Mar 29, 2024  
Undergraduate Calendar 2022-2023 
    
Undergraduate Calendar 2022-2023 [-ARCHIVED CALENDAR-]

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


Admission


Enrolment in this program is limited. Eligibility is dependent upon completion of any Level I program including a total of six units of introductory Social Work or introductory Sociology and six additional units of introductory level courses from the Course List below (or equivalent). Students who are interested in the Honours B.S.W. are strongly encouraged to take both SOCWORK 1AA3  and SOCWORK 1BB3  in level 1. Students are also encouraged to take INDIGST 1A03 : Introduction to Indigenous Studies, in level I as this course will be required for completion of the B.S.W. Admission requires, as a minimum, completion of any level I program with a grade point average of at least 6.0 and evidence of personal suitability which may be evaluated by one or a combination of written statements, tests or interviews.

Course List


Admission Notes


  1. Students who have successfully completed the two-year College of Applied Arts and Technology Social Services Diploma with a minimum cumulative average Grade Point Average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (75%) are considered to have completed the equivalent of SOCWORK 1AA3  and SOCWORK 1BB3 . Students who completed this diploma with a cumulative average of 3.4 - 4.0 (85%-100%) will receive 24 units of unspecified transfer credit upon admission to the program and are not required to complete six additional units of introductory level courses from the Course List above to be eligible for admission.
  2. Applicants must complete Level I by April of the year in which application is made.
  3. Students who intend to apply for this program must follow the application instructions as found on the School of Social Work web site:www.socialwork.mcmaster.ca. Students who are unable to access this web site must consult the School of Social Work prior to the application deadline.
  4. Indigenous 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.
  5. All applications for admission to the School of Social Work are considered annually and must be made directly to the School by February 1 for the Fall/Winter term.
  6. Applications that are submitted after the February 1 deadline will not be considered.
  7. Offers of acceptance cannot be deferred; students must complete a required social work course in the year of admission.
  8. Mandatory applications:
    1. McMaster Applicants

    • Complete the School of Social Work on-line Supplementary Application
    1. Non-McMaster Applicants: 

Program Notes


  1. Course Groupings: There are two groups of courses in the Social Work program:

Foundation of Social Work. This category includes core courses which are required by social work students, most of which and are available to social work students only. Exceptions to this include SOCWORK 2BB3  and SOCWORK 2CC3  which have a limited number of seats for undergraduates in a Labour Studies program and SOCWORK 4J03  which has a limited number of seats for undergraduates in a Labour Studies program and undergraduates in Level III or above of a non-Social Work/Labour Studies program who have completed SOCWORK 1AA3  or SOCWORK 1BB3 .

Social and Political Context of Social Work. Social Work students must take 9 units from the Social and Political Context of Social Work group of courses. Social and Political Context of Social Work courses except SOCWORK 4SA3  are also available for elective credit by undergraduates in the Labour Studies program and undergraduates in Level III or above of a non-Social Work program who have completed SOCWORK 1AA3  or SOCWORK 1BB3 . Registration in SOCWORK 4SA3  is restricted to Social Work students who have received permission of the School of Social Work. All Social and Political Context of Social Work courses have limited enrolment.

Foundations of Social Work

Social and Political Context of Social Work

  1. Progression Within Program: Students must achieve a minimum grade of C+ in each of SOCWORK 2A06 A/B 2BB3 , 2CC3 , 3D06 A/B S , 3E03 , 3F03 , 4D06 A/B S , 4J03 , 4X03  and 4ZZ3 , a Pass in their field placements SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B S  and 4DD6 A/B S , and a GPA 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 S  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.
  2. Students who were admitted to this program in 2017-2018 or later must complete INDIGST 1A03 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies . If this course was taken in level I then students will be required to take an additional 3 units of electives.
  3. Students must complete three units of Social Sciences Research Methods (e.g. SOCIOL 2Z03 , SOCPSY 2K03  or HLTHAGE 2A03 , INDIGST 2M03 , etc.). A statistics course may not substitute for a research methods course.
  4. Graduation: 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 , 2BB3 , 2CC3 , 3D06 A/B S , 3E03 , 3F03 , 4D06 A/B S , 4J03 , 4X03  and 4ZZ3 , a Pass in SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B S  and 4DD6 A/B S , and a GPA of at least 6.0.
  5. Students are expected to assume the cost of travelling to and from field practice agencies and for any related expenses.
  6. Students in the social work program must apply for third and fourth year field placements (SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B S  and 4DD6 A/B S ), and are able to provide information on areas of interest. 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


120 units total (Levels I to IV), of which 48 units may be Level I

30 units


from

  • the Level I program completed prior to admission to the program. (See Admission above.)

9 units


from

  • the Social and Political Context of Social Work courses

3 units


  • Social Sciences Research Methods (See Program Note 4 above).

3 units


24-27 units


  • Electives * A maximum of 12 additional units of Social and Political Context of Social Work courses can be taken as electives.