Enhance Your Social Work Career Opportunities

Enhance Your Social Work Career Opportunities

Add a graduate credential to your professional portfolio to open new doors of practice and influence.

UFV's two-year Advanced Master of Social Work (MSW) equips you with the practice knowledge and skills you need to move into a leadership role. The Advanced MSW program involves five-semesters, 30 credits, and a required 450-hour practicum. It is offered every two years in even years.

If you do not have a Bachelor of Social Work, apply to UFV's Foundational Master of Social Work. This three-year program consists of 33 credits of undergraduate social work courses delivered over three-semesters, plus a 450-hour practicum. You then ladder into the two-year Advanced MSW program. The Foundational MSW is offered every two years in odd years.

The program’s core courses and electives enable you to develop a broad professional competency base. Core courses provide a comprehensive perspective on supervision and leadership, the integration of anti-oppressive and cross-cultural practice, social policy, and advance assessment techniques.

Grounded in a respect for Aboriginal self-determination and a commitment to partner with local First Nations communities, the program encourages you to integrate anti-oppressive and social justice principles into your practice.

All throughout, you draw on the expertise of experienced, diverse, and accomplished faculty members. As a capstone to your learning, you select one elective course in Health, Children and Families, or Mental Health, and complete a major paper or project in your area of research interest.

Upon graduation, you meet the requirements to apply to register with the British Columbia College of Social Workers (RSW).

Career Outlook for Master of Social Work

The British Columbia 2025 Labour Market Outlook identifies social work as a high opportunity occupation with excellent projected employment rate.

When registered, social workers who have completed a master's degree find increased opportunities to move into leadership roles in the field. They may work as administrators, teachers, case managers, or program developers in human services. They may also conduct research or work in the area of policy development for social or government agencies.

In fact, many graduates of the Master of Social Work program have done exactly that, and now work in leadership positions, private practice, or teaching positions in the local and surrounding communities.