Social Work
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Why choose Social Work at UVic?
If you want to turn your values into real-world impact, Social Work at UVic offers a clear, credible path to meaningful work. You’ll learn how to support individuals, families and communities using decolonial, anti-racist and social-justice-informed approaches — grounded in practice, accountability and respect.
At UVic, Social Work means:
- Learning how systems affect people — and how to create change within them
- Preparing for professional practice rooted in human rights and social justice
- Studying in a program accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education
A values-driven school
The School of Social Work is committed to decolonizing, anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice across teaching, research and leadership. These commitments shape how you learn, who you learn with and how you prepare for practice. You’ll be part of a learning environment that emphasizes:
- Responsibility, accountability and ethical practice
- Collaboration with communities and community partners
- Curiosity, critical thinking and applied problem-solving
Program delivery
Apply to enter the Social Work program after two years of post-secondary study. The Faculty of Social Work offers a Pre-Social Work program that prepares you to transfer into Social Work in your third year. If you’re already studying at another college or university, you can apply directly to Social Work.
Social Work is a very flexible program, allowing part-time or full-time study and offering on-campus and distance-education (online) classes.
On-campus and distance education
Choose on-campus classes in your third year to build relationships with peers, faculty and community partners. You can complete your fourth year online, making it easier to balance school with work or family responsibilities.
Distance education
You can also complete the program entirely online. This option allows you to participate from anywhere in Canada and is well suited to students who are working full-time or living outside Victoria.
Customize your degree
Choose one of the following areas of focus to tailor your degree to your interestes and goals:
- Child welfare
- Indigenous
- Indigenous child welfare
Hands-on learning
Field-education placements
Field-education placements a core part of your degree. You’ll gain supervised, real-world experience in social work settings such as community organizations, government agencies and non-profit services. Placements are typically completed in your home community, helping you build relevant experience and professional networks where you live and plan to work.
Co-operative Education (Co-op)
- Through UVic’s Co-op program, you’ll apply what you learn in paid, career-related positions that count toward your degree—and give you a head start after graduation.
- Co-op is available to everyone, including international students with co-op work permits.
- On average, 70 percent of UVic Co-op students graduate with a job offer already in hand.
- Unlike at some universities, at UVic, you don’t have to compete for a spot in Co-op.
Inspiring courses
- Understanding Oppression
- Social Work, Social Justice and the Law
- Working With Trauma
- Addictions in Society: Theory, Practice and Policy
- Child Welfare Practice
Career possibilities
- Abuse or crisis counsellor
- Addictions counsellor
- Adoptions worker
- Child and youth worker
- Child protection worker
- Clinical social worker
- Corrections or probation officer
- Family support worker
- Health care social worker
- Mental health worker
- Outreach worker
- Policy analyst or advisor
- School-based counsellor
Career outcomes
All UVic co-op students
- 70% of co-op students graduated with a job offer in hand
- 42% of eligible students took part in co-op
- 16% of these students found their post-graduation position because of their co-op experience
All UVic grads
- 48% of graduating students received a job offer before graduation
- 83% found career-related positions in their chosen field
- 48% received a salary of more than $50,000 a year
- 52% found work in Greater Victoria
Admission
Apply directly to this program as a transfer student from another post-secondary institution.
If you're a high school student, you can can apply to Social Sciences and transfer into Social Work after two or more years of study at UVic.
Program details
Providing you accurate application deadlines, tuition fee estimates, admission requirements, scholarships and transfer credit depends on your situation.
Program details
Application deadline
Admission requirements
Recommended admission average
Expanded qualifications
English language proficiency
Transfer credit
Tuition & fees
Tuition rates effective May 1, 2025 (please note some ancillary fees are subject to change for Fall 2025).
This is an estimate only and should be used to give students, parents, and/or sponsors an approximation of the tuition and ancillary fees. This estimate does not include housing, food, cost of books and supplies or other expenses that students can expect in a term.
Scholarships
Ready to apply?
We'll walk you through all of the steps in the process, from submitting your online application to accepting your offer of admission.
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