social work education bc

• Apply to UBC
• Canadian high school students
• International high school students
• International Baccalaureate students
• Advanced Placement students
• University or college transfer students
• Mature students
• Academic English development programs
• UBC Conditional Admission Program
• UBC-Langara Indigenous Transfer Partnership
• Plan for UBC
• Choose what to study
• First-year credit
• Write your personal profile
• Complete the application
• Disability-related considerations
• Working with an education agent
• Submit your documents
• First-year study options
• Accept your offer
• Apply for a study permit
• Plan your finances
• Find a place to live
• Take care of your health and wellness
• Explore your academic options
• Plan your degree
• Register for your courses
• Get ready for UBC life
• What we look for
• Dates and deadlines
• How UBC determines your tuition fees
• What will your first year cost?
• Beyond Tomorrow Scholars Program
• Indigenous student awards
• Loran Awards
• Presidential Scholars Awards
• Schulich Leader Scholarships
• UBC Centennial Scholars Entrance Awards
• International Scholars
• Loans for Canadian and US students
• Awards for students with disabilities
• Funding for former youth in care
• Funding for veterans
• Financial schedule
• Living in residence
• Living off campus
• Interdisciplinary and innovative programs
• Sports and recreation
• Work programs
• Leadership and volunteering
• Clubs and societies
• Orientations
• Students with disabilities
• Arts and culture
• Indigenous students
• Former youth in care
• UBC stories
• Admissions Blog
• Campus tours
• Information sessions
• Student experience events
• School visits
• Student meetings
• Self-guided virtual tours
• Create an account
• Get your Guide

Social Work

Social work is a profession working for social justice at individual, family, organization, community, and societal levels through various knowledges, values, ethics, and skills. You'll gain the necessary skills, knowledge, ethics, and values to work in the different areas of social work intervention: direct practice , group work, and social community development.

Why this program?

• Learn about critical and transformative social work theory and practice toward social justice.
• Acquire skills in generalist and advanced professional social work practice, including field placements in diverse settings.
• Take core courses based on values of human dignity, social equity, social justice, and scholarship.

Program information

• Campus: Vancouver
• Length 2 yrs
• Co-op No You can combine your studies with full-time, paid work at top local and international organizations.
• Honours No You can study intense specialization in a single field.

Before applying for admission, you must have completed at least 60 credits of transferable academic post-secondary course work, including first year English (3 credits), SOWK 200 and 201 (or transferable equivalents), and 18 credits in the social sciences and humanities.

The Social Work program assists you in acquiring competencies in social service delivery in the context of decolonization and social justice. This includes pedagogical and practice frameworks aimed at addressing issues of power and discrimination based on age, race, gender, sexual orientation, class, culture, and other categories.

The educational objective of the program is to provide you with the knowledge, values, ethics, and skills necessary for an initial level of professional practice focusing on the interface between personal problems and public issues. The program includes courses on theory, policy, research, and practice.

It is a single, integrated program that is generally completed in two years on a full-time basis. The curriculum includes courses on theory, policy, research, and practice, and is complemented by integrative seminars, electives, and two field practicums.

The Bachelor of Social Work degree is accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE). Prospective international students should determine certification requirements in the country of their intended practice.

You have to complete 728 hours of practicum hours over two years in community based placements under the supervision of agency staff. These placements can be in and outside of the Lower Mainland, depending on availability and your learning needs and interests.

• Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE)

Life at UBC's Vancouver campus

Social Work at UBC offers you the opportunity to assist people in need in the unique context of BC’s Lower Mainland and beyond. Our program is based on values of decolonizing social work practice toward social justice.

Your future

Professional social work practice in diverse settings including child protection, health and mental health, community development, and educational settings. Graduates work in countless public and private agencies and organizations in numerous capacities.

Program graduates

• Social worker, Ministry of Children and Family Development
• Indigenous cultural safety strategic lead and lead facilitator, Vancouver Coastal Health
• Social worker, Surrey Memorial Hospital

Related programs

You’ll find these pages helpful, deep dive into ubc programs and get a taste of campus life on snapchat, meet dr. wood, a groundbreaking researcher in hiv treatment, ready to choose your degree.

• Graduate School

School of Social Work

The UBC School of Social Work is the oldest social work education program in British Columbia and the third oldest in Canada. Today, we continue our long and distinguished record of professional education, research and scholarship.

Our faculty are engaged locally and globally in research and community building in a diverse range of settings with strong links to government, professional and community organizations.

Building upon a foundation of social justice and an ethic of care, we are a community of learners actively engaged in the development of critical, transformative knowledge for social work practice.

Social Media Channels

• Graduate Degree Programs

Social Work

Master of Social Work

Doctor of Philosophy

• Research Supervisors

Darryl Gray

Karen Lok Yi Wong

Bsw alumni q&a with jennifer varatharajah.

q.pullquote-quotes { color: #1d4989; } “I believe this environment will foster meaningful connections and provide a solid foundation for generalist practice, helping me discover my niche within the field.”...

Indigenous Speaker Series: Indigenous Rights Reclamation with Charlotte (Salla) Sukow

The recording of the compelling presentation made by Charlotte (Salla) Sukow, Project Manager for Child and Family Jurisdiction for the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nation and Interim Director of Operations for the Galgapothla Society, on November 29, 2023 is now available. This was the School’s third...

Collaborative Online International Learning Initiative

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim from School of Social Work has been featured in an article highlighting UBC’s Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) initiative. Through COIL, UBC faculty and students have engaged in virtual classrooms with universities in Nepal, Kenya, and Australia,...

In Memoriam: Murray Sinclair

Murray Sinclair, the Anishinaabe senator and former Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), has passed away at the age of 73. A member of Peguis First Nation, Sinclair was a pioneering figure in Canada’s legal and public service sectors, becoming the first Indigenous judge in...

In Memoriam: Betty Carter

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Betty Carter, a beloved former faculty member of the UBC School of Social Work and Assistant Professor Emerita, who left us at the age of 93. The post In Memoriam: Betty Carter appeared first on School of Social Work.

New  Indigenous Resurgence Project Website

As one way to carry out our commitment to remember the historical and current injustices faced by Indigenous Peoples, to transform social work education and practice to end these injustices, to uphold Indigenous rights, and to work towards healing and reconciliation the Indigenous Resurgence...

Get key application advice, hear about the latest research opportunities and keep up with the latest news from UBC's graduate programs.

• Why Grad School at UBC?
• Application & Admission
• Info Sessions
• Research Projects
• Indigenous Students
• International Students
• Tuition, Fees & Cost of Living
• Newly Admitted
• Student Status & Classification
• Student Responsibilities
• Supervision
• Managing your Program
• Health, Wellbeing and Safety
• Professional Development
• Dissertation & Thesis Preparation
• Final Doctoral Exam
• Final Dissertation & Thesis Submission
• Life in Vancouver
• Vancouver Campus
• Graduate Student Spaces
• Graduate Life Centre
• Life as a Grad Student
• Graduate Student Ambassadors
• Meet our Students
• Award Opportunities
• Award Guidelines
• Minimum Funding Policy for PhD Students
• Killam Awards & Fellowships
• Dean's Message
• Leadership Team
• Strategic Plan & Priorities
• Vision & Mission
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Initiatives, Plans & Reports
• Graduate Education Analysis & Research
• Media Enquiries
• Newsletters
• Giving to Graduate Studies

Strategic Priorities

• Strategic Plan 2019-2024
• Improving Student Funding
• Promoting Excellence in Graduate Programs
• Enhancing Graduate Supervision
• Advancing Indigenous Inclusion
• Supporting Student Development and Success
• Reimagining Graduate Education
• Enriching the Student Experience

Initiatives

• Public Scholars Initiative
• 3 Minute Thesis (3MT)
• PhD Career Outcomes

Bachelor of Social Work

• Master’s Program
• PhD Program
• Undergraduate Practicum
• Graduate Practicum
• Field Instructors & Community Partners
• Equity & Inclusion
• Job Opportunities

Undergraduate

Build your knowledge and skills on foundational values of social justice and a caring society through the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree program at UBC Vancouver.

The UBC School of Social Work prepares students for generalist and advanced professional social work practice in diverse settings, including child protection, health and mental health, community development, and educational settings.

During your time at the School, you will build on your existing knowledges through study and research, develop your skills in field education practicums, and make valuable connections with faculty and fellow students.

We advise taking the prerequisite introductory courses and gain volunteer or paid experience working in social service agencies or organizations to determine if the social work profession is right for you.

The “Introduction to Social Welfare” and “Introduction to Social Work Practice” courses help you explore whether or not social work is the right profession for you before you make the commitment to a social work degree program. They also enable the School to see if you have an aptitude for our courses.

You may want to learn more about the BC Association of Social Workers , BC’s professional association for social workers, and the BC College of Social Workers , the regulatory body for social work practice in BC.

In general, social workers require the following knowledge, skills and attributes to be effective:

• excellent interpersonal, listening, and communication skills
• interest in people
• emotional stability, maturity, patience, and energy
• independence, resourcefulness, responsibility, and ethical values
• capacity to work well in small groups and collaborative environments
• creative and innovative problem solving skills
• understanding of one’s social location, beliefs and values
• sensitivity to the beliefs and values of others
• awareness of community, national, and international issues that affect how people live their lives
• desire to make a difference

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)

Quick links.

Field education

Student handbook, student association, student support, student news, bsw alumni q&a with jennifer varatharajah.

Resources: 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline

CASW Distinguished Service Award 2024 Recipient

Take the next step in advancing the lives and wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities by applying to our Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program.