THE DEADLINE FOR APPLYING TO THE BSW PROFESSIONAL YEARS (FALL 2025) HAS PASSED.

The next intake will be Fall 2026.

 

#1 Internal:

For applicants who have been enrolled in Social Work at the University of Windsor since semester 1 or transferred into Social Work prior to beginning their second year of study and have 2 or fewer transfer credits.

#2 External and Transfer:

1. Qualifying for Admission to the Professional Years
2. Admissions to Honours Bachelor of Social Work Years 3 and 4
3. Assessment of the Application
4. Equity Admissions
5. Offers of Admission
6. Study Plan (MUST accompany your application - two-year program applicants are excluded)

The Honours Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is a professional degree preparing graduates for entry into the profession of social work. It qualifies graduates to apply for registration as a registered social worker in the province of Ontario and is generally accepted as professional certification throughout the developed world. The professional years of the BSW program is offered on a full-time basis via in-person delivery only.

1. Qualifying for Admission to the Professional Years

Students enrolled at the University of Windsor in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences may choose Social Work as their major. Such students are considered to be pre-social work students and are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the activities and governance of the School of Social Work, including the Social Work Student Association.

Students may also apply to the 2-year degree completion program if they have a 3-year or 4-year university degree, or if they have a diploma from any Ontario Child and Youth Care (CYC) Program. See below for details.

2. Admissions to Honours Bachelor of Social Work Years 3 and 4

Pre-Social Work Students in the 4-year Program

In order to continue into the professional years of the social work program, students must apply to the School of Social Work on or before the application deadline in their second year. In order to be assessed for admission, students must have completed or be in a position to complete the twenty pre-requisite courses by September of their third year (this allows students to complete courses over inter- and summer session). Students who have not completed the required courses are assessed, but any offer of admission is conditional upon completing the courses and maintaining the appropriate grades.

Students must have achieved a (minimum) cumulative average of 67% and a (minimum) major average of 70%. Please note that these averages only reflect the minimum requirements and that actual admission averages are usually 5%-7% higher.

Students Applying to the 2-Year Program

As with students in the 4-year program, students who wish to apply to the 2-year degree completion program must apply on or before the application deadline.

Students with an undergraduate degree must have a minimum cumulative average of 70% overall or over their last 20 courses, whichever is higher. The minimum GPA for Ontario CYC Program Graduates is 3.0 (or equivalent - excluding placement courses). There are no specific course requirements needed prior to application.

3. Assessment of the Application 

Note: Students must meet the minimum grade requirements in order for the application to be assessed. 

• Full time faculty members, in the School of Social Work, read, assess and score the application package.
• The personal statement is assessed regarding the student’s clarity of expression, apparent written communication skills, their understanding of social work as a profession, their motivation for pursuing social work as a career and their ability to articulate what experiences have contributed to their interest in social work.
• Each reference is assessed in terms of appropriate demonstration of skills and values related to Social Work practice. The assessment of these references is strengthened by accompanying written examples, from the referee, of how these skills or values have been demonstrated.
• Finally, faculty members assessing the application may add to its assessment score based upon the amount and quality of volunteer or human service work experience reflected in the Work/Volunteer Experience Form.​

4. Equity Admissions

The School of Social Work at the University of Windsor has adopted an Educational Equity Policy that welcomes applications from Indigenous Peoples, persons with special health considerations or disabilities, racialized peoples, and persons who identify as sexual minorities. Should you wish to self-identify as a member of one of these traditionally under-represented groups, please check off the appropriate category on the application.

5. Offers of Admission

It is the intention of the School of Social Work to have assessed all applications received by the deadline by early May each year. This is a working timeline and subject to change. Therefore, we cannot project when initial offers of admission to the professional years of the BSW program will be made.

Admissions are based upon ranking of the student’s application, using a formula which takes into account the cumulative average, major average, personal statement, references and past experience.

The School of Social Work establishes the number of admissions to be offered each year, based upon the available School and community resources. This number is expected to be between 90-100 for the foreseeable future.

Once the target number of admissions has been offered, the remaining applicants, who qualify for admission, are placed on a waiting list and offers are made to these students in rank order as vacancies occur. The School of Social Work will not disclose your position on the waiting list.

Admission to the professional program in Year 3 requires that students apply to the Office of the Registrar via UWinsite Student prior to the deadline noted in the application. 

• Minimum grade requirements must be met.
• References must accompany the application.
• Entry is for the next Fall term only and enrolment is limited.

Selection of candidates for admission will be based on grades, personal statement, work/volunteers exerience, and references.

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