Nov 21, 2024  
2025-2026 Academic Calendar 
    
2025-2026 Academic Calendar

Social Service Diploma


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Gain insight into social justice to support and empower individuals, families and communities. Community-based partnerships and research opportunities support you to develop an understanding of current and emerging areas of best-practice. You will also take part in workplace practicums to gain hands-on experience in the social service field while also building your professional network.

Admission Requirements


  1.    
  2. Completed 20 hours volunteer work and HSW Professional Reference Form.
  3. Signed Human Services Requisite Skills and Abilities document.
  4. 300 word HSW Letter of Intent for coming into the program and career goals.

Before Classes Begin

Attend a group information session. This mandatory session is designed to assist you in making an informed decision about pursuing a human services career. The admissions department will send you an invitation with details regarding the date and time of the information session.

Once accepted to the program but before classes begin, you will be required to:

  • hold a Standard First Aid Certification with CPR Level C that will remain valid through to the end of the program.
  • complete a Personal Immunization form which will be sent to your by the admissions office when you have a seat in the program. It must be validated by the public health nurse at your local health unit.
  • submit a Criminal Record Check permission form which will be sent to you by Admissions once you are offered a seat in the program.

Social Service diploma students are not required to meet the PSY 130  and PSY 131  prerequisites for registering in PSY 250  and PSY 251 ​. If you choose to work toward a degree, you may be required to complete PSY 130  and PSY 131 .

Course Requirements


Completion Requirements


  • A letter grade of C (60%) or better in all classes.
  • A letter grade of P (Pass) in all Practicum courses.
  • Students must receive a letter grade of C (60%) or better in all core (SSW and PSY 250  and PSY 251 ) courses to be promoted from one term to the next term. A student who fails any core course in the program cannot progress until the course is passed. University Transfer and ENG 115  or ENG 116  courses are not a requirement of progression but must be completed with a grade of C (60%) or better in order to obtain the credential.
  • In order to repeat a core course, you must reapply to the program in a subsequent offering of the same term in which the failure occurred providing there is an available seat. If in repeating the course, you fail again, you will be removed entirely from the program and can only re-enter by going through the admission process. Please note that you may be required to begin at term one.
  • If you fail a core course, re-entered the program and successfully repeated the failed core course, and then fail another core course, you will be removed entirely from the program and can only re-enter by through the admission process. Please note that you may be required to begin at term one.
  • Re-entering the program under any circumstance is dependent on an available seat and at the discretion of the human services department and in consultation with the Dean. If you fail a core course you may be asked to complete a learning assessment prior to being reconsidered for re-admission. These regulations are important to the profession to ensure that graduates have the required skills and knowledge, and are therefore deemed safe to practice.
  • All students are required to adhere to the program expectations document and the Canadian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Ethical Practice. Failure to adhere to these standards may result in your being required to leave the program.

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