andy123

Hey! I'm also trying to transition from teaching to social work. I was an ESL teacher for about 12 years and have been attempting to make more of my psychology undergrad degree for the past few years now that I'm back in Canada. I applied to York's MSW program a couple of years ago with no success, but I'm trying again this year with Windsor's MSW for Working Professionals program (mentioned in the above reply). The classes are on Friday evenings and Saturdays every other week, and they offer classes at both their Windsor campus and the 'Peel' location in Mississauga. The program is designed for people who are currently working full time in social work (or other helping professions - which I'm guessing applies to teaching - from what I know), and one of the two tracks is open to people like us without a BSW. They are still accepting applications for fall 2021, but it's a bit unclear when the deadline is because they use a system of rolling admissions. The only catch may be that they require a social science stats and research methods course. If the program suits you other than that, there are ways to do those kinds of courses before entering the program. It is a longer-term investment as the non-BSW program is 32 months, but you'd be able to keep working full-time for the entire duration. Worth a look, perhaps. Good luck in your journey and all the best!!

Thank you very much to all three of you for your insight and experiences. I really appreciate it! It seems like an MSW (or something comparable like an MA in counselling) will be inevitably necessary if I want to be competitive in the job market. I have a follow-up question to anyone who might know... Are all MSWs considered equally valuable by employers or would it be fair to say that an online MSW is viewed differently than an in-class one? Is an MSW from a higher-ranked university looked upon more favorably? Good luck to everyone who's still waiting to hear back about their applications and all the best to everyone else!

Hey all, This might not be the right place to ask this question but... I'm curious to know people's reasons for wanting to get an MSW. I'm assuming it's the idea of professional development / advantage? I'm interested in working in SW / mental health and would like to get some insight from people who are either already in the field or trying to get in. What does an MSW provide that other options like post-grad addiction or SSW certificates don't? Are people with MSWs better practitioners or just better paid? Would love any insights, suggestions, etc on the topic. Thanks!