The Master of Social Work Program

The Faculty of Social Work is very pleased to offer the MSW program to a cohort of students in north Alberta beginning in Fall 2012. Working in co-operation with Grande Prairie Regional College, we are committed to providing learners with an innovative educational program designed to fulfill national accreditation standards while responding to cultural and geographic realities. The Faculty has offered programs in northern Alberta for over a decade through our Learning Circles BSW. We understand that educating social workers for advanced practice is a community endeavor. We are appreciative of local input and support as we develop and implement contextually appropriate courses and as students engage in practica close to their home communities. Advancing the knowledge and skills of social workers not only supports quality practice with social service users, we believe it also enhances social justice within communities generally. As such, we’re happy to be partnering with northern Albertans in the effort to strengthen capacity in all of our communities.

Program Description

The Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, with funding from the Alberta Government's Health Workforce Action Plan (HWAP), is delivering a one-time advanced social work degree focusing on community needs in northern Alberta. The goal of the HWAP is to improve health services to better meet the needs of rural and northern Albertans. The best of an accredited university program along with the specialized knowledge and needs of rural and northern health and human service programs will provide students with a unique opportunity to contribute to positive health and social development in northern communities in Alberta.

The program is designed for individuals holding an existing BSW degree living in or potentially working in northern Alberta communities and who are admissible to the Faculties of Social Work and Graduate Studies at the University of Calgary.

Program Features

A north-west/central Alberta graduate program intended to educate professional social workers in meeting the needs of people living in both rural and northern communities in Alberta. The program will focus on various aspects of advanced social work practice relevant to the context of community, and the individuals in the community

The MSW curriculum will be delivered primarily through the use of classroom-based and face-to-face instruction at Grande Prairie Regional College in north-west Alberta. The program may include components of online delivery.

Field Education (practicums) will be locally-based and research-intensive with the goal of supporting effective community development initiatives, knowledge mobilization, and an increase in community capacity dedicated to addressing issues specific to northern and rural communities in Alberta.

In addition, the program will focus on building community capacity and sustainability by enabling MSW level supervision of BSW Field Education when the graduates of this program become field instructors.