> TRU Home > Human, Social & Education > Programs > Master of Social Work

Master of Social Work

Development of a Master of Social Work program at Thompson Rivers University is in progress. In October of 2009, the program underwent its final assessment by members of the Degree Quality Assessment Board of the BC Ministry of Advanced Education. We are pleased to report that the assessors recommended to the Degree Quality Assessment Board that our MSW program go ahead. We look forward to receiving the Ministry's decision soon.

Feb. 3, 2010: The TRU School of Social Work and Human Service was recently advised by the Degree Quality Assessment Board of the BC Ministry for Post Secondary Education that our application for an MSW program has been tabled until the hiring process for a Director of the School of Social Work and Human Service is completed. It is unlikely that this process will be completed to allow a September 1, 2010 intake.

We will keep you informed as developments occur. Thank you for your ongoing interest in the proposed TRU Master of Social Work program.

Sincerely, Dr. Christopher Walmsley

The date of the first intake will be announced and applications to the program will be available once a positive decision has been received from the BC Ministry of Advanced Education. Please continue to check this site for updated information on this program and send your e-mail address to socialwork@tru.ca to be placed on our contact list.

Degree Focus

TRU’s Master of Social Work Program is focused on the development of leadership in community-based practice. The program emphasizes scholarly inquiry and critical analysis to improve social policy and social work practice in community contexts within Canada and internationally. Students will analyze community-based approaches to the delivery of social programs, assess social policy as it impacts communities and the lives of marginalized and excluded citizens, develop an understanding of leadership theories and practices from anti-oppressive and critical perspectives, and advance their knowledge of research and skill in its application to community practice.

Graduates of the program will find employment as team leaders, program co-ordinators, executive directors, clinical supervisors, community organizers/developers, managers, researchers, planners and policy analysts. Anti-oppressive practice, Indigenous perspectives and community-based research are cornerstones of the proposed program.

The program, designed to prepare students for advanced practice and leadership positions in the field of social work, seeks to develop:

a critical analysis of socio-economic inequalities and the processes of oppression, marginalization, and exclusion in Canada and internationally.
an advanced understanding of research paradigms and methods with a focus on community-based practice.
an in-depth understanding of the role of communities and social movements in social change processes.
advanced knowledge of Indigenous ways of knowing in relation to community-based practice and leadership in Indigenous communities.
the ability to undertake an intersectional analysis of oppression and privilege and apply it to the reform of social policy and social work practice.
the capacity for social work leadership in organizational management, policy change, program development, research and clinical practice.

MSW Faculty CV's: