Indigenous Master of Social Work

The Indigenous Master of Social Work (IMSW) is recognized by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE) and accredited by the National Indigenous Accreditation Board NIAB). The program emphasizes Indigenous collective healing approaches and the embodiment of ancestral wisdom and practices. Honouring Indigenous knowledge is the commitment that ensures the IMSW walks in a sacred manner and fosters its students’ experience of collectivity, connection, and wholeness.

The IMSW benefits from the institutional experience gathered in the design and delivery of the Indigenous Bachelor of Social Work (IBSW.) As part of the same effort to offer academic programs that foster decolonization, the IMSW will provide its students with an innovative holistic approach to social work. The program is designed for professionals who:

  • Embody Indigenous ways of knowing. This includes establishing mentorship relationships with knowledge keepers, learning, and applying Indigenous languages, experiencing ceremony, and pursuing a land-based education.

  • Excel at self-directed learning and feel compelled to assume leadership positions in different community-based healing modalities.

  • Commitment to the continuous development of their professional awareness and their understanding of the intergenerational impacts of colonization.

Program Description

This 14-month long program is delivered through cohorts, and new enrollment opportunities will be offered every second year. Applicants to the IMSW should have a Bachelor of Social Work. The curriculum focuses on Indigenous knowledge in a community learning setting. In combination with in-class discussions, the students will strengthen their possibilities to engage in social work scholarship and practice. Courses will generally be offered on Saturdays from 9 am to 4 pm. However, some classes will occasionally be scheduled on Fridays and in block format. There will be two required residencies for students to come to MCC to meet with faculty, staff, and other students. These will be conjunction to other courses that are happening.

Professional Conduct

The practice of social work entails a position of special trust between professional social workers and their clients. The program recognizes that social work education occurs both inside and outside the classroom and has the responsibility to ensure that its graduates are competent and ethical. A student’s impaired judgment and misconduct will be grounds for dismissal from the program.

The Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) is the regulatory body for the social work profession in Alberta. It is legislated under the Health Professions Act, and it abides by the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) Code of Ethics. Please refer to the ACSW website for additional information on these standards: http://www.acsw.ab.ca/.

Admission Requirements

The IMSW program is open to self-determining applicants who are committed to decolonization, honour Indigenous knowledge, and meet the following admission requirements.

  1. Four-year Indigenous Bachelor of Social Work or Bachelor of Social Work

  2. A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, based on the last year’s official transcripts.

  3. One to two years of full-time work or volunteer experience in the human services field. Senior mature adults with two years of broader non-Social Work experience are also welcomed to apply.

  4. A four-page written proposal of intent that discusses the prospective student’s future or desired applications of the Indigenous social work practice.

  5. A current resume.

  6. Two reference letters from professional sources; one educational and one work-related.

  7. One letter from their mentoring elder or knowledge keeper (within the nation's Indigenous Ways of Knowing.)

Program Schedule

Spring 2024

IMSW 5505: Indigenous Research Methods 3 Credits

IMSW 5510: Leadership and Relational Building 3 Credits

Summer 2024

IMSW 5520: Critical and Reflexive Thinking 3 Credits

IMSW 5000: Advanced Indigenous Ethical Principles and Natural Law 3 Credits

Fall 2024

IMSW 5640: Advanced Social Work Practice 3 Credits

IMSW 5660: Decolonizing Social Policies for Global Wellness 3 Credits

IMSW 5670: Community Research II Capstone Preparation 3 Credits

Winter 2025

IMSW 5650: Designing an Indigenous SW framework: Advanced Leadership 3 Credits

IMSW 5600P: Community Learning Prep (150 hours, to start hours by January) 3 Credits

IMSW 5680: Capstone Project/Integrative Scholarship (Will run in conjunction with IMSW 5600 A&B as Integrative Seminar) 3 Credits

Spring 2025

IMSW 5600: Community Learning (350 hours) 6 Credits

Total Program Credits: 36