University of Manitoba offers PhD in Social Work, a doctorate in Social Work programme in Winnipeg, Canada. The programme runs for 4 years, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 3,266 per semester (CAD 3,266 per semester for local students).
Also offered as: Master's Degree
At a glance
Degree:Doctorate
Field:Social Work
Duration: 4 years
Delivery: On Campus
Local tuition: CAD 3,266 / semester
International tuition: CAD 3,266 / semester
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This PhD program trains scholars to produce original research that informs social work practice, policy, and education. Areas of faculty research include human rights and social justice, child welfare, family violence, the social determinants of mental health, and Indigenous methodologies and ways of being, giving students a range of possible supervision and specialization paths. Degree requirements include twenty-four credit hours of advanced coursework beyond the Master of Social Work, a candidacy stage built around a major paper and an oral examination, and a dissertation developed under the guidance of an advisory committee. Instruction is delivered entirely in person, with the university stating that this graduate program is not offered through distance or online learning. Expected time to completion ranges from four to six years. Admission requires a Master of Social Work degree or its equivalent, a minimum grade point average of 3.0, and demonstrated competency in both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The program suits social work practitioners and graduate-level researchers who want to pursue an academic or research-focused career, contribute scholarship on issues such as family violence, mental health, or Indigenous approaches to social work, and move into roles in higher education, policy development, or advanced practice leadership.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission requires a Master of Social Work or equivalent degree from an accredited university, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) in the master's degree and a grade of at least 3.0 (B) in research methods coursework completed within the last 10 years, plus demonstrated competency in both qualitative and quantitative research methods at master's level. The admissions committee weighs the applicant's research-intent statement and prior research or teaching experience, including thesis work and publications; conditional admission with extra coursework beyond the standard 24 credit hours is possible for applicants who fall short. The programme page defers English-language proficiency to the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies general standard: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 per band), TOEFL iBT 86 overall (minimum 20 per section), PTE Academic 58, Duolingo 120 (minimum 105 per subscore), CAEL 60, or Cambridge C1/C2 180.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants (Canadian citizens and permanent residents) apply directly to the University of Manitoba. As of this September 2026 fetch, the Direct Entry deadlines page shows only the Fall 2026 cycle in full - University 1 and the Diploma in Agriculture at May 1, 2026 domestic / March 1, 2026 international, other Direct Entry programs at March 1, 2026 - a cycle that has already closed, alongside minor Winter 2027 (Dec 1, 2026) and Summer 2027 (Apr 1, 2027) intake deadlines. No Fall 2027 Direct Entry deadline has been published yet, so specific 2027 dates cannot be stated for the university's main intake. The Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Jazz Studies deadline (January 15, applying equally to domestic and international applicants) is likewise confirmed only for the 2026-27 cycle, also closed, with no 2027-28 bulletin posted. These are described as fixed deadlines rather than rolling admission, and the university opens each new cycle's applications on October 1. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
