FrostyMoon

Hey everyone! Thought I could offer a guide for prospective applicants in figuring out which MSW programs might align best with their personal and career interests as someone who was admitted into an MSW program during last year’s admission cycle. I went through all of the accredited English-language MSW programs in Canada and subjectively categorized their area of specialization based on the university’s description of their program and what types of courses they offer. This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, but it might help folks with figuring out which universities to apply for. Child Welfare: McGill, UBC Vancouver, UNBC, UofT. These universities may offer a degree specialization in child and family welfare or have a significant amount of courses that involve social work practice with vulnerable children, youth, and families. If you are looking to work in or closely with child protective services, these MSW programs will offer a great selection of courses in this area. Clinical: Calgary, Laurier, UBC Okanagan, UofT. One of the most commonly asked questions on these threads is whether or not a MSW program is clinically-focused. These universities have a strong focus in clinical social work practice and the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of people with mental illness. Both UofC and UofT offer degree specializations in Clinical Practice/Mental Health while UBCO’s MSW program is entirely specialized towards clinical social work practice. Laurier allows you to tailor your elective courses to either clinical micro-level practice or community macro-level practice. Additionally, all four MSW programs provide students the opportunity to pursue a thesis prior to graduating. If you are looking to practice in a clinical or counselling capacity in the future, these universities will offer a strong selection of courses that deal with clinical practice, administering psychological assessments, and working in mental health settings. Generalist: Carleton, Dalhousie, Lakehead, UFV, Western, Windsor. You can’t really go wrong with universities that offer advanced generalist MSW programs. These universities don’t have a targeted curriculum focus for their MSW program, but you can usually pick-and-choose which courses or area of practice (e.g., aging, child welfare, international development) you want to specialize in. Other universities listed here may already have a predetermined course sequence for their MSW program, which provide a balance for direct and indirect practice. If you want to get a well-rounded education that allows you to practice across all levels of social work, an advanced generalist program might be an appropriate option for you. Gerontology: Lakehead, UofT. These MSW programs offer a degree specialization in social work practice with older adults and their families. If you are looking to work closely with aging populations in long-term care facilities, assisted-living facilities, hospices, and nursing homes, these universities will offer a solid foundation for future practice in this area. Indigenous Knowledge: Laurier, Manitoba, UNBC, UofR, UofT, UVic. These universities may offer a degree specialization in Indigenous Knowledge or have a significant amount of course offerings which directly relate to Indigenous communities or draw on Indigenous ways of knowing. If you would like to work closely with Indigenous populations or want to engage in anti-oppressive or decolonizing practice, these MSW programs might be a good fit for you. Medical: McGill, UBC Vancouver, Waterloo. These universities offer a stream in or have an explicitly strong focus on social work policy and practice within the healthcare system. In other words, both macro-level and micro-level practice in the healthcare context are covered in their curriculum. If you are looking to support patients and families in hospitals, community clinics, public health agencies, and other healthcare settings, these MSW programs may be one of the better options available. Social Justice: McMaster, Ryerson/X University, UVic, York. These universities have a strong focus on social justice and social work practice that is heavily grounded in critical theory. If you’re looking to engage in anti-oppressive and reflexive practice with marginalized communities, these MSW programs are great options to consider. Social Policy: Calgary, Laurentian, Laurier, Manitoba, McGill, Memorial, Ryerson/X University, UBC Vancouver, UofR, UofT. These MSW programs will place a strong emphasis on social policy. If you are looking to engage in macro-level practice in public health settings or federal/provincial/municipal government agencies, you might want to consider these programs. Thesis: Calgary, Carleton, Dalhousie, Lakehead, Laurentian, Laurier, Manitoba, McGill, McMaster, Memorial, UBC Okanagan, UBC Vancouver, UNBC, UofR, UofT, UVic. These universities offer a thesis option for MSW students. If you are looking to pursue doctoral studies (i.e., DSW or a PhD in Social Work) in the future or are thinking about a career in program evaluation and research, these programs provide that opportunity for conducting original research and completing a thesis prior to graduating with your MSW degree.

Congratulations on your acceptance! Laurier is well-regarded in the social work field and one of the few universities in Canada that specialize in clinical practice. As both programs are accredited by CASWE, you will be getting a solid foundation for future social work practice regardless of which university you choose. While I do not know your personal career aspirations, I would say that it is important to think about what you would be getting out of UofT's MSW program that you wouldn’t already be getting at Laurier. If you are thinking about a career in academia or if you plan on pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Work, then absolutely, these differences might matter as you would want to work closely with a faculty member whose research interests align with yours. However, if you are thinking about working right after graduation, it is arguably more important to tailor your field placements towards your desired area of practice, network with established professionals in the province that you want to practice in, and ensuring that you meet the educational and supervised work experience requirements to be registered as a social worker in the appropriate provincial college/association. Hope this helps with making your decision!

Hi Katie, I can’t speak for all the nuances that come with enrolling into either online program, but of the two universities you mentioned, Laurier slightly edges out Windsor when it comes to courses that specialize in clinical practice. Windsor offers an Advanced Generalist program which means that you’re required to take a mix of courses that address both macro and micro-level social work practice. While you can definitely pursue a career in clinical social work after finishing this program, it is not something that this university specializes in. Laurier doesn’t have that same rigidity when it comes to degree requirements as Windsor does. You can tailor your electives towards either macro-level community practice or micro-level clinical practice. You can also check out this post made two years ago from someone who was accepted into Laurier's MSW program. Hope this helps with making your decision!

Congratulations! No matter what you end up choosing, both of them are really great programs. I think it would really depend on what you want your area of practice to be and where in Canada you would like to see yourself practicing in the future. Laurier might be the better option if you're looking to work in a macro-level/research capacity or if you have a strong interest in social justice. You are required to take two research methods classes in both the Regular and Advanced Standing tracks. While you can definitely specialize in courses for micro-level practice in your Advanced year at Laurier, keep in mind that many of the clinically-focused practicum sites (e.g., hospitals and mental health clinics) in Ontario already have established partnerships with the UofT. It might be difficult to secure a placement in this area of social work especially if you're looking to practice in Ontario after you graduate. On the other hand, UBC Okanagan exclusively specializes in direct or clinical social work practice. There are much fewer course offerings for critical/transformative social work practice compared to Laurier. If you're looking to work in a clinical or counselling capacity in the future, UBCO might be the better option. The biggest drawback to UBCO is that its campus is much smaller than the main one in Vancouver, but your practicum will likely take place in clinically-focused sites throughout British Columbia and Alberta where you will work directly with clients. Wish you all the best with making your decision!

Awesome! Thanks for setting this up for us. Can’t wait to meet you all in September! ?

Hi Everyone! I’ve accepted my offer to UBC Okanagan a few weeks ago and would love to connect with other students who are starting the program this September! UBC was my top choice university as I was really impressed by its clinical social work curriculum and how its practicum opportunities were mainly centred around sites in Western Canada. This is my first year applying for graduate programs and I honestly didn’t think I would’ve been accepted at all because of how competitive this admissions cycle has been, but I’m glad it all worked out!