Program Requirements
The School of Social Work offers an undergraduate program leading to a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. The BSW focuses on generalist social work practice in a range of health and social service settings locally, nationally and internationally. Drawing on principles of diversity and equity consistent with anti-oppressive frameworks, the BSW examines theoretical foundations and practice skills to assess and respond to social problems affecting individuals, families, groups and communities. Core objectives include: exploration of an identity consistent with the values and ethics of the profession; promoting human rights and social justice; addressing historical and contemporary systemic and structural sources of oppression and marginalization; and, engaging in critical thinking in relation to client populations and in response to inequitable policies and their implications for disadvantaged groups. The BSW includes essential training through field practice.
Field Practicum
Students in the three-year B.S.W. program complete a field placement during their second and third years, two days per week, in different settings each year. Students must have completed a minimum of 24 credits to begin the second year (U2) field placement, comprised of all U1 required SWRK courses and any combination of SWRK complementary, non-SWRK complementary and/or elective courses totaling 24 credits. Students must have completed a minimum number of 54 credits to begin the third year (U3) field placement, comprised of all U1 and U2 required SWRK courses, and any combination of SWRK complementary, non-SWRK complementary and/or elective courses totaling 54 credits.
Required Courses (63 credits)
U1
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SWRK 219 Anti-Oppression Social Work Practice (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Social work policy and practice, including an examination of discrimination and oppressions, identity and social location, reflexivity, intersectionality, contemporary anti-oppression movements, access and equity in human services and their implications.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Tarshis, Sarah; David, Syndie; Elsana-Alhjooj, Amal (Winter)
Restrictions: Only open to BSW U1 students. Not open to students who have taken SWRK 325.
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SWRK 220 History and Philosophy of Social Work (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Historical, theoretical and philosophical base of social work which includes the role of social work in the social welfare, modalities of practice, professional codes of ethics, and human rights legislation.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Gyan, Charles (Fall)
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. U1 students.
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SWRK 221 Public Social Services in Canada (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Federal and provincial social welfare programs - the intended objectives, program design, issues of eligibility and funding, and comparison with programs in other parts of Europe and North America. Particular emphasis on concepts of social justice and poverty. Programs such as income security, labour market, health, immigration, and social services.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Hanley, Jill (Fall)
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. U1 students.
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SWRK 222 Introduction to Practicum (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Basic social work skills.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Maurer, Katherine; Guay, Amanda (Winter)
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. U1 students.
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SWRK 224 Human Development Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioural and social development in different stages of the life course with a focus on childhood and adolescence. Human development in different social contexts. Theory and research as it relates to social work practice.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: MacKenzie, Michael; Collin-Vezina, Delphine (Fall)
Restriction: Limited to BSW U1 students
U2
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SWRK 319 Critical Thought and Ethics in Social Work (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Use of theory and reflexivity to challenge the various ways knowing and practicing within social work. Critically engage and assess the theoretical basis of social work theories and knowledge acquired over the course of the program. Application of this knowledge to ethical dilemmas that arise in practice.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Orzeck, Pam; Ma, Xueping (Fall)
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SWRK 320 Practice with Individuals and Families 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Introduction to theories and techniques informing clinical social work practice with individual and family systems in a social context. Sexual orientation, race, class, gender, culture, ability and diverse family forms are integrated. Knowledge and skills required for assessment and treatment across a range of practice settings.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Boatswain-Kyte, Alicia; David, Syndie (Fall)
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. U2 students.
Prerequisite: SWRK 224.
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SWRK 321 Introduction to Practice with Groups (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Introduction to theories and techniques informing social work practice with groups. Emphasis on understanding group formation, assessment, and models of group intervention across a range of practice settings and with different populations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Sirota-Frankel, Corrie (Fall)
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. U2 students.
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SWRK 322 Field Practice 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Supervised educational experiences in social work practice designed to integrate practice and theory.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Summer 2025
Instructors: Granner, Francine; Orzeck, Pam; Mitchell, Nicole (Fall) Granner, Francine; Orzeck, Pam; Mitchell, Nicole (Winter)
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. students.
To register for this course, students must have completed 15 credits of U1 B.S.W. required courses plus 9 credits derived from any combination of B.S.W. SWRK complementary, non-SWRK complementary, and/or non-SWRK elective courses totalling 24 credits.
Prerequisites: SWRK 219, SWRK 220, SWRK 221, SWRK 222, SWRK 224
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SWRK 323 Field Practice 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Supervised educational experiences in social work practice designed to integrate practice with theoretical knowledge.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Summer 2025
Instructors: Granner, Francine; Orzeck, Pam; Mitchell, Nicole (Fall) Granner, Francine; Orzeck, Pam; Mitchell, Nicole (Winter)
Prerequisite: SWRK 322
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. students.
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SWRK 326 Practice with Individuals and Families 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Advanced integration of theories and techniques informing clinical social work practice with individual and family systems in a social context. Sexual orientation, race, class, gender, culture, ability and diverse family forms are integrated. Knowledge and skills required for assessment and treatment across a range of practice settings.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: David, Syndie; Assee, Faye; Brown, Zoë (Winter)
Prerequisite: SWRK 320
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. U2 students.
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SWRK 327 Approaches to Community Practice (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : A comparison of approaches to community practice, with a focus on social change. An analysis of community practice assumptions and methods, including views, theories, and ideologies on social justice. Methods to bring change will also be discussed including strategies, tactics, and actions.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: DĂ©brosse, RĂ©gine (Winter)
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. U2 students.
Prerequisites: SWRK 219
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SWRK 344 Integrative Seminar 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Building on SWRK 222 Introduction to Practicum, the purpose of this integrative seminar is to facilitate links between theories, concepts and empirical findings introduced in coursework to observations and knowledge students garner from the field. This process will help students integrate their knowledge from the classroom and their experiences from the field into a useful and meaningful whole. In order to support the integration of theory, research and practice this seminar will also introduce students to principles and practices in field education that support student learning. In this way, students learn how they can maximize their field learning experiences.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Orzeck, Pam; Trocmé, Nico (Winter)
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SWRK 353 Introduction to Mental Health Practice (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Introduces specialized knowledge and assessment skills in mental health first aid and crisis intervention through the lens of social, cultural, and historical developments. Particular emphasis is placed on the dynamics of institutional responses to mental illness and current conditions and programs, the differential effects of mental illness with regard to age, race, culture, gender identity, and socioeconomic status, the changing conceptions of cause, diagnosis, and treatment across time and socio-cultural boundaries, recovery interventions and comprehensive assessments
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Tarshis, Sarah; David, Syndie (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to BSW U2 students
U3
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SWRK 420 Advanced Field Practice 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Supervised educational experience in social work practice at an advanced level.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Summer 2025
Instructors: Granner, Francine; Orzeck, Pam; Mitchell, Nicole (Fall) Granner, Francine; Orzeck, Pam; Mitchell, Nicole (Winter)
Prerequisite: SWRK 219; SWRK 220; SWRK 221; SWRK 222; SWRK 224; SWRK 319; SWRK 320; SWRK 321; SWRK 322; SWRK 323; SWRK 326; SWRK 327; SWRK 344).
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. U3 students.
Students must have completed 39 credits of U1 and U2 B.S.W. required courses plus 15 credits derived from any combination of B.S.W. SWRK complementary, non-SWRK complementary, and/or non-SWRK elective courses totalling 54 credits.
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SWRK 421 Advanced Field Practice 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Supervised educational experience in social work practice at an advanced level.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Summer 2025
Instructors: Granner, Francine; Orzeck, Pam; Mitchell, Nicole (Fall) Granner, Francine; Orzeck, Pam; Mitchell, Nicole (Winter)
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SWRK 422 Integrative Seminar 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Analyzing field experiences operationalizing the link between scholarship and practice. Dimensions of equity will be integrated.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Sirota-Frankel, Corrie; Moscovitz, Nona (Winter)
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SWRK 423 Social Work Research (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : Appraising and analyzing social work practice research, including the perspectives of the authors, the literature reviewed, the practice questions, the research methodology and analysis and the implications of the findings for practice.
Terms: Fall 2024, Summer 2025
Instructors: Krane, Julia (Fall)
Restrictions: Only open to B.S.W. U3 students.
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SWRK 428 Social Policy and Administration (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : An analysis of the administrative structures and dynamics of social service organizations, with special attention to Québec policies and to the role of social workers. Examples are drawn from current field experiences of students.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Gyan, Charles (Fall)
Prerequisites: SWRK 221
Restriction: Only open to B.S.W. U3 students.
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SWRK 445 First Peoples and Social Work (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : An analysis of Canadian policies and legislation, their impact on First Peoples and on social work practice. Historical and contextual overviews of European-Canadian and First Nations, MĂ©tis and Inuit relations.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Zacharie, Loanna; Phillips, Thomasina; Goodleaf, Taylor (Winter)
Prerequisite(s): SWRK 220
Restriction(s): Only open to B.S.W. U3 students.
This course carries an additional charge of $8.73 to cover the cost of transportation to attend a lecture at the Kahnawake Longhouse. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.
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SWRK 527 Advanced Social Work Practice in Quebec (3 credits)
Overview
Social Work : The Reserved Acts (designated by L’Ordre des Travailleurs Sociaux et des Thérapeutes Conjugaux et Familiaux du Québec - OTSTCFQ). Exploration of micro, mezzo, macro levels of social work practice.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Orzeck, Pam; Brotman, Shari; Freitas, Zelda (Winter)
Complementary Courses (21 credits)
9 credits of Social Work (SWRK) courses.
12 credits of non-Social Work (SWRK) courses.
Elective Courses (6 credits)
6 credits of non-Social Work (SWRK) courses.
