Admission to the MSW program is highly competitive and preparing your application package carefully is important. Before you apply, please carefully review the application requirements and instructions below. Incomplete applications or applications that do not follow the instructions will not be considered for admission.

There are two pathways to admission into this program. Applicants with a CASWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) credential will enter directly into the MSW program. We also accept applicants who do not hold a CASWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) credential (or will not hold one by the time of program start). If admitted, these students complete a foundation year. There is a special section in the supplemental application that is required for those applicants who do not have a CASWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree.

Newly admitted students are required to submit a British Columbia Criminal Record Check. International applicants must also provide a local criminal record search result from their current jurisdiction if admitted. Instructions will be provided at the point of admission.

Application Requirements

References

This program requires 3 references, 2 academic referees and 1 professional referee. For more information on selecting referees, visit the Admissions section.

Writing Sample

At the point of application, you will upload a recent sample of your academic or practice writing in the form of an article, paper, or report (maximum of ten pages, typed and single-spaced).

International Applicants – Local Criminal Record Check

If you have a current criminal record search from your local police authority, we encourage you to upload this with your application. If admitted, a local criminal record check result will be required. Uploading a copy of your local criminal record search can expedite admission if you are later offered a seat. Including this document is not required for review of your admissibility but you will not be permitted to register if you are admitted until this is received

Supplemental Application

Before you apply online, you should have your supplemental application complete. It is critically important to follow the instructions below:

Completing the Supplemental Application

Section 1    Section 2     Section 3      Section 4       Section 5

In addition to the online application, you are also required to submit a supplemental application using this template Supplemental Application. Each section has specific requirements. To be considered competitive for admission, you should review these instructions carefully prior to completing the supplemental application.

Section 1 – Degrees and Qualifications

List all universities, colleges and technical institutes attended, starting with your most recent. If you hold any credentials, ensure you list these here (e.g. CASWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW).

Section 2 – Paid and Volunteer Experience

Using the template provided, list all your paid and volunteer experience. You will need to provide the name and contact information for the employer, your immediate supervisor’s name, details on the position you held, a description of your duties, dates of experience, average weekly hours and total hours worked. At the start of this section, you will be asked to provide a total of your paid and volunteer hours of experience. This is a total of the hours you’ve listed for each individual work or volunteer role.

Lack of clarity on how the listed volunteer or work role relates to human service experience or failing to include the total number of hours will negatively impact the assessment of your application.

Section 3 – Professional Activities

In this section, in a maximum of one page of text, you will list any organizations, activities, interests, special training, conferences, workshops, professional associations, trade unions, or societies in which you have participated or in which you have a special interest.

Section 4 – Study Plan

The purpose of this section is to give you the opportunity to express your ideas and plans for your studies in the MSW Program. Given that the University of Northern British Columbia MSW Program emphasizes specific areas of study, it is particularly important that you consider your interests in social work as they relate to the aims and objectives of the MSW. Before you complete this section, review the MSW program description and requirements in our calendar as well as the program website description so that you can clearly connect your interests to our program.

In this section, you will select whether you are intending to pursue a thesis or practicum as your pathway to degree completion. The content of your study plan differs depending on your intended pathway to graduation.

For Practicum applicants: Your study plan should indicate the area of interest that attracts you for your practicum experience. This should include the topic of interest, reason(s) for interest, relevance to present human service concerns, and a relevant bibliography.

For Thesis applicants: Your study plan should indicate the topic of interest that you are considering for your thesis. Be concise and specific. Some examples include “Quality in Community Based Human Services” or “Burnout: A Conceptual Model”. Your study plan should also discuss your rationale/factors leading to your interest in this topic, a suggested methodology, the usefulness/relevance of your intended research focus, and a relevant bibliography.

Section 5 – Foundation Year Supplement

This section is only required for applicants who do not have or will not have a CASWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) credential prior to starting the program.

A minimum of two years (24 months full-time equivalent) human service experience is required for applicants who do not hold a CASWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) credential to be considered for admission. This experience must be outlined clearly in Section 5.

Use the guidelines in this section to discuss your knowledge of and experience using communication and other social work skills in a practice setting in one page of text. Note that direct practice experience does not occur only in one-on-one clinical sessions, but may also take place in community meetings, community development settings, policy meetings, group settings or in work with individuals in informal situations (such as youth work in casual settings including social and recreational activities).

Review the following competencies to assist in preparing your answer:

Understanding of stages of practice

Recognition of and experience moving through the stages of practice with individuals, communities, or groups. Stages broadly include: screening or intake; assessment; action or intervention planning; following through on the action plan; evaluation of the process; termination.

Interviewing and questioning skills

Using open versus closed ended questions; how and when to use probing questions; creating a comfortable environment; encouraging groups, communities or individuals to open up; using and conveying empathy; understanding and addressing barriers to communication; etc.

Listening and summarizing skills

Active and passive listening, questions of clarification, summarizing and paraphrasing, etc.

Problem-solving skills

Appropriate questioning; negotiating; assisting communities, groups or individuals in developing their own solutions (not imposing your ideas); determining goals; setting up contracts; monitoring progress; etc.

Working with resistant communities, groups or individuals

Developing rapport, negotiating; bargaining; challenging communities, groups and individuals without being intimidating; etc.

Working with strengths

Identifying community, group or individual strengths; empowering communities, groups or individuals; etc.

Ending contact appropriately

Building up to termination; talking about it ahead of time; ensuring communities, groups or individuals have support networks in place.

Understanding of oppression

Understanding oppression and the role of power in oppression; identifying and challenging oppression with groups, communities, or individuals at a novice level.