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Social Work (BSW)
Experience and Career Guide

Make the most out of your university career by taking advantage of all that Laurier has to offer you and learning about the many ways you can extend your classroom experience into the real world. There are so many opportunities to learn, lead, and embrace new opportunities all while having an exceptional student experience.

In this Guide

Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.

Year-to-Year Academic Experience Co-Curricular Opportunities Knowledge and Skills Career Options and Graduate Outcomes

Your Year-to-Year Experience

Enhance your academic experience by learning about the opportunities available in your program.

Explore Co-Curricular Experiences

Participate in co-curricular experiences to complement your Laurier
academic journey and gain meaningful learning opportunities.

As a Social Work student, you can: 

Outside of your program, there are many co-curricular opportunities for you to participate in. 

Design Your Degree

These are a few popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge. See undergraduate options, minors and courses for more information.
  • Indigenous Studies minor
  • Youth and Children's Studies minor
  • Psychology minor
  • Criminology minor
  • Law and Society minor
  • Human Rights and Human Diversity minor

Develop Your Knowledge and Skills

As a Laurier student, you will develop the following competencies through your curricular and co-curricular experiences.

Competency Framework

Competencies are categories of transferrable skills that appear on your online Experience Record to help you reflect on what you've learned from your experiences. The competencies include: 

  • Adaptability and Resiliency
  • Collaboration and Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Critical Thinking
  • Digital Literacy
  • Diversity and Intercultural Understanding
  • Functional Knowledge
  • Leadership
  • Problem Solving
  • Professional Attributes
  • Self-Awareness

Functional Knowledge

  • Develop an understanding of human and environmental factors and processes that influence social functioning in contemporary life.
  • Understand major social problems and strengths in the history of social welfare and in current Canadian and international social welfare policies and programs.
  • Gain an awareness of current social, community and ethical issues and relevant policies, as well as knowledge and skills, which contribute to constructive, institutional change and development.
  • Demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the impact of government policies, economic inequities and ideologies related to culture, class, gender and race on individuals and communities.
  • Demonstrate the interpersonal competency to combine self-insight with critical analysis of one’s role as a social worker in order to give fair consideration to the impact of power relations and identity in the practice of social work.

Discover Career Options

All your experiences at Laurier can help you prepare for your future. Attend Career Centre events and workshops or book a career consulting appointment to explore career and further education options.
%
Employed
%
Pursuing Further Education

42 BSW respondents from the 2023 Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by the Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation.

Alumni Careers and Pathways

Sample Further Education Programs Within the First Year After Graduation

  • Master’s Degree - Social Work
  • JD - Law

Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation

  • case manager
  • child and youth worker
  • clinical intake coordinator
  • community development coordinator
  • residence life coordinator
  • social worker
  • unsheltered support worker

Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation

  • community recreation coordinator
  • mental health counsellor
  • non-profit consultant
  • resident care aide
  • social worker
  • transplant resource specialist

Career Options and Resources

Need some guidance on what you can do with your degree? Discover some career options and find resources to help guide you. 

Career and Industry Options

  • education
  • emergency response
  • employment equity
  • equity, diversity and inclusion
  • government
  • healthcare/rehabilitation
  • immigration
  • international development
  • long-term care
  • mediation
  • mental health
  • non-profit/advocacy
  • probations/parole
  • public policy
  • social justice
  • social work
  • student affairs

Career Resources

Your Experiences Tell Your Story

Share your story through your Laurier Experience Record. An interactive, shareable and official record of your hands-on experiences and learning opportunities at Laurier – the first of its kind in Canada!



Share Your Feedback

We'd love to hear from you. Complete the Laurier Experience Guide Feedback Survey to share your thoughts.