Fall 2026: Apply now!
Note: For Fall 2026, a UT Communications course can be used in place of the UT English requirement. In addition, the resume and the 2nd reference will not be required for admission to the program. Please see the Program Guidelines for September 2026 for more information.
The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree gives you the training to advocate for social justice and help people from diverse age groups and populations resolve problems in their everyday lives for a better quality of life.
In your third-and-fourth years, you’ll take two supervised practicums that’ll prepare you for your social work career after graduation.
Job opportunities
Once you graduate, you’ll be prepared to take on roles in health-care programs, non-profit community organizations, child welfare agencies and more to work with community groups, families, children and individuals.
Social workers are in demand in B.C., with over 3,800 social worker jobs projected for the next nine years.
Take your prerequisites at Douglas
You can start your path to a BSW with just 30 university-transferable credits, 24 of which can be in any subject that interests you. Once admitted, the BSW program takes three years to complete.
A B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education-approved program
The Douglas College BSW program was approved by the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education in the Spring of 2016 following a highly consultative development process managed via the province's Degree Quality Assessment Board.
Next steps after graduation
Students completing their BSW at Douglas College can apply for registration to become Registered Social Workers as soon as they have finished their education. Once the application is complete and approved by the BC College of Social Workers (BCCSW), students can take the necessary exam. Requirements for registration may be found on the BCCSW website.
Registered Social Workers who have been registered in B.C. are able to apply for registration in other provinces/jurisdictions. However, registrants from B.C. wishing to register in another province/jurisdiction are strongly advised to inquire with the regulatory body in that province/jurisdiction beforehand regarding specific registration criteria as these may vary.
Applicants must meet the admissions requirements listed below:
Admission to the Bachelor of Social Work program is contingent upon:
Notes:
Calculate your tuition and see the approximate cost of taking your program at Douglas College with the tuition and fee estimator. See costs broken down into categories including tuition fees, textbooks, student activity fees, U-Pass and more.
For more information, refer to the tuition fee charts.
Graduation Requirements:
Course Requirements (see note 1):
|
Course Number |
Course Title |
Credits |
|
Year II (see note 1) |
||
|
Introduction to Social Work Practice |
3.00 |
|
|
Introduction to Social Welfare |
3.00 |
|
|
Counselling: Theory and Practice I |
3.00 |
|
|
Family Systems Social Work |
3.00 |
|
|
Substance Misuse |
3.00 |
|
|
Social Work with Seniors |
3.00 |
|
|
Social Work Pratice: Mental Health |
3.00 |
|
|
Metropolitan Social Work Practice |
3.00 |
|
|
Social Work Practice with Groups and Communities |
3.00 |
|
|
ENGL elective |
ENGL 1130 or any UT ENGL course not previously taken |
3.00 |
|
Year III (see note 1) |
||
|
Social Work Theories and Perspectives |
3.00 |
|
|
Counselling: Theory and Practice II |
3.00 |
|
|
SOWK 3140 (see note 2) |
Practicum I |
4.50 |
|
Child Welfare Social Work |
3.00 |
|
|
Social Work with Indigenous People |
3.00 |
|
|
SOWK 3240 (see note 2) |
Practicum II |
4.50 |
|
UT Elective |
3000 or 4000 level UT elective from outside of Social Work |
3.00 |
|
UT Elective |
3000 or 4000 level UT elective from outside of Social Work |
3.00 |
|
UT Elective |
3000 or 4000 level UT elective from outside of Social Work |
3.00 |
|
Year IV (see note 1) |
||
|
Social Work Between Systems |
3.00 |
|
|
Research Methods in Social Work |
3.00 |
|
|
SOWK 4140 (see note 2) |
Practicum III |
4.50 |
|
Global Perspectives in Social Work |
3.00 |
|
|
Risk Assessment, Mitigation and Prevention |
3.00 |
|
|
Promoting Family and System Capacity |
3.00 |
|
|
SOWK 4240 (see note 2) |
Practicum IV |
4.50 |
|
UT Elective |
3000 or 4000 level UT elective from outside of Social Work |
3.00 |
|
UT Elective |
3000 or 4000 level UT elective from outside of Social Work |
3.00 |
|
|
Total Credits |
90.00 |
Notes:
1. The courses are listed in the year that they should be taken. If a student fails a course, then the student should communicate with the program coordinator about when to retake that course and how to progress in the following year.
2. Eligible students completing an International Field Placement may substitute AIST 3040 and AIST 3030 for SOWK 3140/3240 Practicum or SOWK 4140/4240 Practicum.
3) Students might be interestested in pursuing the following credentials along with their Bachelor of Social Work degree at Douglas College. Before entering the Bachelor of Social Work you might be interested in pursuing the Academic Foundation (Indigenous Studies). The Minor in Applied Psychology lets you explore different avenues of interest while completing your BSW at Douglas College. During your studies as a BSW student you might be interested in working towards the Global Competency Certificate (GCC). For more details about how to take advantage of these programs, please talk with a Student Success Advisor, the BSW program coordinator, and for the GCC program, the GCC Program Developer.
Program Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this program and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the program, consider the previous version as the applicable version.
The volunteer/work hours criteria for applying to the Bachelor of Social Work are:
Here are some examples of places that applicants have volunteered or worked at in the past (possibilities are not limited to these):
Volunteer and past work experience in the field of human services will help you determine if social work is the right fit for you.
3 years in addition to completion of 30 credits of foundation coursework required for admission.
See our tuition estimator page for information: https://www.douglascollege.ca/current-students/enrolment-services/fees-related-information/tuition-estimator.
Apply online to the Bachelor of Social Work Program: https://www.douglascollege.ca/future-students/apply-douglas/domestic-students After this, Admissions will send you an email outlining all the documents that are required to be submitted, how to submit them and where to look for due dates. Once all required documents are received, you will be invited for an interview. A decision will then be made on your application.
Those transferring to Douglas have their course credit assessed on a course-by-course basis. This process can happen only after an applicant has applied to the program and then applied to transfer credit (apply to transfer credit right after you apply to the program: https://www.douglascollege.ca/future-students/apply-douglas/domestic-students).
The program is full-time. Classes are during the day and the schedule changes from semester to semester (no evening or weekend classes). Also, they are in-person and at the Coquitlam Campus.
The Douglas College Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) was approved in Spring 2016 by the Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB). DQAB ensures that all new degree programs in BC meet consistent and high quality criteria.
Yes, our students are eligible to become Registered Social Workers. Our faculty help students prepare for the licensing exam once they have completed the program. Licensing is through the British Columbia College of Social Workers: https://bccsw.ca/
Being a licensed social worker in BC does not transfer automatically to other jurisdictions in Canada. All registered social workers, regardless of where they completed their education, may be required to completed additional requirements to become registered in another province.
Potential employers will vary in terms of job requirements. The ability to find work depends on many factors such as geography, retirements, desirability, etc. The more flexible the graduate in terms of their employment needs increases the likelihood of getting a social work position.
The Douglas College BSW is not currently accredited. However, CASWE has announced they will now allow colleges to apply for accreditation. We are in the accreditation process, but cannot say at this point if or when accreditation will be approved.
You can fulfill the credits needed for admissions by taking a university transferrable (UT) English/Communications course, Psychology 1130/CFCS 1130 and 24 non-social work UT credits that can be in the form of:
Before starting on any of the above paths, it is important you reach out to the Bachelor of Social bsowk@douglascollege.ca for information on what specific courses are needed.
Career opportunities include: