The School of Social Work at 杏吧原创 University would like to thank all who have applied for the Fall 2026 MSW admission cycle.

We are planning to submit all admission decisions by the end of February.

The post MSW Admissions Decisions appeared first on School of Social Work.

Congratulations to Dr. Susan Braedley!

Dr. Braedley received the 2025 Award for Excellence in Research on Paid or Unpaid Caregiving: In Honour of Neena Chappell at the Canadian Association on Gerontology鈥檚 Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting on October 25, 2025.

This award celebrates Dr. Braedley’s leadership in long-term care policy and practice. Her work has informed provincial campaigns, guided government policy, and influenced national practice standards. She is a trusted advisor to the Public Health Agency of Canada on seniors鈥� issues affecting marginalized groups and collaborates widely with organizations such as Egale Canada, the Centre for Learning, ethnocultural seniors鈥� groups, municipal governments, and care worker associations to advance research and knowledge sharing. We are proud to have Dr. Braedley as a member of the faculty of the School of Social Work.

The post Dr. Susan Braedley Receives 2025 Award for Excellence in Research on Paid or Unpaid Caregiving appeared first on School of Social Work.

Full-time graduate students in social work are welcome to apply for more than one award should the award criteria be met.聽 Ensure you specify how you meet the criteria in rationale.

First-time applicants are prioritized through the review process, and total scholarship funding is taken into consideration.

Large value awards are typically divided among several recipients.

Minimum award value for a graduate student is $2,000, and $1000 for an Undergraduate Student.

Applicants must be registered with full-time status, and not be on a term of extension.

Application form is below.

The post Internal Awards for Full-Time Graduate Students in Social Work appeared first on School of Social Work.

Thinking about applying to the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at 杏吧原创 University?

Sign up to attend one of our online MSW admission information sessions.

The first one will be on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 from 4:30-5:30 pm – Zoom is required to receive the link

The MSW Admissions Information Session on Thursday, October 16 from 4:30-5:30 is intended for prospective Indigenous, Black, racialized and equity seeking applicants although all are welcome to attend.  Zoom is required to receive the link.

If you are unable to attend, we will post any available materials to our MSW admissions page These sessions will not be recorded.

Our current MSW admission cycle is for entry to September of 2026.  The application completion deadline is December 1, 2025 at midnight.  The application system is open, and all completed applications will be reviewed after the December 1 deadline. Admissions decisions are available by the end of February.  Late applications are not possible, and fall is the only term of admission.

Information on our MSW programs, and admissions process, criteria, required documents, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) is at the following links:
/socialwork/master-of-social-work/
/socialwork/msw-admissions/
/socialwork/msw-faqs/
/socialwork/msw-program/

Our program is offered in person only, with classes scheduled during the weekday hours.

Helpful Application links:

If you would like information about the field of social work in Canada, the following links will be helpful.

Applicants educated outside of Canada will need to meet the Master鈥檚 Minimum Admission Requirements for relevant country to be considered for admission – see

Information for International applicants:

Application fee waivers are not possible.

The post MSW Admissions Information Sessions – October 8 and 16 appeared first on School of Social Work.

Canada is confronting a painful truth: the treatment of Indigenous peoples throughout Canada鈥檚 history constitutes a genocide. This reality is not confined to the distant past鈥攊t reverberates through generations, rooted in policies designed to erase Indigenous identity, culture, and language.

One of the most devastating tools of this systemic violence was the residential school system, which operated for over a century and persisted into the 1990s. These institutions forcibly removed Indigenous children from their families, subjecting them to abuse, neglect, and cultural erasure. The goal was assimilation鈥攁n effort to sever children from their communities and heritage. Thousands never returned home.

In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission鈥檚 Calls to Action, the Government of Canada established the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2021 through Bill C-5. Observed annually on September 30, this day coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a day established by Indigenous communities to honour the children who were lost and the survivors who carry the scars. The orange shirt symbolizes the removal of culture, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children in residential schools. It reminds us that Every Child Matters.

The School of Social Work stands in solidarity with Indigenous communities. We recognize the profound importance of Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We acknowledge the grief, anger, and resilience of families whose children were taken in an attempt to erase their identities. We commit to listening, learning, and acting in ways that honour Indigenous voices and support healing.

On this solemn day, we invite all members of our community鈥攕tudents, faculty, staff, and allies鈥攖o reflect deeply on the legacy of colonial violence and the ongoing impacts of intergenerational trauma. Reconciliation is not a passive process; it requires active engagement, humility, and accountability.

Whether through attending events, reading survivor testimonies, or wearing orange in solidarity, your participation matters. You can be a catalyst for education, empathy, and meaningful change.

Resources and Events

 To support your journey of reflection and learning, we encourage you to explore:

• The Events – Indigenous Gathering Site for events and educational resources
• The for stories, interviews, and updates
• The for archival materials, survivor accounts, and commemorative initiatives
• The for national programming and ways to participate

Sincerely,

Deborah Conners
Director, School of Social Work

The post Message from the Director on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation appeared first on School of Social Work.

The School of Social Work is honoured to be home to The Journey of the Vamp, a commemoration project developed by faculty member Deborah Young. Following the recovery of unmarked graves at Kamloops Indian Residential School in May 2021, Deborah extended a public invitation to create and contribute 215 baby vamps in honour of each of these children鈥檚 lives and stories. Over the following months, she received more than 350 vamps from contributors across Turtle Island and beyond. Joining with artist Michelle Thompson, the vamps were arranged into an 11-foot art installation that was unveiled at 杏吧原创 University on September 30, 2022 and displayed at the Ottawa School of Art before moving to its permanent location on the 5th floor of Dunton Tower.

We encourage our community to revisit CBC鈥檚 reporting on the project and to visit the vamps in person in the School of Social Work to witness their beauty and reflect on the many children they represent.

Further reading/viewing:

鈥淩esidential Schools: Community Art Project鈥� (School of Social Work): /socialwork/residential-schools-community-art-project/

鈥淪titching Together Grief and Art鈥� (杏吧原创 Newsroom, Sep 27 2022):

鈥淏eading project honours 鈥榠ncredibly powerful鈥� stories of residential school children鈥� (CBC, Sep 27 2021):

鈥�350 vamps later: Woman overwhelmed by beaders鈥� response, designs and stories鈥� (CBC, Sep 30 2022):

The post The Journey of the Vamp appeared first on School of Social Work.

Dr. Susan Braedley, Professor in the School of Social Work, appeared on on March 11th to discuss the conditions in long-term care homes during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts that have been made since to improve standards and conditions for residents.

Dr. Braedley was also a guest on on March 18th as part of their As We Age series.

Listen to , and watch Dr. Braedley’s appearance on CTV Your Morning below!

The post Professor Susan Braedley on CTV Your Morning and CBC’s The Current appeared first on School of Social Work.

Students in the School of Social Work continually inspire us with their commitment to advocacy and making a meaningful impact.  This year鈥檚 Social Work and Social Justice intensive asked students to complete a theory-to-action project on a social justice issue. MSW students Maddie Bolland and Rachelle Hawthorn鈥檚 passion for mental and substance use health and access to harm reduction approaches led to their creation of a powerful zine, 鈥淪OS: Save Our Sites,鈥� advocating for safe consumption sites, which has since been featured in The Leveller. We鈥檙e proud to showcase their hard work and encourage everyone to explore the zine, read the Leveller article, and explore their Linktree for valuable resources to learn more and get involved.

What can I do?

The post SOS: Save Our Sites Zine Developed By MSW Students Maddie Bolland and Rachelle Hawthorn appeared first on School of Social Work.

On January 16, 2025, the School of Social Work commemorated its 75th anniversary, alongside the Centre for Studies on Poverty and Social Citizenship marking its 50th anniversary. To celebrate, we co-hosted three important events: a webinar discussing 杏吧原创 University’s partnership with the University of Hargeisa to develop their social work program, a lunch featuring a keynote address by Natalie Appleyard of Citizens for Public Justice, and an emerging scholars panel featuring three PhD students in the School.

An overview video of the events, with reflections on the anniversaries by Dr. Melissa Redmond, .

Please visit or the links below for full recordings of each of the anniversary events.

The post Celebrating 75 Years of the School of Social Work appeared first on School of Social Work.

The School of Social Work鈥檚 Relational Resurgence and Black History Committees are organizing a Winter Feast, thrift pop-up, and food drive!

Everyone is welcome to pop by to sample a delicious meal and browse the thrift items people have donated.

WHEN: Wednesday, February 12, 2025
TIME: 11:45 am 鈥� 1:00 pm
WHERE: Loeb Lounge, 2nd Floor (in between Tower C and D, tunnel level)

If you have gently used items or non-perishable food items to donate to the thrift pop-up or food drive, please bring them to the event or drop them off to 611 Dunton Tower at the following dates/times:

Friday, February 7: 1:30 pm 鈥� 2:30 pm
Monday, February 10: 11:30 am 鈥� 1:00 pm
Tuesday, February 11: 11:00 am 鈥� 12:00 pm

Items must be in good repair. Any leftover items will be used at a future thrift pop-up or donated. Registration is not a requirement to attend, but it will help to ensure we have sufficient refreshments for everyone.  Registration can be completed at this link.

The post Attend the 2025 Winter Feast & Thrift Pop-Up! appeared first on School of Social Work.