Bachelor of Social Work

Why pursue a BSW at Waterloo?

• Complete your post-graduate degree in as little as 10-months
• Unparalleled support from the Program Manager, Director, Field Consultants, Field Instructors, Faculty, Staff, and Peers
• Gain knowledge and skills in social work practice with a focus on social justice, research/scholarship, and professional leadership

The BSW application process for the full-time option for entry in fall 2025, will be closed on November 23 from 9am-5pm.

Note:  the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) portal will be unavailable on November 23 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM for regularly scheduled system maintenance. Applications for the Full-time BSW program must be submitted to the OUAC system by December 18, 2024 .

The BSW application process for the part-time option for winter 2026 will open May 12, 2025.

Program Options

Courses

Program Options

Your BSW degree can be completed in 10 months (full-time) or (part-time) within 2 years. 

• Full-time studies: Completed in 10 months (3 terms) of university study. You will be in academic courses on campus two days per week (Thursday and Friday) and complete your field practicum three days a week (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday).
• Part-time studies: Completed within 2 years of study. Two courses are offered in each semester. Effective winter 2024, the part-time BSW will be moving to a blended learning environment. Blended learning courses are primarily online but will have one or two in-person elements each semester. Part-time students practicum requirements will entail a minimum of two 7 hour days per week between Monday and Friday during business hours. 

Note: Neither the full-time and part-time options are offered online 

Whether you choose to study full-time or part-time, you will complete:

• Seven core courses
• One elective course
• 720 hours of field practicum (see Field Education)
• Three Field Integration Seminar courses (see Field Education)

Full details:

• BSW Full-time program
• BSW Part-time program

Courses

Core Courses:

• SWREN 411R - Indigenous Knowledges and Decolonizing Social Work Practice with Indigenous Peoples
• SWREN 414R - Interviewing and Assessment in Social Work Practice
• SWREN 422R - Macro Practice: Critical Considerations of Community Organization
• SWREN 423R - Social Work Knowledge and Skills for Diverse Group Work Practice
• SWREN 424R - Social Work and Organizations
• SWREN 434R - Selected Theories for Social Work Practice: Analysis and Application
• SWREN 470R - Mental Health Landscapes, Concepts, and Practice Approaches

Elective Courses (1 only):

• SWREN 431R - Practitioner Research in Social Work: Intersectional Considerations

OR

• SWREN 471R - Social Work with Older Adults: Critical Issues and Future Trends

OR

• SWREN 472R - International Context of Practice: An Experiential Learning Opportunity

****This course is cancelled until further notice****

Field Integration Seminar Courses:

• SWREN 441R - Practicum 1
• SWREN 442R - Practicum 2
• SWREN 443R - Practicum 3

When will I take each course? For detailed program schedules:

• BSW Part-time program schedule (note: courses are rotational)
• BSW Full-time program schedule

Career and further education options

Common Questions

Career and further education options

Career Options

Your BSW degree lays the foundation for generalist practice in a range of social service, health settings and communities. The theories, approaches, and skills developed through the BSW degree will ensure your strong ability to engage with individuals, families, and communities through a social justice lens for assessment, intervention, advocacy, and social action purposes. Career sectors for graduates include:

• child welfare
• community mental health and addiction
• settlement services
• youth
• 2SLGBTQ
• Black, Indigenous and people of colour
• persons with disabilities.

Further Education

Graduates from the BSW program often pursue Master of Social Work degrees or other Master's degrees in related areas (e.g., public health, law), as well as PhDs in Social Work, Public Health, Health Systems, and Social Justice Education, among other doctoral degrees.

Common Questions

1. Is the BSW program offered online?
   
   No. BSW students are required to take courses offered in a variety of formats including on-campus, online, and multi-model (a combination of online and on-campus components). Therefore, while certain components of the BSW program may be offered online, the program itself is not strictly online. 
    
2. I am a College transfer student. Will I be able to transfer credits toward my BSW degree?
   
   No. You will need to complete an undergraduate degree before being eligible to apply to the BSW program. 
   
   You may be able to transfer your credits to the Social Development Studies BA degree, offered at Renison.  After you complete your BA studies you would be eligible to apply to our BSW degree. For information about the Social Development Studies BA degree, please contact renison@uwaterloo.ca.
   
   As well as a completed BA (or equivalent) undergraduate degree in the social sciences, all applicants must have completed 10 pre-requisite social work courses to be eligible to apply to our post-BA BSW program.  
   
   BSW Admission Requirements
   
   Admission Requirements - University of Waterloo
   
   Applicants to the University of Waterloo who hold a Social Service Worker diploma and who are applying to the SDS/BSW pathway at Renison University College are eligible for conditional admission consideration to the BSW Program. For full details, see the Social Service Worker Pathway
3. What is the tuition cost for the BSW Program? When are my tuition fees due, and how are they paid?
   
   Renison BSW students pay the same tuition fees as University of Waterloo Arts undergraduate students and must adhere to the deadlines and procedures of the University of Waterloo. These fees are charged on a term-by-term basis for full-time students, and on a per-course basis for part-time students. For full details, visit Waterloo's Student Financial Services, scroll down to to 'Undergraduate' and select the appropriate term. BSW students are charged at the Regular Year 4 rate. 
   
   Student fee bills are posted on Quest approximately one month prior to the start of lectures each term. Students are notified at their uwaterloo.ca e-mail address at that time. Tuition fees are generally due a couple weeks before each term. "Fee due dates" are listed on the Important Dates webpage provided by the University of Waterloo's Registrar's Office for the appropriate academic year. This means that you must be "Fees Arranged" by the stated due date. For more information on how to become "Fees Arranged" and pay tuition fees, please visit the How to become "Fees Arranged" webpage. 

For more, visit Frequently Asked Questions