Human services are among the fastest growing sectors of the Canadian economy. Along with the growth is an increasing diversification of the sector, with fields of practice rising up around specific areas of need. The country as a whole will need social workers to staff new, more specialized service agencies of the future. While the notion of generic social work has a role to play in this increasingly complex environment, it is clear that graduates will also require more specific skills if they are to thrive in the new human service sector. In other words, generic social work is a necessary, but no longer sufficient preparation for practice. The overall aim of the program is therefore to produce graduates who are ready to enter the field of their choice after first receiving a thorough grounding in the knowledge, values, and skills common to all social workers. The specializations are built upon the expertise of core teaching faculty and have all been developed with the very active participation of partner agencies in each of the respective fields.The advanced standing MSW program is designed for students who have completed a BSW degree from a recognized university. Advanced standing students enter the MSW program having already developed foundational social work knowledge and skills.The advanced standing program is equivalent to the second year of the two-year MSW program in that it provides students with an opportunity to specialize in a specific field of study (as listed below). The advanced standing program consists of 9 half-credit courses for a total of 4.5 full-credit equivalents (FCE). This includes the practicum course, equivalent to one full credit courses. The advanced standing program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. Part-time students must meet the same degree requirements and complete the same number of credits as full-time students, although the structure and sequencing of their individual programs of study may vary. Full-time students normally complete the program over three academic sessions in one year (September to June). Part-time students normally complete requirements within six academic sessions over two years. The maximum time length for completing degree requirements is three years.