Course

Introduction to Social Work Practice

Faculty
Applied Community Studies
Department
Social Work
Course code
SOWK 2100
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15 Weeks
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Course designation
Certificate in Global Competency
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course provides an overview of the history, philosophy, and ethics of the social work profession in Canada. The role of social workers in contemporary society is examined across multiple contexts and practice settings. Social work theories are introduced, and challenges faced by service users are considered from a range of theoretical perspectives. The relationship between personal problems, strengths, and social context is explored, focusing on the professional mandate to advance human rights and social justice. Social structures, including those maintaining colonialism, racism, classism, ableism, ageism, cissexism, and heterosexism are investigated as sources of oppression and marginalization in Canadian society.
Course content

• History, philosophy, and evolution of the social work profession in Canada
• Social welfare traditions and ideologies shaping contemporary social work practice
• Roles, responsibilities, and contexts of generalist social work practice
• Core social work values, ethics, and professional decision-making frameworks
• Anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and decolonizing approaches to social work practice
• Indigenous experiences of social work and Indigenous-informed social work practices
• Major social work theories and practice approaches and their application across settings
• The relationship between personal struggles, strengths, and broader social contexts
• Structural sources of injustice, including colonialism, racism, classism, ableism, ageism, cissexism, and heterosexism
• Social work’s mandate to advance human rights, social justice, and social change

Learning activities

In this course, students engage in a variety of learning activities such as lecture, discussion, group work, case studies and presentations. 

Means of assessment

Assessment will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in a course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline. This is a letter-graded course.

Typical means of assessment include the following:

  • Written papers
  • Presentations
  • Projects
  • Exams
  • Participation
  • Attendance
Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Describe social welfare traditions and ideologies that inform contemporary social work practice in Canada;
  2. Articulate how historical and contemporary factors impact the ways in which Indigenous people experience social work in Canada;
  3. Discuss the nature of social work and the roles of a generalist social work practitioner;
  4. Identify the core principles of anti-oppressive, decolonizing, and anti-racist social work practice;
  5. Describe wise practices in Indigenous social work and social work with Indigenous people;
  6. Explain how social work’s major theoretical and practice approaches can be applied in a variety of contexts;
  7. Apply professional ethics, values, and decision-making frameworks;
  8. Analyze structural sources of injustice and the relationship between personal struggles and public issues.
Textbook materials

Textbooks and materials are to be purchased by students. A list of required textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of the semester. Example texts may include:

  • Ives, N., Denov, M. & Sussman, T. (current edition). Introduction to social work in Canada: Histories, contexts, and practices. Oxford University Press Canada.
  • Canadian Social Work Association (current edition). Code of Ethics.

 

Requisites

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

CSSW 1100

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers to Other Institutions

Below are current transfer agreements from Douglas College to other institutions for the current course guidelines only. For a full list of transfer details and archived courses, please see the BC Transfer Guide.

Institution Transfer details for SOWK 2100
Alexander College (ALEX) ALEX SOWK 201 (3)
Athabasca University (AU) AU HSRV 201 (3)
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU PSEL 2XX (3)
College of the Rockies (COTR) COTR HSWR 200 (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU ARTS 1XXX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) No credit
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU SOCW 2060 (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) No credit
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV SOWK_V 201 (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC SOCW 200 (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV SOWK 110 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC SOCW 200A (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU SOCW 200A (3)

Course Offerings

Fall 2026

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
0
Remaining seats:
35
On waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. C
Room
C1004
Times:
Start Time
10:30
-
End Time
12:20
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. C
Room
C1004
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
Section notes

SOWK 2100 001 - This section is restricted to BSW students.