The social work program is concerned with structural and individual change, and is committed to the eradication of social inequalities based on race, ethnicity, language, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, abilities, economic status, political affiliation, national ancestry, and all other forms of oppression.
Laurentian’s school of social work is committed to promoting awareness of the relationship between culture, language and ethnicity and the implications for social welfare and social work practice.
- Four-year program leads to an honours bachelor of social work (BSW)
- Accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work (CASSW)
- Students gain valuable field experience with over 700 hours of work in approved practice settings
- Also available: master of social work, family life studies and human sexuality certificate, and certificate of gerontology
Prospects: working with individuals, families, groups, and communities; with government in social planning and policy; with government-funded agencies at various levels; with child and family service agencies, hospitals, health-care programs, group homes, addiction treatment centres, community organizations…
Offered in English and French. See "Service social" on French side of Calendar.
Admission requirements
Ontario secondary schools
- 1 grade 12 4U English
- 5 other grade 12 4U/M courses
See Admissions for other requirements.
For admission to the professional years of the social work program (2nd year +), students must formally apply to the School of Social Work before March 1st.
Students must successfully complete all 1st-year program requirements to be eligible for admission to the professional years. This includes SWLF 1005 or SWLF 1006/07, Introduction to Sociology, Introduction to Psychology and 12 credits of electives in humanities and social sciences, sciences or mathematics. The admission process includes an application form, and/or a personal statement, and/or an interview. Applicants are rank-ordered and admitted until all spaces are filled.
By March 1st of each year, the school determines the maximum number of students to be admitted to the professional years. Spaces are contingent upon the availability of field placements and faculty resources.
General Information
The primary objective of the School of Social Work is to graduate individuals who have acquired the knowledge, practical and conceptual skills and professional commitment expected of a person holding an undergraduate or graduate professional degree in social work.
The second objective is to develop generalist social workers who promote human development as well as challenge inequality and oppression within society. In addition, the school aims to provide opportunities for ongoing learning, knowledge development and a professional culture responsive to the needs of people living within culturally diversified rural and urban communities in Northeastern Ontario. The school’s view of social welfare and social work extends beyond the study of individual problems – it assumes that the potential for individual growth and development is rooted in a larger social, political, cultural and economic context.
Consequently, social work is concerned with structural as well as individual change and is committed to the eradication of social inequalities based on race, ethnicity, language, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, abilities, economic status, political affiliation, national ancestry, and all other forms of oppression.
The Northeastern Ontario location of the school offers a unique experience for students interested in studying and practising in a northern setting. The school is committed to promoting an awareness of the relationship between culture, language and ethnicity and the implications for social welfare and social work practice.
The school is a member of the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work (CASSW), the policy and standard-setting organization for university-level social work education in Canada. It is also the body through which undergraduate B.S.W. programs are accredited.
The B.S.W. program encourages a generalist approach to practice. Students are expected to take courses in social policy and social welfare as well as courses in intervention with individuals, families, groups and communities.
Laurentian offers three distinct 4-year undergraduate social work programs: (1) Bachelor of Social Work; (2) B.S.W. in Native Human Services (see "Native Human Services"); (3) baccalauréat en service social (see "Service social"). Each program is listed separately in this Calendar. Some courses are available through distance education.
The program is offered to students on a full-time and part-time basis. Many students in the program are individuals with experience in social services and related fields. For students with a minimum of two years full-time work experience in social services, the program offers course challenge opportunities which, if passed, constitute credit for SWRK 3605 and or up to 6 credits of upper SWRK/SWLF electives.
First and 2nd-year courses are available at Laurentian University’s affiliates in Orillia.
To graduate with an Honours Bachelor of Social Work, a student must:
- complete 120 credits which satisfy all stated requirements for the degree;
- complete all Social Welfare and Social Work required courses with a minimum grade of 70%, as well as grades of "satisfactory" in SWRK 3605 and 4605;
- complete 6 credits of Social Welfare and Social Work elective courses with a minimum grade of 60% after no more than two attempts;
- complete all courses presented for the degree with an overall average of 60%. Only courses completed at Laurentian University are included in the calculation of averages.
To be in good academic standing in B.S.W., the student must:
- meet all conditions of admission;
- achieve a minimum of 70% in SWLF 1006/7, 2106/7, SWRK 2315;
- obtain a "satisfactory" grade in both SWRK 3605 and 4605;
- achieve a minimum grade of 60% in 6 credits of upper-year SWRK/SWLF electives;
- have an overall average of 60% on all passed courses in the previous year or in the previous 30 consecutive credits with no failures in any course attempts.
Students who fail to attain academic standing in a given year may be allowed to continue in that program on probation by petition to APR with a positive recommendation from the school for no more than one year or 30 consecutive credits. If after one year, such students fail to attain academic standing, they must withdraw from the program.
Students failing to meet the minimum grade requirements may continue in the program on probation for no more than one year or 30 consecutive credits. They must include the specified course in their program in the probationary year. Should they fail to meet all program requirements in the probationary year, they must withdraw from the school.
Students must withdraw from the university if they have been required to withdraw from a professional program and have not been permitted to transfer to another program. The School of Social Work, through its faculty and appropriate committees, reserves the right to suspend a student who, not withstanding her/his academic performance, fails to adhere to ethical and professional standards incumbent upon members of a helping profession.
Students who have not been registered in any courses for a period of more than three years must submit a request for readmission to the director of the School of Social Work. The director will convene an interview with the student and appropriate faculty members. The School of Social Work reserves the right to request that the student submit a formal application to the professional years.
Field Instruction I (SWRK 3605) consists of a minimum of 300 hours and Field Instruction II (SWRK 4605) consists of a minimum of 400 hours of work in a practice setting approved by the School of Social Work. Considerable flexibility is permitted to students and their agency-based field instructors to determine appropriate work schedules. This may result in the field practicum being offered in a block (3, 4 or 5 days per week) or concurrently (2 or 2.5 days per week) throughout the session. Practicum settings must be approved by the field coordinator and learning contracts (including work schedules) are approved by the faculty consultant. Given the range of agency requirements and student priorities, learning contracts and work schedules may differ, but all are subject to the mutual consent of the parties concerned.
While engaged in field practice, students are expected to abide by all school, university and professional codes of conduct. In addition, students are required to respect the particular standards of the field placement setting and the policies and procedures outlined in the Field Education Manual. Fieldwork I and II are graded by the assigned faculty consultant on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (pass/fail) basis.
Program
See also:
Course descriptions
See also: Course descriptions SWRK