Offered by Douglas College in New Westminster, Canada, Social Work: Bachelor's Degree (BSW) is a bachelor's degree in Social Work programme. The programme runs for 4 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 81,888 per total (CAD 3,600 per total for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Bachelor's Degree
Field:Social Work
Duration: 4 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 3,600 / total
International tuition: CAD 81,888 / total
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) 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 better quality of life.
The third-and-fourth years of the Bachelor of Social Work degree provide two supervised practicums to prepare you for your social work career after graduation. Graduates of the Douglas College BSW program will 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.
Students completing their Bachelor of Social Work at Douglas College can apply for registration to become Registered Social Workers as soon as they have finished their education, been approved by the BC College of Social Workers and completed the necessary application and exams.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: ACADEMIC: at least 30 university-transferable credits including PSYC 1130 Lifespan Human Development or an equivalent, any three-credit university-transferable ENGL or CMNS course, and 24 university-transferable credits in non-social-work subjects. CFCS 1130 can satisfy the lifespan requirement, but if it was completed before September 2018 a further 3 university-transferable credits are needed to reach the 30. SUITABILITY — judged on readiness for social work practice and for practicum placement with vulnerable people — is established by a completed BSW intent form explaining why you want the programme and the profession; a BSW volunteer or work hours form documenting 50 hours of experience helping people; a BSW reference form completed by the supervisor of that volunteer or paid work; and an interview with programme faculty. A criminal record check follows an offer of admission, with information from Enrolment Services. Applicants holding a Community Social Service Work diploma or a similar credential may already satisfy the admission requirements. Douglas also advises applicants who still need the 30 university-transfer credits to take them first through its Academic Foundations, Associate of Arts or General Studies programmes. This programme page shows no international application block, so international applicants should confirm with Douglas International Admissions that it is open to them before applying; where it is, the college's separately published international academic and English standards apply on top of anything listed here.
Application Details
Start Date:Douglas runs three fifteen-week semesters a year: Fall from September to December, Winter from January to April and Summer from May to August. The programme page lists intakes in Fall (September). The Fall 2026 semester began on 8 September 2026 and Winter 2027 classes begin on 4 January 2027.
Application Deadline:Douglas publishes college-wide application windows rather than a single date for every programme, and the domestic and international timetables are different. DOMESTIC APPLICANTS apply on EducationPlannerBC. Applications for a semester open about eleven months ahead, at 9:00 a.m. on the first business day of the opening month: 1 October for the following Fall. Douglas labels this a limited-enrolment programme, so it sets no single fixed closing date: the round shuts when the intake fills, and the college’s own test is whether the programme still appears in the EducationPlannerBC drop-down list. Applicants are acknowledged in writing about two to three weeks after applying, and qualified applicants are then ranked against the programme’s published criteria. Fall 2026 domestic applications are closed. Douglas advises applicants who still need the 30 university-transfer credits it requires to apply first to its Academic Foundations, Associate of Arts or General Studies programmes. INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: this programme page carries no international application block, so confirm with Douglas International Admissions that the programme is open to you before applying. The college-wide international dates are 30 September 2026 for Winter (January) 2027 and 31 January 2027 for Summer (May) 2027; the Fall (September) 2026 intake closed on 31 May 2026. Read from the programme page and the college deadline pages on 6 September 2026; Douglas had not yet published Summer 2027 domestic closing dates.
