Offers of Admission
Admissions
Honours Arts and Honours Arts and Business
Students interested in pursuing Social Development Studies (SDS) at Renison apply to either the Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business program at the University of Waterloo through the .
Admission Requirements:
- Minimum high school average: low 80s
- Required courses:
- ENG4U (English)
- Five additional U or M level courses
- Co-op and regular options are available.
- Students can declare Social Development Studies as their major either on their application or at the end of first year.
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
Applicants to the 10-month BSW program must already hold a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or equivalent undergraduate degree from an accredited university.
Admission Requirements:
- Completion of the required prerequisite Social Work courses (listed below or their approved equivalents)A minimum overall cumulative average of 70% in a 3 or 4 year accredited degree
- Overall of 75% in all set prerequisite courses is required
- At least 6.0 academic units (12 one-semester courses) in the Social Sciences
- Two professional and one academic reference
- Personal Statement and résumé
- Evidence of paid or volunteer experience in human service organizations is strongly recommended
Required Prerequisite Courses
- SOCWK 120R – Introduction to Social Work
- SOCWK 220R – Social Work with Individuals: Theory and Practice I
- SDS 251R – Social Research
- One of:
- SOC 224R – Poverty in Canada and Its Social Consequences
- SDS 312R – Homelessness & Public Policy
- SDS 331R – Social Inequality, Social Justice, and Social Action
- SOCWK 300R – Canadian Social Welfare Policy
- One of:
- SOCWK 301R – Understanding Diversity in Canada
- SDS 311R – Indigenous Peoples and Canadian Public Policy
- SOCWK 321R – Social Work with Families
Applicants apply directly through the OUAC BSW Application Portal.
Master of Social Work (MSW)
The MSW program is an online graduate degree with a focus on health and mental health practice. Offered in collaboration with the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Health, it is ideal for working professionals seeking career advancement in the human services sector.
Admission Requirements:
- A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited program
- Minimum 75% average in BSW coursework
- 1 academic and 2 professional references
- A minimum of one year of professional or volunteer experience in social services is required and additional experience is highly valued.
- Résumé and personal statement
Admission is highly competitive and only open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and convention refugees. Applications are submitted directly through the University of Waterloo Graduate Admissions system.
Bridge to Academic Success in English (BASE)
Students whose English language proficiency does not meet full admission requirements may be considered for BASE, a conditional admission pathway.
BASE Requirements:
- Minimum English language score; for more information, visit the https://uwaterloo.ca/bridge-to-academic-success-in-english/language-requirements or the https://uwaterloo.ca/bridge-to-academic-success-in-english/language-requirements-ibase
- Students must be academically admissible to their Waterloo degree program
- Students apply to their chosen degree program at Waterloo through OUAC and are assessed for BASE as part of that process
Upon meeting these criteria, students will receive a conditional offer of admission and complete BASE during the summer prior to their first term (iBASE), during the fall alongside credit coursework (1-term BASE), or during the fall and winter terms alongside credit coursework (2-term BASE).