Education and Social Work Menu
Degree Planning for Admitted BSW Students
The Bachelor of Social Work is a 120 credit degree program. Students are admitted to the program with 60 credits of academic coursework prior to admission. Graduates receive a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree.
Full-time and part-time study is available in the BSW degree.
The BSW program is offered on the main campus of TRU in Kamloops.
Program schedule
Students enter the program in the fall semester. Most courses are offered in the Fall and Winter semesters, with some summer course offerings.
Completion of the BSW degree requires that students successfully complete 120 academic credits of university coursework. Usually students complete 54 credits of general studies in humanities, social sciences and/or sciences and 66 credits of social work. Students attending full-time typically take 15 credits per academic term and complete the program in four terms over two years. TRU social work courses are offered on-campus with the exception of SOCW 2061, 2121 and 3551 which are also available through TRU Open Learning.
Two social work practica are required to complete the BSW degree and the program utilizes an extensive number of service agencies in Kamloops and outlying areas for practicum. Agencies are selected based on their potential to provide appropriate and relevant supervision, the specific match with student interests and needs, and the ability to provide practical social work experience. The development of a suitable practicum placement is a collaborative effort between the Field Education Coordinator(s), student and agency to maximize the student's learning potential. The Bachelor of Social Work program offers practicum placements in many different service areas including child and youth care, mental health, gerontology, clinical care, probation services, non-profit and profit agencies, contracted services, special projects, multicultural agencies, local Indigenous organizations and government ministries. Students are strongly encouraged to consider completing practica in communities surrounding Kamloops such as Barriere, Clearwater, Williams Lake, Merritt, 100 Mile House and Salmon Arm. It may be possible to complete the final practicum at a distance from TRU, including locations across Canada and internationally.
Please review the following resources for detailed program planning.
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology program option
A joint TRU/NVIT BSW degree program is offered at NVIT in Merritt and Burnaby. This program provides students with an Aboriginal focus throughout their studies.
This degree is administered under an affiliation agreement between TRU and NVIT. Graduates receive a joint TRU/NVIT BSW degree.
