About Social Work in Lakehead University

Lakehead University offers a Master in Social Work (MSW) degree, which emphasizes an advanced generalist practice approach to working with individuals, families, communities, organizations, and political systems in the context of a northern environment.

The curriculum focuses on the knowledge, values, and skills necessary for professional practice in environments characterized by urban regional centres, rural and remote communities, large geographic distances, low population density, diverse First Nations communities and people, and a mix of formal services.

Lakehead's MSW program emphasizes advanced professional practice, which is normally obtained by completing the project track. All students will be accepted into a project track. Early in their program, AFTER consultation with their faculty supervisors, students who prefer the thesis track may request a change from the Graduate Coordinator.

The MSW program structure allows for specialized and highly individualized student learning. Each student selects a field of practice around which to focus his or her course work, field practicum and project or thesis. Potential areas for student specialization relate to faculty members' expertise and include (but are not limited to) the following:

• child welfare, mental health, juvenile justice, employment and income security, school social work, gerontology, and women's studies.

MSW: Gerontology Specialization

The Gerontology Program collaborates with five departments including Social Work, to provide students with an innovative, interdisciplinary learning perspective. Students have the opportunity to access multifaceted resources and work together with complementary disciplines.

Research and theory in Gerontology is reviewed, and the thesis or major project taken in the collaborating academic unit will have a gerontological focus.

For additional information on the Interdisciplinary Graduate Specialization in Gerontology, please visit the Gerontology website.

MSW: Women's Studies Specialization

The Department of Women's Studies at Lakehead University is dedicated to furthering an understanding of the importance of gender as a category of analysis in scholarly inquiry. Through interdisciplinary instruction, students will critically assess the relevance of existing models of knowledge in reflecting women's experience and scholarship.

The aim of the program is to encourage the development and integration of feminist teaching, learning, and research within the university community and the community at large. This Collaborative Master's program allows students to combine advanced disciplinary research with feminist scholarship from the interdisciplinary field of Women's Studies. Upon completion of the program, the degree awarded specifies the discipline of the participating academic unit and notes the Specialization in Women's Studies.

Academic qualification equivalents

• A university degree in a related subject.

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS:  6.5 (no individual score less than 6.0)
• TOEFL: iBT 80
• PTE: 58 (no component score less than 50)

Lakehead University Highlights

Lakehead University Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses

Estimated idea of other living expenses excluding tuition fee are listed as follows: