Bachelor of Social Work
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Facts checked 7 September 2026
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Part of the route toSocial Worker·Degree
A four-year professional degree teaching social justice, community interventions, child welfare, and supervised human service practicums.
Ways to get this paid for
Government money that can cover this course. Check who qualifies before you pay.
Free adult upgrading
FreeGrade 11 and 12 courses and English classes are free at public colleges and school districts. This covers the Grade 11 and 12 prerequisite courses, not the program itself.
Canada Training Credit
Half your tuition back, up to $5,000 in your lifeFederal tax credit. $250 a year builds up from age 26. Claim it on your tax return.
THE ROUTE
How this program works, step by step
Grade 11 to the job. Open any step to see what is inside.
The route (8 steps)
For the best view, open the map full screen.
STEP BY STEP
Step by step
The same route as the map, as a list.
Step 1 of 8
Grade 11
⏱ 1 school year- General BC secondary school curriculum and coursework at the Grade 11 level.
Step 2 of 8
Grade 12
⏱ 1 school year- General high school graduation (BC Dogwood Diploma) or equivalent mature student status.
Step 3 of 8
What you need to get in
- Minimum 60 university credits or complete associate degree (for third-year BSW entry) or high school graduation (for direct-entry streams)
- Minimum GPA of 70% or 3.0 on university scale
- Introductory social work prerequisites (SOCW 200A and 200B or equivalent)
- Minimum 100 hours of documented volunteer or paid human service experience
- Personal statement detailing anti-oppressive social work values and ethical commitments
Step 4 of 8
How to apply
- Apply online through EducationPlannerBC to UVic School of Social Work (or UBC / UNBC / UFV)
- Submit post-secondary transcripts and detailed human services experience summary
- Provide two structured letters of reference (one academic, one professional supervisor)
- Complete criminal record review check under the BC Criminal Records Review Act
- Tuition: Not published
Step 5 of 8
Bachelor of Social Work
⏱ 4 years- Core professional curriculum in social policy analysis, Indigenous child welfare, and anti-racist social work practice
- Interpersonal counseling skills, crisis intervention, family mediation, and trauma-informed mental health care
- Community advocacy, social development, social research methods, and ethical codes of conduct
- Supervised field education practicum: 700 hours of direct client service in public or non-profit agencies
Step 6 of 8
Where to take it
⏱ 5 schools in BC- Thompson Rivers University — 2 years (About $1,900 per level)
- University of British Columbia — 2 years (About $6,300 per year)
- University of Northern British Columbia — 2 years (About $6,000 per year)
- University of the Fraser Valley — 2 years (Tuition not yet verified)
- University of Victoria — 2 years (About $6,600 per year)
Step 7 of 8
Exams and registration after
- Registration evaluation and criminal record review with the BC College of Social Workers (BCCSW)
- ASWB examination if applying for clinical social work endorsement
Step 8 of 8
Leads to: Social Worker
- Explore Social Worker wages, job outlook, and career pathways
SCHOOLS
Where you can take this(5 schools)
Compare tuitions, campus locations, and delivery formats across approved institutions in British Columbia.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
We have not checked this school's tuition yet. See the school's page.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.