Diploma with a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (75%) are considered to have completed the equivalent of SOCWORK 1A06 A/B  and, therefore, are required to complete six additional units from the Course List above. (See Admission above.)

An applicant is required to complete the prerequisite undergraduate degree work by April of the year in which application is made.

Aboriginal students (includes First Nations, Métis & Inuit) may select an alternate application process. Those who wish to do so should consult the School of Social Work for details.

Enrolment in the B.S.W. program is limited. Students who intend to apply to the B.S.W. program must follow the application instructions as found on the School of Social Work web site:
http://www.socialwork.mcmaster.ca/undergraduate-program/admissions-1/application-instructions.

Students who are unable to access this web site must contact the School of Social Work well before the March 1 deadline for the Fall/Winter term. Applicants must also apply to the University.

All applications for admission to the School of Social Work are considered annually and must be made directly to the School well before March 1 for the Fall/Winter term.

Two-Tier Applications

Individuals interested in the B.S.W. program must complete two application forms as follows:

General Application (December 1)

1. If you wish to study full-time, you must complete the 105D on-line application form at http://www.ouac.on.ca/ or, if you are a McMaster graduate, obtain the McMaster Returning Student Application at http://future.mcmaster.ca/admission/applicationprocess/non-canadiannon-high-school-applicants/rt-app/
2. If you wish to study part-time, complete the Part-Time Degree Studies Application at http://www.mcmaster.ca/parttime/application-procedure/index.html McMaster University Part-time Application form or, if you are a McMaster graduate, a McMaster Returning Student Application form at http://future.mcmaster.ca/admission/application-process/non-canadiannon-high-school-applicants/rt-app/
3. In order to allow adequate time for the processing of the General Application, applicants are advised to submit their applications by December 1.

Supplementary Application (March 1)

1. Students must follow the application instructions as found on the School of Social Work web site:
2. http://www.socialwork.mcmaster.ca/undergraduate-program/admissions-1/application-instructions. Students who are unable to access this web site must contact the School of Social Work well before the March 1 deadline for the Fall/Winter term. This form is used to decide when applicants are able to write an admissions test, which is scheduled for two dates in March of each year, both on site and at alternative testing centres outside Hamilton.
3. Adequate time is needed to make these arrangements and to complete the admissions process. Therefore, it is impossible to consider applicants whose Supplementary Application arrives after the March 1 deadline. Questions or concerns may be directed to the School of Social Work.

Program Notes

1.  Course Groupings: There are two groups of courses in the Social Work program:
   • Foundations of Social Work includes core courses which are required and are available to social work students only;
   • Social and Political Context of Social Work. Social Work students must take 12 units from the Social and Political Context of Social Work group of courses, including SOCWORK 4J03 . Social and Political Context of Social Work courses are also available for elective credit by undergraduates in Level III or above of an non-Social Work program. All Social and Political Context of Social Work courses have limited enrolment.

Foundation of Social Work

• SOCWORK 2A06 A/B - Theory, Process and Communication Skills for Social Work
    
• SOCWORK 2B03 - Social Welfare: General Introduction
    
• SOCWORK 2BB3 - Social Work and Social Welfare: Anti-Oppressive Perspectives
    
• SOCWORK 3D06 A/B - General Social Work I
    
• SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B - Field Practicum I
    
• SOCWORK 3E03 - Individual Practice Across the Lifespan
    
• SOCWORK 3F03 - Social Work with Groups
    
• SOCWORK 4D06 A/B S - General Social Work II
    
• SOCWORK 4DD6 A/B S - Field Practicum II
    
• SOCWORK 4O03 - Social Work with Communities
    
• SOCWORK 4X03 - Social Work with Families
    

 Social and Political Context of Social Work

• SOCWORK 3C03 - Social Aspects of Health and Illness
    
• SOCWORK 3H03 - Justice and Social Welfare
    
• SOCWORK 3O03 - Social Work and Sexualities
    
• SOCWORK 3S03 - Social Work and Disability: Intersections and Exchanges
    
• SOCWORK 3T03 - Poverty and Homelessness
    
• SOCWORK 4B03 - Violence in Intimate Relationships
    
• SOCWORK 4C03 - Racism and Social Marginalization in Canadian Society
    
• SOCWORK 4G03 - Selected Topics
    
• SOCWORK 4I03 - Social Work and Indigenous Peoples
    
• SOCWORK 4J03 - Social Change: Social Movements and Advocacy
    
• SOCWORK 4L03 - Social Work with an Aging Population
    
• SOCWORK 4R03 - Women and Social Work
    
• SOCWORK 4U03 - Immigration, Settlement and Social Work
    
• SOCWORK 4W03 - Child Welfare
    
• SOCWORK 4Y03 - Critical Issues in Mental Health and Addiction
    

2. Progression Within Program: Students must achieve a minimum grade of C+ in each of SOCWORK 2A06 A/B , 2B03 , 2BB3 , 3D06 A/B , 3E03 , 3F03 , 4D06 A/B S , 4J03 , 4O03  and 4X03 , a Pass in their field placements SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B  and 4DD6 A/B S , and a CA of at least 6.0. If a student fails to meet the minimum grade requirements in these required social work courses or a Pass designation in either field placement (SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B  and 4DD6 A/B S ), the student may not proceed in the program; however, the student may make a request in writing to the Director of the School of Social Work to be allowed to repeat the course in which the minimum grade or Pass requirement has not been met. Such requests will be reviewed by the Director of the School of Social Work in consultation with the Chair of the Undergraduate Studies Committee and/or the Chair of the Field Education Program and the course instructor. These courses and/or placements may only be repeated when approval is given by the Director of the School of Social Work following consultation as described above. Students who subsequently fail to meet the minimum grade or Pass requirement after repeating the course or placement may not continue in the program.
3. Students who have completed SOC WORK 2E03 but not 3A03 must take both SOCWORK 3E03  and 3F03  and reduce their selections from the Social and Political Context Group to 9 units (selection must still include SOCWORK 4J03 ). Those students who have taken SOC WORK 3A03 but not 2E03 must contact the School of Social Work for guidance on completion of program requirements.
4. Students must complete three units of Social Sciences research Methods (e.g. SOCIOL 2Z03  or HLTHAGE 2A03 ). If this requirement was completed prior to admission to the B.S.W. program, three additional units from the Social and Political Context of Social Work courses will be taken. A statistics course may not substitute for a research methods course.
5. Graduation: To qualify for the B.S.W. students must complete a total of 60 units. The B.S.W will be granted only if the student has achieved a grade of at least C+ in each of SOCWORK 2A06 A/B , 2B03 , 2BB3 , 3D06 A/B , 3E03 , 3F03 , 4D06 A/B S , 4J03 , 4O03  and 4X03 , a Pass in SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B  and 4DD6 A/B S , and a CA of at least 6.0.
6. Students are expected to assume the cost of travelling to and from field practice agencies and for any related expenses.
7. Students in the social work program must apply for third and fourth year field placements (SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B  and 4DD6 A/B S ), and are able to rank their placements in terms of preference. While efforts are made to match placements with student preferences, the final assignment of placement settings is constrained by many factors, including the availability of settings and field and faculty resources. Students may therefore be required to complete a field placement in an agency that is not among their preferred options.

Requirements

60 units total