Bachelor of Social Work Program Granted Pre-Accreditation Status
Canadian Association for Social Work Education recognizes Trent’s new program and commends quality of reporting
The popular Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) program at Trent University is marking a significant milestone with news that the leading program has received pre-accreditation status by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE).
Launched in fall 2014, and offered at both the University’s Peterborough and Durham campuses, the Bachelor of Social Work program at Trent prepares graduates with the knowledge and skills for meaningful professional practice in a wide range of social work contexts. This new pre-accreditation by the CASWE will see students not only graduate from an accredited social work program, but it will also open the door to social work jobs that require recognition from a national body.
“Thanks to the excellent teamwork from our entire department, our acceptance for pre-accreditation means that we’ll be working in close partnership with the CASWE over the next few years to receive annual feedback on our program,” said Dr. Susan Hillock, director of the Social Work program at Trent University. “This will see our program continue to thrive and grow into a leading program that gives students the knowledge and confidence to graduate and move into a successful career in the social work profession.”
Through an interdisciplinary curriculum grounded in social justice, human rights, and cultural awareness, Trent’s B.S.W. students develop a strong foundation of clinical knowledge, critical thinking skills, and social responsibility in the first two years of study. The program explores a range of contemporary themes connected to social work from across disciplines. Students who qualify for the professional years in the third and fourth year of the program focus exclusively on social work theory and practice, including more than 700 hours of supervised clinical placement. Examples of field placements could include community counselling centres, sexual assault centres, mental health care, and pregnancy clinics.
The process for pre-accreditation involved a detailed report about the program to be submitted to the regulating body (CASWE). A letter from the CASWE affirming Trent’s pre-accreditation status stated, “We commend the school on providing a report of high quality,” and also commenting on the strength of Trent’s field education program. Following pre-accreditation, the social work program can apply for full accreditation in two to seven years.
For more information about Trent’s Bachelor of Social Work program, please visit trentu.ca/socialwork.