Social Work: Master's Degree (MSW) at University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, Canada is a master's degree in Social Work programme. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 3,166 per semester (CAD 2,262 per semester for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Master's Degree
Field:Social Work
Duration: 2 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 2,262 / semester
International tuition: CAD 3,166 / semester
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Master of Social Work at the University of Northern British Columbia lets students study full-time or part-time and finish through either a thesis or a practicum route. Building on undergraduate social work training, the degree concentrates research, policy, and practice work within one of four themes: Indigenous peoples; women and the human services; community practice and research; or social work in northern and remote communities. UNBC frames this as a social administration approach, meant to prepare graduates for roles spanning program consultation, policy formulation, planning, and advanced or clinical social work practice within the human services.
Students admitted from a CASWE-accredited BSW enter the Advanced Year and finish 33 credit hours in total. Those on the thesis route take five required courses plus two electives, reaching at least 21 credit hours; those on the practicum route take the same five required courses plus three electives, reaching at least 24 credit hours, with the nine-credit MSW Practicum II course on top of that to reach the 33-credit total. Applicants entering from a related bachelor's degree instead start in a Foundation Year, a two-year, 66-credit-hour program that includes a nine-credit practicum course in the first year. A thesis is completed with an oral defence, while a practicum concludes with a practicum report.
Admission requires prior human service experience, a minimum 3.00 (B) GPA over the final 60 credit hours of the bachelor's degree, academic and professional references, a statement of research and practice interests, and a Criminal Record Check. The program admits students for the September semester.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: General graduate entry first: a four-year bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from a recognised institution with an admission GPA equivalent to 3.00 (B) at UNBC - computed on third- and fourth-year coursework for Canadian credentials and on the final two years of the qualifying degree for international ones, with minimum GPA and degree standards additionally set by country. Every application needs unofficial transcripts for all post-secondary study (plus proof of degree for international applicants), a statement of academic interest, and referee names with institutional email addresses; references should arrive within two weeks of the deadline. Program specifics: the MSW is taught in person, though students living in northern British Columbia may complete the Advanced Year requirements virtually with the program's permission. A supplemental application is required in addition to the general requirements, and UNBC publishes a detailed guide on preparing a competitive application. Applicants do not need to secure a supervisor before applying and UNBC asks that faculty members not be contacted directly for this purpose - supervisors are assigned by the program after admission. Writing samples must have been composed in English originally; academic work written in another language and put through a translation service, including an AI translator, is not accepted. Newly admitted students must clear a British Columbia criminal record check before starting. UNBC treats copied statements of interest or writing samples as plagiarism and declines such applications for misrepresentation. English proficiency, where required: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no module below 6.0, TOEFL 90 internet-based with at least 20 per section, CAEL 70 with no subtest below 60, PTE Academic 65 with no section below 60, or Duolingo 125 with no sub-score below 115.
Application Details
Start Date:September (Fall) start only - UNBC lists no Spring (May) or Winter (January) intake for this program.
Application Deadline:Fall (September) intake only - UNBC lists no Spring (May) or Winter (January) intake. Applications open 1 October and close 15 December, and UNBC states this deadline is not extended, so there is no second deadline for either domestic or international applicants. A supplemental application is also required. UNBC publishes these as recurring annual dates and refreshes its graduate intakes each spring, so confirm the current cycle before applying.
