Carleton University MSW Application Guide
Are you trying to figure out which Ontario social work program is the best fit for you? If so, you have come to the right place. Here at MSW Helper, we understand how stressful the process of applying to graduate programs can be, so we created guides to help you! Today, we will be discussing the Carleton University MSW application, which will include information on the different program streams, specialties, and the application process. If you are considering this amazing school, I invite you to stick around and gain some information that might help you on your path to your dream Ontario MSW program!
Carleton MSW Programs
Carleton offers MSW programs that are formatted on an in-person basis, which requires students to be on campus and in Ottawa Monday-Friday for courses. It’s important to note that there are limited spots available for students to complete the program part-time.
This Master of Social Work program offers both an Advanced MSW program stream as well as a Foundation program stream – so let’s get into the details!
Advanced Stream
The Advanced stream offers a 12-month program, requires students to hold a BSW degree, as well as some experience in human services. The program site states that this must be an accredited BSW degree, and Social Service Worker diplomas are not considered equivalent. Additional requirements include:
B+ (77%) average in the last two years of study
B (73%) average overall
Specific university course in Research Methods OR Statistics (completed before program start)
Competitive applicants typically hold ~1500 human service experience (paid or volunteer), not including practicums
Foundation stream
The Foundational stream offers a 24-month program, designed for students who hold a 4-year undergraduate degree from any discipline and human service experience. The additional requirements for the Foundation stream differ slightly from the Advanced stream. This includes:
B+ (77%) average in the last two years of study
B (73%) average overall
Specific university course in Research Methods OR Statistics (completed before program start)
Competitive applicants typically hold ~3500 human service experience (paid or volunteer), not including practicums
*Note: Both program streams offer practicum or thesis routes.
Okay, so now that we have covered the different program types in the Carleton Master of Social Work program, let’s move on to the fun stuff - the actual application process!
Application Process
The Carleton social work program requires students to fulfill the following:
Transcripts: (PDF of all post-secondary schooling)
References
MSW Statement of Intent
CV/Resume
MSW Portfolio
References
The Carleton MSW program requires students to have two references. One reference must be academic (from your most recent schooling), while the other must be a professional reference (someone who can speak to your social work experience).
*Note: If you are thinking about applying to the Carleton University MSW program, I strongly encourage you to ask your references well in advance of the December 1st application deadline. This will alleviate some of the stress in this already stressful process - you will thank yourself later!
Related Resources
● Graduate school references guide
CV
Carleton offers students some flexibility in the area of the CV, as the school gives applicants the choice to submit either a CV or a Resume! They do ask applicants to list their experience chronologically (most recent first) and highlight the experience they mention in their Portfolio/Work Summary document (don’t worry – we’ll get to that next)! Lastly, for the CV/Resume, there is no page limit to this document or specific design requirement, so you have some freedom to submit your choice of template.
Portfolio/Work Summary document
Sometimes, schools will have unique formatting requirements for different documents. Carleton is no exception and asks students to complete charts of their work experience in the form of a Portfolio/Work document. For this section, you will need to include 3 different tables for each of the following categories: Paid Work Experience, Volunteer Work Experience, and Placement/Co-op Experience. The school specifies that you should describe your experiences in the CV portion of the application, not these tables.
*Note: You will need to convert these tables into PDFs and upload them to the Carleton University MSW portal. You can read more about this here:
Statement of Intent
Now… the moment we have all been waiting for… how to respond to the statement of intent prompts. The Carleton University statement of intent includes two prompts, which applicants must respond to in 750 words each, excluding references.
Before you get started, I recommend getting a copy of our free personal statement template.
Question 1 – How have your life, work and educational experiences contributed to your understanding of yourself and others in relation to the society in which we live? (You may wish to reflect on various aspects of your identity, such as gender and sexual orientation, economic/class status, life as an Indigenous person, racial and cultural background, or abilities or disabilities.) How do you see your personal narrative contributing to your educational and professional goals? How will Carleton’s School of Social Work program help you address these goals?
For this question, I love that the school has broken up the same question into different parts - this makes things a bit clearer. The most important thing to remember for this question is to ensure the different sections flow into/build off of each other. In the first part of question 1, the school is asking you to speak to your social location, while in the second part, they are asking how your social location and experiences have impacted your goals as a social worker. With those things in mind, what you speak about in terms of your social location should relate to and lead into your social work goals (educational and career). For the last part, the school wants you to explain how Carleton will specifically prepare you to reach these goals. In this part, think about specific faculty, research, or courses being done at the school that align with your goal.
Question 2 – Write a scholarly essay (i.e. with citations and references) addressing a social problem you might want to engage with as a social worker. What are the theories, concepts, and factors that contribute to or cause this problem?
Now that you have reflected on your social location and have articulated your clear goal, you’re ready for question 2! For this section, it’s important to speak to a social problem that is relevant to your goals. For example, if you state that your goal is to work as a hospital social worker, then your social problem should relate to the gaps you might address as a hospital social worker! From here, I encourage you to spend some time reading and doing some research. It will be important in this section to reference academic articles to support your statements.
Note*: The personal statement is an academic writing sample; unless otherwise specified by the school, your paper should be in APA 7th formatting
What is Carleton’s MSW Application Deadline?
Carleton University’s MSW application opens in June and closes on December 1st, so these are important dates to keep in mind if this school interests you!
Conclusion
If you are thinking about an MSW at Carleton University, I hope this blog post has helped shed some light on the application process and empowered you to tackle this task! It’s no easy feat applying to graduate programs, and I’m happy if this post even helps one applicant feel a little more prepared. As always, when completing the application, don’t underestimate yourself. We are all coming from different experiences, and those differences are what will make you a great social worker. I wish you the best of luck on this next chapter – you got this!! ☺
Need help with your Statement of Intent for Carleton University? Our team of application advisors are here to help. Book a 1:1 consultation or get your letter reviewed here.
