Distance education

Distance education lets you create a flexible, full- or part-time program of studies. All required academic courses in the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) curriculum are available through distance education study, allowing you to study where you work and live.

To help you determine whether distance education is a good fit, here are some important considerations:

• you will require regular and reliable access to a computer and the internet
• you will be required to spend 8–12 hours per week on each course
• you must be available for the duration of each course
  • courses are scheduled in September, January and May with set start and end dates, and have specific assignment deadlines
• you need to be comfortable communicating online in a group environment, via both written discussions and live web conference sessions

Modes of delivery

Online classrooms

For each course, you’ll have access to a Brightspace site—a central online hub for course-related tools and materials. Instructors can post lecture notes, create quizzes, facilitate class discussions and small group exercises, and provide links to other resources.

Online participation is a required component of each course. Instructors are available for group or 1-on-1 consultation online and by telephone.

Face-to-face instruction

Most social work coursework is completed via distance education. Note that SOCW 312A: Collaborative conversations and working within communities is a core course for BSW students and includes a mandatory real-time/synchronous class session. Further details regarding this course are provided to incoming students and posted to the UVic Academic Calendar around mid-May.

Field education

Along with your coursework, you must complete both a third- and fourth-year field education placement in a community or government agency. These placements can usually be completed where you live.

Learn more about field education. 

On-campus/distance education combined program

While the BSW program is built to be completed entirely remotely, there is an opportunity to combine distance education with on-campus courses if you choose.

Third-year courses

Core courses comprising the third year of both the standard and specialized BSW programs will be offered on campus in the first and second terms of the winter session (September–April).

However, there is no guarantee that all third-year courses will be available in-person. Some courses may be offered online or in a blended format, depending on the semester and available resources.

Students should be prepared to navigate a mix of on-campus and online learning environments, depending on the course schedule and availability. Specific information about the delivery format for third-year courses will be provided during the course registration period.

Note: if you are attending part-time, be aware that third-year on-campus courses are offered only once from September to April.

Fourth-year courses

Fourth-year courses (including required courses and social work electives) are offered exclusively through distance education. While the program is primarily designed for fourth-year courses to be completed online, we may occasionally offer them on-campus if resources allow. General electives, if required, can still be taken on campus.