SOCIAL WORK DIPLOMA
Admission REQUIREMENTS
Admission requirements include the high school subjects or post-secondary equivalents you need to complete and the minimum grades you need to achieve to be considered for admission into this program.
Along with academic criteria, you will need to ensure additional admission criteria are met.
2025/26
You must meet the following requirements to apply for Fall 2025 intake.
To be eligible for admission into a competitive program, you need to have a higher minimum overall average than that listed in the Categories of Admission below.
The competitive criteria indicates the grade range/average we will consider for admission. This competitive average may change as applications are received. The average you need depends on the grades achieved by your peers who are applying to start in the same term.
Competitive criteria
| 2024/25 AVERAGE | 2025/26 AVERAGE | |
|---|---|---|
| Regular/mature admission |
N/A |
high 70s to high 80s |
| Previous post-secondary admission |
N/A |
2.8 to 3.6 |
Courses used in the calculation of your admission average or admission grade point average (AGPA) must be completed by the course completion deadline for competitive programs.
Categories of admission
Applicants may be admitted to one of the following:
To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older by December 31st of the year they enter the program, and must have a minimum overall average of 65 percent, with no course grade lower than 50 percent, in the following high school courses:
- ELA 30-1
- Social Studies 30-1
- Three Group A, B, C or D courses
Learn more about Group A, B, C or D courses
Notes:
- Applicants are strongly encouraged to present a broad range of subjects in order to benefit from the breadth of learning and to increase flexibility of future program and course choices.
- A maximum of two Group B subjects may be presented; they must be from different disciplines.
- A maximum of one Group D subject may be presented. Group D subjects used for admission must be 5-credit or any credit combination of at least 5 credits (e.g., two 3-credit subjects).
Applicants with nine to 23 post-secondary level credits must also present a minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with 24 or more post-secondary level credits will be considered under Previous Post-Secondary Work.
To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar
Applicants must be 20 years of age or older and have been out of full-time high school at least one year by the beginning of the intake term. Applicants must have a minimum overall average of 65 percent, with no course grade lower than 50 percent, in the following high school courses:
- ELA 30-1
- Social Studies 30-1
Applicants with nine to 23 post-secondary level credits must also present a minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with 24 or more post-secondary level credits will be considered under Previous Post-Secondary Work.
To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar | Admission in this category does not imply or guarantee the transfer of any coursework and/or credential unless a block transfer agreement (internal or external) is in effect and published in the calendar by the Office of the University Registrar. In addition, transfer of coursework does not imply or guarantee that an applicant will be admitted.
Applicants must have successfully completed the following from a recognized institution:
- A minimum of 24 post-secondary credits with a minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Additional admission criteria
All applicants must meet the following:
To be evaluated through the Office of the University Registrar | Applicable to all admission categories
All applicants must meet an acceptable level of English language proficiency. We will require official documents such as high school or post-secondary transcripts or proof of successful completion of standardized language evaluation. Full details are available in MacEwan University’s academic calendar or online at MacEwan.ca/ELP.
To be evaluated through the Program | Applicable to all admission categories
Applicants offered admission are required to submit the following:
- A clear Police Information Check (or equivalent from another policing agency) that includes a Vulnerable Sector Search. The Police Information Check must be submitted by the published document deadline and have been issued within three months of the start of the program intake term.
- An Alberta Intervention Record Check (or equivalent from another province/territory). The Intervention Record Check must be submitted by the published document deadline.
Equity admission
The School of Social Work at MacEwan University is committed to principles of equity and diversity. The School supports equitable representation of groups underrepresented in the social work profession and has reserved up to 15% of admission spaces as equity admission spaces for applicants who self-identify as Indigenous. MacEwan University defines Indigenous as First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples in Canada.
In order to be considered for admission under the Equity Admission criteria, candidates must still meet the minimum admission criteria for the program.
Documentation confirming your Indigenous ancestry is required. You can upload your document easily through myStudentSystem by viewing the instructions in the Declare Indigenous Ancestry section of the Personal Information page.
We want your admission experience to be successful and straightforward. To help you along the way, we've prepared a step-by-step guide to the admission process.