Qualifying Year Entry into MSW Program
The Qualifying Year entry into the MSW Program 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, skills, and values pertinent to the practice of Social Work and to prepare them for advanced level studies.
The Qualifying Year is comprised of 30 credits of study, which includes a concurrent field placement. This program is completed on a full-time basis only, over one academic year.
The following briefly describes the admission requirements, procedures, and curriculum.
- Admission Requirements for Qualifying Year
- Application Procedure for Qualifying Year
- Qualifying Year courses
- Tuition Fees
- Faculty Research Interests
- Course Descriptions
- Admission Advising for Qualifying Year Students
- Downloadable Forms
Admission Requirements for Qualifying Year
Applicants demonstrating academic excellence and prior human services experience are considered for admission to the Qualifying Year of study in preparation for entry to the MSW (Non-thesis) program. The applicant’s undergraduate record must meet the minimum general requirements of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), which includes a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or a high “B” standing in undergraduate studies.
Applicants are required to have completed a bachelor degree (DCS/DEC from CEGEP plus a minimum of a 90-credit, or three-year university degree; or, a high school diploma plus a minimum of a 120–credit or four-year university degree) prior to entry into the Qualifying Year. Applicants will have the equivalent of at least 1 year of full-time voluntary and/or paid social work/human service experience and will have fulfilled, by July 1st, the following prerequisites at the university level:
- one 3-credit undergraduate research methods course*
- one 3-credit undergraduate statistics course
- three 3-credit (9 credits total) social science courses
- one 3-credit undergraduate course in human development
* Please note that a research methods course is preferably one in the social sciences. A grade less than B (minimum 70%) in research methods will lessen the applicant's probability of admission. All transcripts will be reviewed on an individual basis by an academic advisor.
For a list of examples of courses considered equivalent to our prerequisites, please see Course Equivalencies for Q-Year and MSW Prerequisite Courses
Applicants to the Q-Year must also demonstrate an adequate level of proficiency in English prior to admission, regardless of citizenship status or country of origin. Normally, applicants meeting any one of the following conditions are NOT required to submit proof of proficiency in English:
- Mother tongue (language first learned and still used on a daily basis) is English.
- Has obtained (or is about to obtain) an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction.
- Has obtained (or is about to obtain) an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized institution in Canada or the United States of America (anglophone or francophone).
- Has lived and attended school, or been employed, for at least four consecutive years, in a country where English is the acknowledged primary language.
Applicants who DO NOT meet any of the above-listed conditions must demonstrate proficiency in English using one of the following options:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – International applicants must achieve a minimum score of 577 on the paper-based test, or 90* on the internet-based test. * each individual component of reading, writing, listening, and speaking must have a minimum score of 21.
- the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) –International applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 7.0**. ** each individual component of reading, writing, listening, and speaking must have a minimum score of 6.0.
- MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery): a mark of 85% or higher.
- University of Cambridge ESOL Certificate in Advanced English (CAE): a grade of "B" (Good) or higher.
- University of Cambridge ESOL Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): a grade of "C" (Pass) or higher.
- Edexcel London Test of English - Level 5 - with an overall grade of at least "Pass".
- McGill Certificate of Proficiency in English or McGill Certificate of Proficiency - English for Professional Communication: Certificate of Proficiency awarded.
In each case, applicants must ensure that official test results are sent to McGill directly by the testing service. Applications cannot be considered if test results are not available.
Applicants admitted into the “Qualifying Year” for entry into the MSW are immersed, over two terms of full-time study only, in coursework and field placement. This full-time qualifying year of study is comprised of 15 credits per term. Candidates who secure a minimum B+ in all courses and successfully complete their fieldwork will apply and be recommended for admission to the MSW (non-thesis option only). We accept applications into the Qualifying Year for Fall admission only, and full-time study only, as this is an integrated program of study for the entire year that cannot be taken out of sequence.
No transfer students are eligible.
N.B. As the Qualifying Year is a non-degree program, students are not eligible for external fellowships.
Application Procedure for Qualifying Year
As of October 2012, McGill’s formerly paper-based graduate application process has been replaced with a more convenient electronic version. For detailed instructions on how to apply and how to upload required supporting documents in the new version, please see: http://www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply/prepare
Please note that the School only admits new students in the Fall term. Applications for the Winter or Summer terms are not accepted. It is important that you select the correct term when completing the application form. We will not be able to change the application term or refund your application fee if you enter the wrong term.
All supplemental application materials and supporting documents must be uploaded directly to the McGill admissions processing system. See www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply/submitting-your-documents for information and instructions.
Students wishing to apply to the Qualifying Year Entry into the MSW program are required to complete a two-part application process. The first part consists of downloading the School of Social Work application form, and the second part consists of completing the online McGill Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies application (GPS). The Qualifying Year application deadline for a September start is January 15.
- Qualifying Year Application
- Qualifying Year Recommendation Form
- GPS On-Line Application (Select “Graduate Studies” as the faculty, “Social Work” as the department, “Qualifying for MSW” as the program, “Social Work” as the Major or Subject, and “Qualifying” as the Concentration)
Qualifying Year Courses
Fall Term:
- Public Social Services in Canada (SWRK 221)
- Introduction to Practice (SWRK 353)
- Social Work Skills Laboratory (SWRK 350)
- Foundations in Social Policy in Canada (SWRK 404)
- Field Practice 1 (SWRK 322)
Winter Term:
- Critical Thought & Ethics in Social Work (SWRK 525)
- Anti-Oppression Social Work Practice (SWRK 325)
- Approaches to Community/Group Practice (SWRK 405)
- Practice with Individuals and Families 2 (SWRK 326)
- Field Practice 2 (SWRK 323)
Streams:
Students applying to the Q Year are required to locate themselves in one of three streams of study:
These streams organize the curriculum in the MSW program. Although students in the Q-Year do not have to commit to a stream until entry into the MSW program in the following year, we ask , for planning purposes, that students articulate a tentative designation at this time. The following is a brief description of each stream.
Children & Families Stream
The McGill School of Social Work has a long tradition of teaching in the area of "Children & Families", a specialization urgently needed for community, health and mental health practice. Today’s graduates are required to have a broad understanding of family life, mental health disorders and clinical capacity to offer effective services for families increasingly presenting with an array of complex social, psychological, physical and mental health problems. This area of study aims to develop students’ child and family clinical knowledge and practice skills to serve our increasingly diverse family populations within Québec and Canada. This area of study incorporates a broad-based theoretical and clinical perspective informed by research best practice methods. It includes curriculum on advanced methods of child and family assessment and treatment, couple counselling, child and youth mental health, child welfare, violence against women and youth justice. Practicing in this field involves working with children and their parents; couples and family systems including extended family and larger protective, social and legal healthcare networks that influence children and their families. Guiding principles include an understanding of the heterogeneity and diversity of the post-modern family integrating the lens of gender, race, poverty, social class and multiculturalism into child and family practice with attention to the intersection of social service, health and legal care structures. The goal of this area of study is to introduce the concepts and skills related to a developmental-systemic understanding of children and their families with a focus on culturally-informed models of assessment and treatment of child and family functioning and development. It is ideal for students considering careers in child and family protective services, child and adult psychiatry, including hospital based in-patient and out patient services and specialized community services for children and their families. It is also ideal for students from a multi-disciplinary background including social work, counseling psychology, clinical psychology, nursing, and other mental health disciplines.
Students in "Children & Families" are expected to take Understanding and Assessing Families (SWRK 622), as the core complementary theory course. Students in this stream will also be given priority to register for the following complementary courses:
- Youth Justice in Canada, (SWRK 602)
- Reclaiming Child Welfare, (SWRK 606)
- Family Treatment, (SWRK 610)
- Couple Counselling, (SWRK 623)
- Violence Against Women, (SWRK 628)
- Seminar on Mental Health, (SWRK 657)
Health & Social Care Stream
Changing population demographics, shifts from institutionalization to community-based care, and restructuring of health care systems create a demanding context for social work. This changing context of care requires a detailed understanding of care systems and their impact on populations in need of health and social services. The "Health & Social Care" stream is designed to better prepare students for social work in fields such as gerontology, health, disability, and mental health by exploring and examining the theoretical, historical and practical contexts of care, contemporary tensions and debates in the field, and by promoting the development of specialized skills for advanced practice across varying adult care settings. This area of interest considers health and social care practices on national, provincial, federal and international levels. Courses are organized around social care, ageing, mental health, disability, caregiving, and loss and bereavement. Drawing on relevant theory, research and policy, the courses in this area of interest situate contemporary issues within the historical context of social welfare; explore conceptual challenges embedded in concepts such as 'dependency' and 'disability'; address planning and practice for populations across the life course, and in late life; explore therapeutic practice in mental health settings; outline social work with persons with disabilities; focus on illness and palliative care, as well as articulate in-depth explorations of cross-cutting concerns of caregiving, loss and bereavement, ethics, and resilience. This area of interest is ideal for students considering careers in social work practice in community and institutional settings with older people, children and adults with disabilities, and mental health issues. Students in this area are likely to be interested in hospital social work, home care, various group-home settings for adults, palliative care, community organizations with a clinical focus, as well as areas of health or social care policy. The Health & Social Care stream is suitable for students with undergraduate degrees in social work, as well as psychology, health-related domains, women's studies, health policy or disability studies.
Students in "Health & Social Care" are expected to take Understanding Social Care (SWRK 609), as the core complementary theory course. Students in this stream will also be given priority to register for the following complementary courses:
- Seminar on Aging, (SWRK 655)
- Living with Illness, Loss and Bereavement, (SWRK 668)
- Disability and Rehabilitation, (SWRK 669)
- Seminar on Caregiving, (SWRK 670)
International & Community Development Stream
Over the past several decades, interest and opportunities in International & Community Development within social work have burgeoned. To this end, this area of study has been developed to serve our increasingly diverse populations within Québec and Canada as well as our progressively more interconnected world. This area of study incorporates a global perspective for local, national, and international practice. It includes curriculum on social welfare, international and community development, cross-cultural knowledge and understanding, comparative social policy, global and local peace-building initiatives, as well as advocacy and practice focused on immigrant, refugee and war-affected populations. Practicing in this field involves working with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities to influence laws, legislation and policies. Guiding principles are human rights, global justice and diversity. The goal of this area of study is to introduce concepts and skills relating to internationally-related domestic practice and advocacy, professional exchange, community and international practice, and community and international policy development. This stream is ideal for students considering careers in international and community development, practice work with immigrants, refugees and war-affected populations, advocacy work on global policy issues, and those aiming to broaden their domestic practice competence through understanding the international dimensions of community and social issues. It is also ideal for students with undergraduate degrees in social work and international development studies.
Students in "International & Community Development" are expected to take International & Community Development (SWRK 626) as the core complementary course. Students in this stream will also be given priority to register for the following complementary courses:
- International Social Work, (SWRK 532)
- Seminar on Trauma & Resilience (SWRK 621)
- Community Organization, (SWRK 624)
- Social Policy & Analysis, (SWRK 641)
- Migration & Social Work (SWRK 620)
Courses Available to Students Across all Streams
- Critical Thought & Ethics, (SWRK 525)
- Program Evaluation, (SWRK 633)
- Advanced Clinical Seminar: Use of Self, (SWRK 635)
- Aboriginal Field Studies (IDFC 500) [offered in summer]
Tuition Fees
Information on fees can be obtained from the Student Accounts website.
Faculty Research Interests
See individual faculty pages by clicking here.
Course Descriptions
The course descriptions and class schedule are available on the Web. Please note that courses may be rescheduled, or new courses added, from time to time; check online Class Schedule for the most up-to-date information. The schedule of courses to be offered in the Summer will be available in January.
Admission Advising for Qualifying Year Students
graduate [dot] socialwork [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Lillian Iannone)
Student Affairs Coordinator
Tel: 514-398-2679trudy [dot] blumstein [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Trudy Blumstein )
Qualifying Year Advisor
Tel: 514-398-2067Julia [dot] krane [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Dr. Julia Krane)
Graduate Program Director, MSW & Qualifying Year
Tel: 514-398-7063francine [dot] granner [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Francine Granner)
Field Coordinator, Qualifying Year
Tel: 514-398-4069
delphine [dot] collin-vezina [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Dr. Delphine Collin-Vézina)
Fellowships, Scholarships and Awards Coordinator
Tel: 514-398-7058
List of Fellowships
Downloadable Forms