General Questions:

Q: When is the application deadline?

A:The deadline for application for admission to both the First and Second Degree programs is March 1 each year.

Please note that the BSW is not a direct entry program and students wishing to complete the prerequisites for the program should apply for general admission at Memorial University. There are multiple general admissions deadlines throughout the year. 

Q: How do I apply?

A: Information about the application process is updated annually and published under How to Apply.

Q: Will I be considered for admission if my application is late or partially complete?

A: Applications received after the deadline and incomplete applications will not be considered.

Q: How are the applications scored?

A: The Admissions Committee scores applicants based on Admissions Criteria, which includes an academic component and experience component.

Q: When will applicants be notified of admissions decisions?

A: Applicants are notified of admission decisions by early June. Notification will be sent to the applicant's @mun.ca e-mail account.

Q: When does the program start?

A: Fall Semester (both First and Second Degree programs).

Q: What is the Educational Equity Initiative?

A: The School of Social Work strives to enrich its teaching, research and scholarship through the contributions of individuals from diverse backgrounds with different attributes. However, for many applicants, institutional processes and cultural and racial differences exist which have presented barriers to learning. In keeping with the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE) Standards for Accreditation, the mission of Memorial University, and the mission, vision, and values of the School of Social Work, we have developed our Educational Equity Initiative. The intent of this initiative is to encourage applicants with diverse identities, experiences, and backgrounds to apply. Further, the Educational Equity Initiative aims to correct conditions of disadvantage in professional education. Therefore, the School offers a minimum of 20% of the seats in the BSW program to eligible applicants who have met the minimum requirements for admission and who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis (5% of seats), identify as a member of a racialized group (5% of seats), identify as having a disability (5% of seats), and/or as members of another equity group (5% of seats).

All applicants who wish to be considered for the Educational Equity Initiative must complete the appropriate section on the School of Social Work First Degree or Second Degree Application form. 

Academic Questions:

Q: What are the prerequisite courses required for admission?

A: The prerequisite courses for the First and Second Degree BSW programs are outlined in the University Calendar, under Admissions Requirements.

Q: What is the academic average required to be considered for admission?

A: For the First Degree program, applicants must achieve an average of at least 65% in the courses comprising the last 30 credit hours attempted by the end of the Winter semester for the year in which admission is being sought and for which a numeric grade has been assigned.

For the Second Degree program, applicants must achieve an average of at least 70% in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study attempted by the end of the Winter semester for the year in which admission is being sought and for which a numeric grade has been assigned.

Q: Will my application be considered if I do not achieve the minimum required academic average and grades?

A: Applications that do not meet the required minimum academic components will not be assessed for admission.

Q. Am I able to receive transfer credit for courses completed at other educational institutions?

A: To determine whether or not any of the credits attained previously from another educational institution can be credited towards your BSW degree, you will need to contact the Registrar's Office and request a transfer credit evaluation. Prior to requesting a transfer credit evaluation, students must first of all apply and be accepted for general admission to Memorial University. Questions regarding the transfer credit evaluation process should be directed to the Evaluations Officer in the Office of the Registrar by e-mail at transfer.credit@mun.ca or by phone at (709) 864-4424.

Q: What types of undergraduate degrees are accepted for the Second Degree Program?

A: There is no area of study recommended or specified.

Experience Questions:

Q: What types of volunteer, work or community involvement/experience is recommended?

A: We do not recommend a specific experience to applicants. Experience can include work/volunteer/community involvement experience in human services that relates to social work.

Q: Does my experience have to be volunteer work?

A: No. Applicants can include experiences that are unpaid or paid.

Q: How many verified hours are required for admission?

A: For the First Degree program, applicants must have a minimum of 60 hours of verified work/volunteer/community involvement experience in human services.

For the Second Degree program, applicants must have a minimum of 300 hours of verified work/volunteer/community involvement experience in human services.

Q: How does the Admissions Committee score my experience?

A: When assessing experience, the Committee considers a variety of factors, including: relevance, number of hours, and diversity.

Q: How are my hours verified and when is the deadline for verification?

A: For each experience, students must provide a current e-mail address and phone number of their Supervisor/Manager/Agency Representative/Mentor/Leader/Spiritual Leader. If correct contact information is not provided by March 1, this experience will not be considered. This person may be contacted for verification purposes.

Q: Is there a personal statement or essay as part of the application?

A: As part of the application, you must prepare the required Personal Statement and Experience Form to indicate why you think you would be a suitable candidate for the BSW program and submit details of your work/volunteer experience and/or community involvement in human services. You may focus on your work experiences, volunteer experiences and/or community involvement; any training relevant to the field of social work, including awards or certificates earned; and your personal experiences, motivation, values, skills, interests, and critical reflection on your social location.

Q: How do I submit relevant experience as part of my admission application?

A: All work experience, volunteer experience, and/or community involvement in human services should be summarized along with your personal statement in one document - the required Personal Statement and Experience Form (link).

In this document, you are required to include:

• Name of agency/organization/community project
• Name and title of supervisor/agency rep/mentor/spiritual leader
• E-mail and phone number for supervisor/agency rep/mentor/leader
• title/position/activity
• Start and end dates
• Number of hours
• Brief description of duties/responsibilities

The Personal Statement and Experience Form must be uploaded under the Documents & Supplemental Items tab within the Admissions portal before submitting your application.

 

Q: Can I submit the same Personal Statement and Experience Form for both applications if I apply for both Degrees?

A: Yes, you can submit the same form for both the BSW First Degree and Second applications, provided they meet the minimum of 300 hours required for the Second Degree program.

 

Q: Can I update my experience document after submitting my application?

A: No, once your application has been submitted, the Personal Statement and Experience Form cannot be updated. Please ensure that all relevant experience and your personal statement are complete and included in the form before submitting your application.

Q: Where can I find experience opportunities if I need more hours?

A: Prospective applicants should think about which areas of social work they may be interested in and if they are a current Memorial student, they can reach out to the Student Volunteer Bureau for assistance connecting to the area or agency: https://www.mun.ca/volunteer/

Current Memorial students can also explore opportunities through Memorial’s Online Record of Experience (MORE), a platform that helps students find volunteer, leadership, and experiential learning activities both on and off campus.

If prospective applicants would like to look into which areas or populations they may be interested in working with, these are good resources:

• Newfoundland and Labrador College of Social Workers (NLCSW) Practice Areas;
• Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) What is Social Work?