Social Work

About Social Work

The School of Social Work offers dynamic M.S.W., M.Sc.A., and Ph.D. programs, designed to explore cutting-edge knowledge on social work theory, practice, policy, and research. We have an exciting and growing faculty with a variety of research and practice expertise in the fields of:

• child welfare;
• health, mental health, and disability;
• poverty;
• aging;
• First Peoples;
• marginalized groups (e.g., immigrants and refugees, war-affected populations, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people);
• domestic violence; and
• international social work.

Our approaches to practice and research cover all levels of intervention from individuals, families, groups, and communities. Located within the School of Social Work are specialized centres devoted to research and training in the areas of interpersonal violence; children and families; and international human rights. Graduate students also have access to workstations equipped with computers, and many professional development workshops and seminars. Several research assistantships and teaching assistantships are available each year.

The McGill School of Social Work is a member of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (l'Association Canadienne pour la formation en travail social; CASWE-ACFTS), and the Regroupement des unités de formation universitaire en travail social du Québec (RUFUTS).

The School of Social Work is a professional school with the primary objective of preparing students for careers and for leadership in the fields of social work and social welfare.

Qualifying Year Entry into the M.S.W. Program

Applicants demonstrating academic excellence and a minimum of one year of social work-related experience (voluntary or professional) are considered for admission to the one-year, full-time Qualifying Year of study in preparation for entry to the M.S.W. (Non-Thesis) program. The objective of this preparatory year is to provide students with an essential foundation in social work knowledge before they embark on graduate-level studies in social work.

M.S.W. Program

The overarching objective of the master's program is the provision of advanced professional training by means of integrated learning experiences. Specifically, the educational goals are to:

1. develop a deepened and advanced competence in practice and research;
2. embrace a capacity for critical understanding of social theories, social problems, and emergent issues; and
3. understand population groups in need, institutional structures, and policy initiatives and processes.

There are three types of M.S.W. degrees: M.S.W. (Thesis), M.S.W. (Non-Thesis), and M.S.W. with B.C.L./J.D. The M.S.W. (Thesis) and (Non-Thesis) programs carry a weight of 45 credits, and, when taken on a full-time basis, involve three terms of study.  Part-time study can be arranged for both options.

There are two points of entry into the M.S.W.: one for those who hold a B.S.W. degree and one for those who have completed the one-year Qualifying Year of study offered by the School of Social Work.

Note: With respect to M.S.W. (Non-Thesis) program and the Qualifying Year of study for entry into the M.S.W. (Non-Thesis) program, possession of a working knowledge of the French language is important not only to candidates who intend to seek admission to the Quebec professional Ordre after graduation, but also to candidates who wish to maximize their field placement opportunities during their program. Students are expected to be functional in French (comprehension, spoken, and written) for the field placement component of the Qualifying year and the M.S.W. (Non-Thesis) program. Students without proficiency in French will have limited local options and will likely need to complete their field placement in an out-of-province setting in the spring/summer. In consultation with the Field Education Coordinator, such students may have the option of completing their field requirements at an approved social service agency outside of Quebec.

Ph.D. Program in Social Work

The School of Social Work offers a dynamic Ph.D. program in social work/social policy in order to promote the development of scholarship on social issues within Canada and Quebec. Courses are offered in English at McGill. Parallel streams are offered in French at Université de Montréal and Université du Québec à Montréal. Students have the opportunity of taking courses at all three universities.

The program aims to:

• prepare graduates for careers in university teaching and research, policy development, implementation and evaluation, practice and program evaluation, and leadership and management of human services;
• offer students the opportunity to acquire research methodology skills and to apply these to a range of areas relevant to social work; and
• stimulate original research on important social problems and issues.

Program Overview

Admission to the Master of Science, Applied (M.Sc.A.) Couple and Family Therapy (Non-Thesis) program will be interdisciplinary, with candidates entering from related human science, social science, or helping profession backgrounds such as Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Sociology, Creative Art Therapies, Sexology, Criminology, Nursing, or other related disciplines. The master's in Couple and Family Therapy is designed to allow students with an M.S.W. degree from McGill, to receive advanced credit and be eligible for Advanced level entry (minimum of 45 credits) taken over three terms.  Applicants who have successfully completed a bachelor's or master's degree in a related human science, social science, or helping profession, with a minimum overall CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0, are eligible to apply.

The Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) Social Work (Thesis) is designed for students who have a keen interest in developing an advanced intellectual understanding and a specialized set of research skills in one of two areas of practice:  (1) Practice with Individuals and Families or (2) International, Community, and Policy Practice. Program requirements consist of a thesis and six courses (two of which are required), taken over an extended period of three to four terms of full-time study. Prospective students will hold a B.S.W. degree with a minimum of one year of prior social work related experience (voluntary and/or professional).

Subsequent career paths are varied and lead to exciting opportunities in health, social services, and community organizing, where social workers undertake clinical, leadership, or policy roles.

The Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) Social Work (Non-Thesis): Gender and Women's Studies is offered intermittently, based on funding, to a specific cohort of students by invitation only.

The School of Social Work and the Faculty of Law offer a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) with integrated Bachelor of Civil Law/Juris Doctor (B.C.L./J.D.) designed to transcend academic boundaries in social justice issues. Lawyers and social workers often operate in the same fields, whether in public policy, child protection, family law, poverty law, or domestic violence situations, yet each profession has been constrained by internal limitations.

Students should take three and a half to four years to complete the M.S.W./B.C.L./J.D. program. It is possible, however, to complete the program in three years, by doing work for credit over the summer and by carrying heavier course loads throughout the program. The joint program leads to conferral of the B.C.L./J.D. law degrees and the master’s degree in social work. Prospective students possess a B.S.W. degree with prior practice experience or have completed the Qualifying year of study for entry into the M.S.W. (Non-Thesis) program.

McGill, Université de Montréal, and Université du Québec à Montréal jointly offer the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Social Work: McGill/UdeM/UQAM. Students work closely with their supervisor, pursuing individualized programs of study, which include coursework, research, and professional development. Faculty have expertise in a variety of areas such as aging; social exclusion; child welfare; international social welfare; Indigenous people and communities; violence against women and children; health and disability; poverty and social development; migration; and community organizing. Students normally take two semesters of coursework after which they complete a comprehensive exam. In the second year of the program, students begin their thesis work and take a course designed to facilitate the research process. Research and writing usually takes two to three years to complete.

McGill offers competitive entrance fellowships, access to computers and library resources, and active student networks. There are many opportunities to be involved in faculty research projects and sessional teaching. Students go on to careers in teaching, organizational leadership, and social policy analysis.

Social Work Admission Requirements and Application Procedures

Admission Requirements

For graduate applicants whose mother tongue is not English, and who have not completed an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized Canadian or American (English or French) institution or from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction, documented proof of English proficiency is required prior to admission.

Qualifying Year of Study for Admission to the M.S.W. (Non-Thesis) Program

Applicants who have successfully completed a 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 4-year university degree prior to entry into the Qualifying year with a minimum high B average (GPA 3.2/4.0), and who have completed university-level coursework in Statistics and Human Development Across the Lifespan, by August 15 for a September start date, are admissible to the Qualifying year of Study for Admission to the M.S.W (Non-Thesis) program. Applicants are also expected to have one year of paid or volunteer professional social work experience prior to admission.

M.S.W. (Thesis) and (Non-Thesis) Programs

Applicants who have successfully completed a B.S.W., with a minimum high B average (GPA 3.2/4.0), and who have completed university-level coursework in Statistics and in Human Development Across the Lifespan by August 15 for a September start date, are admissible to the Master of Social Work program. Applicants are also expected to have one year of paid or volunteer professional social work experience prior to admission.

Students who have completed the one-year, full-time Qualifying year of study at the School of Social Work are eligible for direct admission to the M.S.W. (Non-Thesis) program provided they have secured a minimum B+ average in Qualifying courses, and have successfully fulfilled all fieldwork requirements.

M.Sc.A. Program

Admission to the program will be interdisciplinary, with candidates entering from related human science, social science, or helping profession backgrounds such as Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Sociology, Creative Art Therapies, Sexology, Criminology, Nursing, or other related disciplines. The master's in Couple and Family Therapy is designed to allow students with an M.S.W. degree from McGill, to receive advanced credit and be eligible for Advanced level entry (minimum of 45 credits) taken over three terms. Applicants who have successfully completed a bachelor's or master's degree in a related human science, social science, or helping profession, with a minimum overall CGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0, are eligible to apply.

Joint Program: Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) with Integrated Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) / Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Applicants must apply separately for admission to each Faculty. Applicants must meet or surpass the requirements for admission to both the M.S.W. program and to Law and must submit a brief statement explaining their interest in this joint program along with all other required admission materials.

Ph.D. Program

Applicants apply directly to the School of Social Work. Applicants applying to the Ph.D. program must hold a master's degree in social work or, exceptionally, a bachelor's degree in social work with a master's degree in a related subject from an accredited program. However, applicants who hold a master's degree in a related social science discipline with strong research interests and experience in social work/social policy may also be considered. All applicants must also have completed, at the university level, coursework in statistics and in research methods within the last five years.

Criteria considered in weighing applications include:

• quality and relevance of the student's research proposal and one-page narrative;
• quality of reference letters;
• previous experience as demonstrated in the C.V.

Application Procedures

McGill’s online application form for graduate program candidates is available at mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/how-apply.

See University Regulations & Resources > Graduate > Graduate Admissions and Application Procedures > Application Procedures for detailed application procedures.

Applications will only be considered upon receipt of all required documents.

Additional Requirements

The items and clarifications below are additional requirements set by this department:

• Qualifying year of study applicants (see mcgill.ca/socialwork/prospective/qyprogram for forms and guidelines):
  • Curriculum Vitae (using form provided)
  • Prerequisite Form (using form provided)
  • Statement of Interest for Social Work
  • Three references (two academic and one professional)
• M.S.W. (Thesis), M.S.W. (Non-Thesis), and M.S.W. with B.C.L. and J.D. applicants (see mcgill.ca/socialwork/prospective/msw for forms and guidelines):
  • Curriculum Vitae (using form provided)
  • Prerequisite Form (using form provided)
  • Statement of Interest or Research Statement for Social Work
  • Three references (two academic and one professional)
• M.Sc.A. applicants (see mcgill.ca/socialwork/prospective/msca for forms and guidelines):
  • Curriculum Vitae (using form provided)
  • Pre-requisite Form (using form provided)
  • Letter of intent
  • Three references (one academic and two professional)
  • Admission interview (for selected candidates)
• Ph.D. applicants (see mcgill.ca/socialwork/prospective/phd for forms and guidelines):
  • Ph.D. Prerequisite Form
  • Personal statement (maximum length one page, single-spaced)
  • Ph.D. Curriculum Vitae Form
  • Ph.D. Research Proposal (maximum length five pages, single-spaced, including references. Do not append detailed CV.)
  • Written work (upload one sample)

Application Dates and Deadlines

Application opening dates are set by Enrolment Services in consultation with Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), while application deadlines are set by the School of Social Work and may be revised at any time. Applicants must verify all deadlines and documentation requirements well in advance as specified for each program on the School of Social Work website.

Admission to graduate studies is competitive; accordingly, late and/or incomplete applications are considered only as time and space permit.

Available Programs

Qualifying Year of Study for Entry into the M.S.W. Non-Thesis Program

Applicants admitted to the Qualifying Year are immersed, over two terms of full-time study only, in coursework and fieldwork to provide the foundational knowledge for an exciting career in social work through the continuation of the M.S.W. Non-Thesis program. This full-time Qualifying Year of study comprises 15 credits per term. Students who complete the one-year full-time Qualifying Year of study at the School of Social Work are eligible for direct entry into the M.S.W. program (Non-Thesis only) provided they have successfully completed the Qualifying Year courses and fulfilled all fieldwork requirements. Applications to the Qualifying Year are accepted for Fall admission only, and for full-time study only, as this is an integrated program of study for the entire year that cannot be taken out of sequence.

For more information, please visit the School of Social Work website: mcgill.ca/socialwork.

Location

School of Social Work
550 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Suite #100, tour Est
Montreal QC H3A 1B9
Canada
Telephone: 514-398-7070
Email: graduate.socialwork@mcgill.ca
Website: mcgill.ca/socialwork