MSW Admissions Criteria | School of Social Work

Diversity

The School of Social Work seeks to reflect a diverse student population and welcomes applications from qualified individuals of all ages, gender identities, cultural, racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, sexual orientations, and abilities.

A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree is a mandatory entrance requirement. No Exceptions are ever considered.

All academic admissions requirements (BSW degree and research methods course) must be completed and results known by July 1 of year of entry. No exceptions will be considered.

Academic requirements for admission

Admission to our MSW program, either the full-time option, or the part-time option, requires a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. The structure and content of our MSW program builds on the BSW's foundation of generalist social work practice knowledge, values and skills.

This program is designed to attract practitioners with an interest in a health specialization.

In order to be considered for admission, applicants must meet ALL the following criteria:

The completion of a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited Social Work program. If you are currently completing a BSW degree at the time of application to our MSW program, you must have completed the BSW degree and your final results must be known by JULY 1 of year of entry into our MSW Program. If your BSW degree is from a country other than Canada, you are required to show proof that your degree is recognized as being equivalent to a Canadian Bachelor of Social Work Degree. No Exceptions are ever considered.
Have at least a 75% overall standing in the last two years (equivalent to 20 half-credit courses) of a three-year or four-year Honours Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
Research Methods course: All applicants must have passed a university-level course in Research Methods. There is no specific minimum pass mark requirement. Applicants will be required to list their Research Methods course/s as part of the application process.

If you have not completed a Research Methods course as part of your previous degree(s), you must still meet this requirement by enrolling into a separate Research Methods course. Final grades must be made available to the School of Social Work on or before July 1 in the year of entry to the MSW program.

List of equivalent Research Methods Courses

Here is a list of SOME Research Methods courses from various Universities and Colleges within Canada which have been assessed as meeting our requirements for a half-credit course in Research Methods:

PLEASE NOTE: We hold lists of many more equivalent Research Methods courses from Canadian Universities. If the course you have taken is not in this list please get in touch with Xibei Zhu, Assistant to the School of Social Work for clarification. If it has not yet been assessed you may provide the FULL course syllabus, including weekly topics and reading lists, and the syllabus will be sent for review to confirm if it may be equivalent to our requirements. Final decision will be at the discretion of the School of Social Work. Please also note, this list is subject to change.

Institution	Equivalent course to our MSW Admission Criteria for a half-credit course Research Methods
Acadia	PSYCH 2013: Research Design & Analysis SOCI 2003: Introduction to Social Research SOCI 4113: Seminar Social Research/Methodology
Alberta	PSYCO 212: Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology SOC 315: Intro to Social Methodology PSYC 496: Individ. Research: Research in Aging
Algoma	PSYC 2127: Scientific Method & Analysis SWRK 2127: Introduction to Social Work Research - and - SWRK 3456: Social Work Research and Program Evaluation
Athabasca	SOSC 366: Research Methods in the Social Sciences Psych 304: Research in Psychology HADMIN 499: Research Methods in Health Care HSRV 499: Research Methods in Health Services
Blue Quills	ISWK 3505: Indigenous Research Methods
Brandon	88:491: Research Methods I 88:592: Research Methods II
Brescia	Sociology 2206A: Research Methods in Sociology
British Columbia	SOCI 382: Sociological Methods: Qualitative Research SWK320: Social Work Research PSYC 217: Research Methods in Psychology PSYO 270: Introduction to Research Methods and Design SWK 301: Research & Evaluation in Social Work SOWK 420: Introduction to Social work Research
Brock	SOCI 2P11: Introduction to Research Methods SOSC 2P90: Research in the Social Sciences CHYS 3P10: Qualitative Research Methods in Child and Youth Studies
Calgary	SOWK 302: Research Context Theme Course SOWK 322/SOWK 361: Social Work Research SOWK 355: Research in Context SOWK 353: Research & Evaluation
Calvin	SOC-SOWK 320: Social research
Cape Breton	COMS 2100: Community Studies - Applied Research COMS 2103: Experiential Intro to Research Methods COMS 2105: Experiential Approach to Community Based Research PSYC 2111: Research Methods in Psychology
Capilano	MT462: Principles of Research in Music Therapy PSYC212: Research Methods in Psychology
Carleton	SOWK 3001/SOWK 2501: Introduction to Research Methods in Social Work PSCI 2701: Introduction to Research Methods in Political Science PSYC 2001: Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology
Concordia	Psychology 310: Strategies of Inquiry/Research Methods & Designs
Conestoga	RSCH 73000: Understanding Research
Crandall	PS 4613: Advanced Research Methods in Psychology
Dalhousie	SLWK 3084: Understanding Research Methods SLWK 3085: Social Work Research SLWK 3086 & 3087: Social Work Research SOSA 3403: Qualitative and Field Methods HSCE 3010: Introduction to Health Research: Application and Practices
Douglas College	SOWK 4160: Research Methods in Social Work
Fraser Valley	SOWK 404: Research Methods and Evaluation PSYC 202: Research Methods in Psychology
Georgian	RAPP 1005: Qualitative Research
Grant MacEwen	SOWK 311: Critical Thinking and Research
Guelph	SCMA 2040: Research Methods for Social Science FRHD 3070: Research Methods – Family Studies SOAN 3070: Qualitative and Observational Methods PSYC 2360: Psychological Methods and Statistics(Introductory Research Methods) SOAN *2120: Introductory Methods
Lakehead	PSYC 2001: Research SOCI 2911: Social Research Traditions SOCI 3310: Foundations of Social Research SOCI 3311: Intermediate Research Methods PSYC 3911: Introduction to Research Processes SOWK 4405: Research in Social Work
Laurentian	SOCI 2127: Research Methods and Data Analysis SWRK 3505: Applied Research in Social Work (originally SWRK-4105) SESO 3555 fr: méthodes de recherche SWRK 3555 el: Intro to Research Methods ISWK 3555: Indigenous Social Work Research Methodologies NSWK 3555: Research Methods in Social Work NATI 3215: Community Research Methods
Lethbridge	PSYC 3400: Advanced Research Design & Data Analysis STS 270: Social Science Research Methods HLSC/PSYCH 3260: Research in Addiction
Manitoba	SWRK 3100: Systematic Inquiry in Social Work PSYC 2250: Intro. To Psychological Research SOC 2290: Introduction to Research Methods SOC77.447: Research Methods I PSYC 2250: Introduction to Psychological Research
McGill	POLI-311: Techniques of Empirical Research SWK 407-370A: Intro to Social Word Research WMST 303: Feminist Theory and Research SWRK 423: Social Work Research SOCI 211: Sociological Inquiry
McMaster	CMST 2TM6: Foundations in Communication Reserach: Theory & Methods CMST 2RA3: Applications in Communication Theory and Methods HLTH AGE 2A03: Research Methods in Health and Aging 1 SOCI 2Z03: Intro. To Sociological Research SOCI 3O03: Qualitative Research Methods PNB 2XF3: Research Methods SOCPSY 2K03: Research Methods in Soci Sci INDGST 2M03: Indigenous Research Methods & Ethics
Memorial	SW 4410: Applied Research & Evaluation for Social Work Practice SW 4421: Research & Evaluation for Social Work Practice SW 3410 (formerly 4410): Applied Research & Evaluation for Social Work Practice SOC 3040: Intro. To Methods of Social Research
Moncton	TSOC 4403: Recherche en travail social TSOC 4413: Seminaire de recherche
Montreal	SVS 1341: Research Methodology in Social Sciences
Mount Allison	PSYC 2001: Research Design & Analysis I SOCI 3311: Qualitative Research Methods
Mount Royal	SLGY 2232: Introduction to Sociological Research Methods SLWK 4417: Social Work Research in Practice: Empowering Individuals, Families and Communities
Mount Saint Vincent	SOAN 2510: Foundations of Social Research
New Brunswick	PSYC 2123: Quantitative Research Methods
Niagara	SOWK 1203: Methods II - Group & Research SWK 330: Social Work Research Methods
Nicola Valley	SOCW 301: intro to social work research
Nipissing	PSYC 3356: Design and Analysis I SOCI 2126: Social Research Methods SWRK 3226: Social Work Research SWRK 4206: Social Work Research
Northern British Colombia	SOCW 330: Social Work Research, Policy & Practice
Northern College	AA 1083: Introduction to Research
Ontario Institute	SSCI 2900U: Research Methods
Ottawa	EDU 5191: Methods & Interpretation in Quantitative Research 1 PSY2174: Research Methods & Ethics SCS 2150: Introduction to research methodology in the social sciences SOC 3117: Qualitative Research Laboratory DVM 5122: Research Seminar
Prince Edward Island	SOC 331(0): Methodology and Social Research I PSY 272: Intro to Psychological Research PSY 278/279: Statistics & Research Design I/II
Queens	PSYC 203: Research Methods in Psychology SOCY 210: Social Research Methods
Redeemer	SOC 321/APS 321: Social Research Methods PSY 230: Research Methods: Experimental Design
Regina	SW451: Social Work Research (Introduction to Human Services Research) PSYC 204: Research Meth in Psych
Royal Roads	IICS 630: Advanced Research Methods AND PCOM 620: Research in Communication Studies
Saint-Boniface, affiliated with the University of Manitoba	SWRK 3103 Méthodologie de la recherche en travail social (methodology of research in social work)
Saint Francis Xavier	PSY 290: Research Methods and Statistics PSCI 399: Research Methods and Statistics PSY 390: Advanced Statistics for Psychological Research SOC 202: Research Principles and Practices SOC 211: Evaluation Research Methodology Sociology/Nursing 300: Research Methods ANTH 304: Principles and Methods of Fieldwork
Saint Mary’s	SOC/CRIM 2100: Social Research Methods SOC/CRIM 3100: Qualitative Research Methods PSYC 2340: Research Methods in Psychology
Saint Thomas	SOC 2013: Research Methods PSY 2023: Introduction to Research Methods CRIM 2103: Qualitative Research Methods in Criminology CRIM 3103: Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Criminology SCWK 3503: Research Methods for Social Work
Saskatchewan	SOC232.3: Methods of Social Research SOC332.6: Principles of Research Design
Sheridan	PSY2023: Introduction to Research Methods CSRV21011: Introduction to Applied Research in Social Services
Simon Fraser	SOC255-4: Social Research I
Thompson Rivers	SOCW 320: Introduction to Social Work Research SOCW 3010: Introduction to Social Work Research PSYC 2111: Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology
Toronto	PSY B01H3: Psychological Research Laboratory PSY B04H3: Foundations in Psychological Research SOC 221: The Logic of Social Inquiry WST B05H3: Research and Inquiry in Women's and Gender Studies
Toronto Metropolitan (formerly Ryerson)	SWP 538: Social Work Research: Part I SWP 638: Social Work Research: Part II (SWK 538/638: Social Work Research) SOC 482: Sociological Methods of media research
Trent	PSYC 2018H: Critical Thinking & Research Methods SOCI 2150Y: Sociology Research Methods SWRK 3003H: Social Work Research
Tyndale	PSYC 3603/SOCI 3603: Research Methods in the Social Sciences
Vancouver Island	SOCW 402: Research Methods for Social Change in Community Social Work
Victoria	SOCW 318: Research Strategies for Social Work Practice SOCW 319/419: Research for Social Change SOCW 301: Research Practitioner in Human Services
Waterloo	SDS 251R: Social Research (Research Methods) PSYCH 291: Basic Research Methods HLTH 344: Research Methods II: Evaluations, Qualitative & Survey Methods SOC 221: Research Methods
Western Ontario	SOCWK 205: Research Methods and Statistics INTERDIS 2252: Introduction to Interdisciplinary Qualitative Research Methods Social Work 2206A/B: Research Methods for SW SOC 2206: Research Methods in Sociology PSYCH 2840: Research Methods in Psychology PSYC 2800: Research Methods in Psychology SOCWK 4429: Practice-Based Research SOC 231: Introduction to Research Methods and Statistics HS 2801A: Research Methods in Health Sciences
Wilfrid Laurier	PS 291: Intro to Research Methods SK322: Qualitative Research Methods & Analysis SK 320: Research Literacy and Ethics in Social Work SY/SOCI 280: Research Methods 1 SY/SOCI 281: Research Methods II CC 233: Social Science Research Methods KP 261: Research Methods 1 PS 295: Intro to Research Methods HS 233: Introduction to Social Sciences Research Methods
Windsor	SWK47 – 344/SWRK 3440: Research I: Foundations of Social Work Research POL 45 – 275: Research Methods in Pol. Sci PSY46 – 229: Experimental Psychology PSY 230: Social Science Research Methods PSY46 – 312: Advanced Research Methods SOC 48-390: Qualitative Approaches to Social & Cultural Research
York	AP/GWST 4555: Feminist Methodologies and Methods HLST 4200: Applied Research Approaches in Health Studies SOCI 2030: Techniques of Soc. Research PSYC 2030: Introduction to Research Methods PSYC 3010: Intermediate Research Methods SOWK 3070: Foundations of Social Work Research SOCI 3310: Social Research SOWK 3100: Systematic Inquiry in Social Work

Other Application Requirements

All Applicants must be living in Canada for the duration of the program.
Transcripts, References, Resume, and Program Specific Questions
Proof of English Language Proficiency, if applicable

TOEFL 90 (writing 25, speaking 25)
IELTS (Academic) 7.0 (writing 6.5, speaking 6.5)
English for Academic Success (EFAS) - 75% (overall in level 400 with at least 75% in writing, oral and academic skills)

French-Canadian Citizens Please Note:

Canadian citizens with qualifications from French-speaking universities in Canada are not required to submit an English Language Proficiency (ELP) certificate. Since the official language of instruction at the University of Waterloo is English, please ensure that you have the English language skills required to be successful in the program.

For information, please contact:

Keri Raif Sura, Administrator & Student Services Manager
School of Social Work, Renison University College
519-884-4404, ext. 28698
kraif@uwaterloo.ca