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 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 B.S.W. (post degree) are strongly encouraged to take both SOCWORK 1AA3  and SOCWORK 1BB3  during their first degree. Students are also encouraged to take one or both of INDIGST 1A03 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies , or INDIGST 1AA3 - Introduction to Contemporary Indigenous Studies , in their first degree, as completion of one of these courses will be required for completion of the B.S.W. To be considered for admission, students must normally have 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.

Students who apply to this program for Fall 2025 or later:

Volunteer/work experience including references (mandatory, not scored) - Applicants will be asked to submit details regarding previous volunteer, placement and/or work experience in social/human services.  As well, applicants will be asked to submit two references from a combination of their volunteer, social/human services work, and/or placement experience. Note - if a student has completed all hours within one organization, it is acceptable to submit two references from the same organization.

We require 100 hours of volunteer/work/placement experience. To provide flexibility, we will require 50 hours to be completed by April in the year of application and any remaining hours to be completed after admission to the program in the term before the student starts the first placement: SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B S . We will not grade this experience but rather ask for it to be documented and for references to be provided. 

We welcome a wide variety of experience: work, placement, or volunteer experience in human services/social change. We welcome volunteer experience with one’s own faith-based or cultural community.

For students who completed their secondary schooling in Ontario, the required hours required will be in addition to an applicant’s high school volunteer hours requirement, unless the high school volunteer hours were in human services/social change. 

Course List

• ANTHROP 1AA3 - Introduction to Anthropology: Sex, Food and Death
• ANTHROP 1AB3 - Introduction to Anthropology: Race, Religion, and Social Justice
• CAYUGA 1Z03 - Introduction to Cayuga Language and Culture
• CMST 1A03 - Introduction to Communication
• ECON 1B03 - Introductory Microeconomics
• ECON 1BB3 - Introductory Macroeconomics
• ECON 1ME3 - Introduction to Mathematical Economics
• ENVSOCTY 1HA3 - Society, Culture and Environment
• ENVSOCTY 1HB3 - Population, Cities and Development
• GENDRST 1A03 - Gender, Race, Culture, Power
• GENDRST 1AA3 - Gender, Feminism and Social Justice
• GLOBALZN 1A03 - Global Citizenship
• HLTHAGE 1AA3 - Introduction to Health and Society
• HLTHAGE 1BB3 - Introduction to Aging and Society
• HLTHAGE 1CC3 - Introduction to Mental Health and Illness
• HLTHAGE 1ZZ3 - Inquiry: Introduction to Health and Society
• INDIGST 1A03 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies
• INDIGST 1AA3 - Introduction to Contemporary Indigenous Studies
• INDIGST 1B03 - Reconciling What? Indigenous Relations in Canada
• LABRST 1D03
• LABRST 1E03
• MOHAWK 1Z03 - Introduction to Mohawk Language and Culture
• OJIBWE 1Z03 - Introduction to Ojibwe Language and Culture
• PEACEST 1A03
• PEACJUST 1A03 - Peace, Justice, Human Rights
• POLSCI 1AA3 - Government, Politics, and Power
• POLSCI 1AB3 - Politics and Power in a Globalizing World
• PSYCH 1F03 - Survey of Psychology
• PSYCH 1FF3 - Survey of Biological Basis of Psychology
• PSYCH 1X03 - Introduction to Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
• PSYCH 1XX3 - Foundations of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
• SCAR 1B03 - What on Earth is Religion?
• SCAR 1SC3 - The Big Questions: Introduction to Society, Culture & Religion
• SOCPSY 1Z03 - An Introduction to Social Psychology
• SOCSCI 1SS3 - Inquiry in the Social Sciences
• SOCSCI 1T03 - Life, the University, and Everything
• SOCWORK 1AA3 - So You Think You Can Help? Introduction to Social Work I
• SOCWORK 1BB3 - Re-Imagining Help: Introduction to Social Work II
• SOCIOL 1C03 - Canadian Society: Social Problems, Social Policy, and the Law
• SOCIOL 1Z03 - An Introduction to Sociology
• WOMENST 1A03
• WOMENST 1AA3
• WORKLABR 1A03 - An Introduction to Work and Labour in Canada
• WORKLABR 1D03
• WORKLABR 1E03 - Navigating the World of Work

Admission Notes

1. 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 1AA3  and SOCWORK 1BB3 . Students who have successfully completed this diploma with a cumulative average of 3.4 - 4.0 (85%-100%) are not required to complete six additional units of introductory level courses from the Course List above to be eligible for admission.
2. An applicant is required to complete the prerequisite undergraduate degree work by April of the year in which application is made.
3. 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.
4. 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 website: https://socialwork.socsci.mcmaster.ca/​. Applicants must also apply to the University.
5. All applications for admission to the School of Social Work are considered annually and must be made directly to the School of Social Work well before the deadline(s) noted below.
6. Applications that are submitted after the February 1 deadline will not be considered. Questions or concerns may be directed to the School of Social Work.
7. Offers of acceptance cannot be deferred; students must complete a required social work course in the year of admission.
8. For students seeking admission as of Fall 2025 or later: BSW students are required to complete 100 hours of volunteer/work/placement experience.  A minimum of 50 hours is required for admission and any outstanding hours are to be completed after admission and by the term preceding their first placement: SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B S .

Mandatory Applications

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

General Application

1. If you have graduated from a University other than McMaster, you must complete the mandatory Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC) 105 form on-line application form (with payment). Visit the OUAC website to confirm the January deadline date each year. If you are a McMaster graduate, complete the McMaster Returning Student Application.

Supplementary Application

1. All applicants must complete the mandatory School of Social Work Supplementary Application by February 1 in the year of application.

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 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 3-9 units from the Social and Political Context of Social Work group of courses, depending on if INDIGST 1A03 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies  or INDIGST 1AA3 - Introduction to Contemporary Indigenous Studies , and Social Research methods were completed in the first degree. All Social and Political Context of Social Work courses except SOCWORK 4SA3  are available for credit by undergraduates in the Labour Studies program and as elective credit for undergraduates in Level III or above of a non-Social Work/Labour Studies 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.

Foundation of Social Work

• SOCWORK 2A06 A/B - Theory, Process and Communication Skills for Social Work
    
• SOCWORK 2BB3 - Anti-Oppressive Social Work
    
• SOCWORK 2CC3 - Introduction to Community Practice  
• SOCWORK 3D06 A/B S - General Social Work I
    
• SOCWORK 3DD6 A/B S - 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 4J03 - Social Change: Social Movements and Advocacy  
• SOCWORK 4X03 - Social Work with Families
    
• SOCWORK 4ZZ3 - Social Welfare: Practice Implications and Advocacy  

 Social and Political Context of Social Work

• SOCWORK 3B03 
• SOCWORK 3C03 - Social Aspects of Health and Illness
    
• SOCWORK 3I03 - Social Work and Indigenous Peoples  
• SOCWORK 3L03
• SOCWORK 3O03 - Social Work and Sexualities
     
• SOCWORK 3S03 - Social Work, Disability and Dis/Ableism
    
• SOCWORK 3T03 - Poverty and Homelessness
    
• SOCWORK 4C03 - Critical Perspectives on Race, Racialization, Racism and Colonialism in Canadian Society
    
• SOCWORK 4G03 - Selected Topics
    
• SOCWORK 4I03
• SOCWORK 4QQ3 - Indigenizing Social Work Practice Approaches  
• SOCWORK 4R03 - Feminist Approaches to Social Work and Social Justice
    
• SOCWORK 4SA3 - Critical Child Welfare: From Theory to Practice  
• SOCWORK 4SB3
• SOCWORK 4TI3 - Trauma Informed Practice  
• SOCWORK 4U03 - Immigration, Settlement and Social Work
    
• SOCWORK 4W03 - Child Welfare
    
• SOCWORK 4Y03 - Critical Issues in Mental Health & Addiction: Mad & Critical Disability Studies Perspectives for SW
    

2. 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 Grade Point Average 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.
3. Students who were admitted to this program in 2017-2018 or later must complete INDIGST 1A03 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies  or INDIGST 1AA3 - Introduction to Contemporary Indigenous Studies . If this requirement was not completed prior to admission to the B.S.W. program, students must replace three units from the Social and Political Context of Social Work courses with INDIGST 1A03  or INDIGST 1AA3 .
4. Students must complete three units of Social Sciences Research Methods (e.g. SOCIOL 2Z03 , SOCPSY 2K03 , HLTHAGE 2A03 , INDIGST 2M03 , etc.). If this requirement was not completed prior to admission to the B.S.W. program, students must replace three units from the Social and Political Context of Social Work courses with a research methods course. 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 , 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 Grade Point Average 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 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

60 units total