Program Information

How can you improve the quality of peoples' lives?

At the Bachelor's level… Achieve your goal to become a professional social worker by taking the school's Bachelor of Social Work. We offer a wide range of courses and field training including individuals and families, child protection, groupwork, community organization, advocacy, social policy and a range of contemporary social issues such as domestic violence, aboriginal issues, international social work, refugees, health and social care.

At the Master's level… With your BSW, why not continue your professional education with the School's MSW (Non-Thesis Option) or launch yourself into research with the MSW (Thesis Option) or study social work and the law in the Joint Degree. We offer three streams of specialization: children and families, health and social care and international and community development. And soon the School will offer an MSc (Applied) in Couple and Family Therapy.

Don’t have a BSW, but you have completed a bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and are  keen to pursue a professional career in Social Work? Check out our Qualifying Year of study for entry into our MSW program.

At the Doctoral level… If you are looking to study in a world-class social work program, with a close knit group of doctoral students, and a personalized relationship with a faculty supervisor, McGill is the program for you. The School offer competitive fellowships to applicants who are interested in working in one of the research areas shared by faculty of the School. Our students have competed successfully to win prestigious national awards, such as the Vanier and Trudeau Fellowships. Students can also expect to have access to office space equipped with computers, opportunities for employment as Research Assistants and Teaching Assistants, and a wide variety of professional development programs to help students build their academic portfolios.

Whether you are interested in child welfare, poverty, aging, social policy, community development, migration, or a host of other options, we can design a course of study for you.

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)

The Faculty of Arts, through the School of Social Work, offers a 90-credit, three year undergraduate program of professional studies in Social Work, leading to the degree of Bachelor of Social Work (BSW).

For more information, click here.

For application deadlines, click here.

Qualifying Year of Study for Entry into the MSW (non-thesis)

The Qualifying Year of study for entry into the MSW Program (non-thesis) is designed for students who already have completed an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than Social Work and would like to pursue a graduate degree in Social Work (MSW). The main objectives of this Qualifying Year are to provide students with foundation knowledge and skills pertinent to the practice of social work and to prepare them for entry into the MSW program.

For more information, click here.

Master of Social Work (MSW)

The MSW program is a second cycle of professional study in which students pursue programs at an advanced level, building upon their first professional degree (BSW) and their subsequent practice experience. There are three options in the MSW Program:

• The Non-Thesis Option, designed for students who are interested in developing skills in specialized practice and policy analysis
• The Thesis Option, designed for students who have strong research interests
• The MSW - Joint Degree in Social Work and Law

For more information, click here.

For application deadlines, click here.

PhD in Social Work

The McGill School of Social Work offers a graduate program leading to a PhD degree in Social Work.

For more information, click here.

Aboriginal students (all levels)

We encourage all First Nations, Inuit and Métis applicants to identify themselves on their application form. In addition to the basic application requirements, these applicants are welcome, but not required, to submit additional letters of recommendation, a curriculum vitae and/or a personal statement.

The additional documentation will be helpful in assessing applications from Aboriginal applicants, who may have had educational experiences that are not readily evaluated through the University's standard practices. Such applicants may also be contacted for interviews.

For more information, visit the First Peoples' House website.