When passion for social justice and career come together – think social work. If you’re interested in a rewarding career in which you help people reach their potential by overcoming difficulties and improving their lives, consider a career in social work.
Program Overview
*Four-year degree program (120 credit hours)
*Two-year After-Degree Program (75 credit hours)
Booth University College’s Bachelor of Social Work program is available in a four-year degree program and a two-year after-degree program. Our faculty have tremendous personal social work experience to share, which helps students understand what they are learning in the classroom. During the course of their studies in social work, students will typically gain more than 800 hours of practical experience during their time in the field. Students also benefit from the unique way we match our students for practicum placement and have our core faculty established as the ones who serve as liaisons for all placements.
Our social work program is a well-respected and sought-after program in the province of Manitoba. We are an approved program of the Manitoba College of Social Workers (MCSW) for registration in the province of Manitoba. Although we are not accredited by the Canadian Association of Social Work Educators (CASWE), our graduates all qualify for registration as social workers in Manitoba; and many have gone on to register as social workers and practice across Canada as well as complete graduate studies in various universities and programs in Canada and the US.
Studying at Booth
Social work is an incredibly challenging profession. At Booth University College, we offer a demanding program with a strong focus on both policy and clinical skills development to ensure our graduates are prepared for the workforce and ready to stand alongside the best in the field.
While our rigorous Bachelor of Social Work program rests on the grounding of the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) Code of Ethics, it also grows out of the work of The Salvation Army in addressing social injustice in our world. Booth UC promises to provide ‘education for a better world,’ and our social work program is integral to this. Learning takes place within an intentionally Christian academic environment that fosters awareness of and respect for diversity and other traditions. The Bachelor of Social Work program instills values of compassion, acceptance and self-awareness in order to challenge graduates to appreciate and work from different perspectives to promote growth. Graduates of the bachelor’s degree program in social work are eligible for registration as RSW with the Manitoba College of Social Workers.
“I wouldn’t be where I am now had I not gone to Booth UC… I used the facilities that were there to get me where I needed to be.”
“I learnt a lot about myself at Booth UC, both as a person and as a professional in regards to what I am looking for in a social-work position. What a great learning experience it was and I am so thankful for that!”
– Sydney Park (BSW/18)
Interested in Applying?
Learn about applying to the School of Social Work.
Learning Objectives
In addition to the Institutional Learning Outcomes, the Bachelor of Social Work program prepares graduates who meet the following learning outcomes:
1. Identification as a professional social worker and use of self:
- Demonstrate awareness of self, ability to use self professionally in achieving social work goals, and capacity to gauge the impact of self on practice
- Demonstrate professional demeanor including behaviour, appearance, communication, use of supervision and commitment to life-long learning
2. Adherence to the Social Work Code of Ethics and adoption of social work values in professional practice:
- Practice within the values and ethics of the social work profession by applying the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) Code of Ethics and the Manitoba Institute of Registered Social Workers (MIRSW) Standards of Practice and with an understanding of and respect for diversity
- Demonstrate awareness of one’s own values and their impact on professional relationships, keeping professional roles and boundaries
- Use of appropriate strategies to resolve ethical dilemmas while managing ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts
3. Professional social work practice skills with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations, applying knowledge of human behaviour and the social environment:
- Demonstrate the professional use of self and the ability to assume, as appropriate, a variety of helping roles such as broker, advocate, counsellor, case manager, mediator, facilitator, mobilizer, activist, and educator
- Function effectively within the structure of organizations and service delivery systems, and understand organizational dynamics and change processes
- Understand and apply knowledge and skills of generalist social work from engagement to termination
- Possess sufficient knowledge and competence in professional practice to provide service to a range of clients in different social work settings
- Use supervision and consultation appropriately to advance knowledge, skills and commitment to lifelong learning
- Build interventions on the strengths and assets of individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities utilizing a range of theoretical orientations within secular and faith based organizations
- Readiness to work across disciplines and professions in collaborative ways
4. Identification of structural sources of oppression and inequity, and promotion of human rights and social justice at all client system levels:
- Recognize the value of diversity and difference in our society
- Understand the responsibility of social work in promoting and engaging social systems to advance human rights and social justice goals
- Understand the structural forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination that limit human rights, with particular attention to their impact on populations-at-risk and engage in strategies of change that advance social and economic justice
- Engagement of individuals, families, groups, communities, organizations and society as a whole in addressing structural injustice
5. Employment of critical thinking in professional practice:
- Demonstrate knowledge about multiple sources of knowledge and theoretical orientations and application to practice
Use effective oral and written communication skills demonstrating the capacity to conceptualize and analyze material - Critically analyze and reflect on knowledge, practice skills and outcomes at the client and program level
- Apply critical thinking to outcome evaluation and analyze the effectiveness of practice with clients on an individual, family, group, organizational and community level
6. Engage in social work research:
- Demonstrate understanding of the research process, evaluate research studies and apply findings to practice
- Demonstrate ability to participate in and use the research process to assist in best practice service provision and policy development
7. Engage in policy analysis and development to advance social and economic well-being and deliver effective social work services:
- Analyze the impact of social policies and legislation on client systems, workers, and agencies and contribute to program evaluation and program development
- Identify and advocate for changes to policies that negatively impact client groups
- Acquire knowledge of organizational and societal systems and acquire skills to identify social inequalities, injustices, and barriers and work towards changing oppressive social conditions
- Develop the ability to critically assess the social, historical, economic, legal, political, institutional and cultural contexts of social work practice at local, regional, provincial, national, and international levels, and respond to changes in these contexts that shape practice
Course Requirements
Bachelor of Social Work Degree Program Requirements:
2019 enrollees and beyond
To earn a Bachelor of Social Work, you must successfully complete a total of 120 credit hours comprised of:
- 120 credits in the degree including 33 hours in the Booth University College core Curriculum, 18 hours of general electives and 69 hours in the discipline (57 credits required, 12 credits electives).
Required (57 credit hours):
- SWK110 Introduction to Social Work Practice (3)
- SWK220 Introduction to Social Welfare (Formerly Social Welfare in NA) (3)
- SWK232 Foundations I (3)
- SWK233 Foundations II (6)
- SWK310 Research Methods (3)
- SWK312 Human Behaviour in the Social Environment I (3)
- SWK313 Human Behaviour in the Social Environment II (3)
- SWK322 Indigenous People and Social Work Practice (3)
- SWK325 Social Work Field Practice I (6)
- SWK326 Social Work Field Practice I Integrative Seminar (3)
- SWK334 Foundations III (3)
- SWK360 Crisis Intervention or SWK370 Trauma Informed Practice (3)
- SWK410 Ethical Practice of Social Work (3)
- SWK421 Contemporary Issues in Social Policy (3)
- SWK425 Social Work Field Practice II (6)
- SWK426 Social Work Field Practice Integrative Seminar II (3)
Electives (12 credit hours):
- SWK300 Statistics for Social Work Practice
- SWK361 Social Problems (3)
- SWK363 Abuse and Social Work Practice (3)
- SWK364 Addictions and Social Work Practice (3)
- SWK365 Aging and Social Work Practice (3)
- SWK366 Disabilities and Social Work Practice (3)
- SWK395 Selected Topics in Social Work Practice (3)
- SWK460 Child Welfare Practice (3)
- SWK461 Dual Disorders: An Integrative Perspective (3)
- SWK462 Community Mental Health Practice (3)
- SWK463 Social Work Practice with Children & Adolescents
- SWK465 Spirituality in Social Work Practice (3)
- SWK466 Independent Study in Social Work (3)
Detailed information on course options is available in the Academic Calendar.
Selection process
Enrollment to Booth University College’s Bachelor of Social Work program is limited. The number of applicants accepted each year varies depending on the number of returning students, number of graduates and available resources within the department. Learn more about our selection process and applying to the School of Social Work program.
Contact Us
For more information, contact our Admissions team or go to the Admissions page.
Email: admissions@boothuc.ca
Phone: 204-924-4887 or toll-free:
877-942-6684 ext. 887
Visit: 447 Webb Place, Room 107
(main floor beside Booth Bistro),
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Meet Our Faculty
Go to the Staff Directory to contact our School of Social Work faculty members.
