Social Services diploma
The Social Services diploma program is a two-year,
62-credit program (combining practical skill-development and university-transfer
courses) which prepares you to work at the para-professional level in social
service occupations. Typical jobs include financial assistance worker, community
service worker, teacher aide, residential service worker, special education
assistant, case aide, activity worker, seniors supervisor, home support
coordinator, social work assistant, mental health worker, and family support
worker.
The program also provides an opportunity for students preparing for professional
degrees, to acquire practical job-related skills while earning
university-transfer credits.
Transfer
More than half the courses in the Social Services program are transferable.
Students are advised to check the BCCAT website (www.bccat.bc.ca) for specific
transfer credit. The amount of transfer credit you will receive depends on your
choice of courses.
Students wishing to challenge a Social Services course must have their
application for challenge approved by the department. Students wishing to
transfer credit from another institution should contact the Admissions and
Records office for more information.
Entrance requirements
1. Secondary school graduation or equivalent (ABE Provincial, Advanced or GED).
Mature students, 19 years or older, who have at least three university- transfer
credits that apply to the program do not require a high school transcript.
2. You must be physically and emotionally prepared to undertake a program of
studies.
3. You must be willing to undergo a criminal records check.
4. You must have a CPT score of 48 or better (or C+ or better in English 081 or
091, or C or better in ENGL 099, 105, or CMNS 155 or equivalent course in
writing skills), or an A in English 12, Literature 12, or Technical Professional
Communications 12. An LPI essay score of 30 (level 5) is considered equivalent
to a CPT score of 48.
5. Personal suitability of applicants will be assessed using a point rating
system. Points are awarded for past academic education, all work or volunteer
experience (social services or other), demonstrated writing ability, reference
letters, personal statement, and the group interview. Admission will be granted
on a first-come, first-qualified, first-served basis to those scoring above the
required threshold and who have completed a successful interview.
6. The group interview generally consists of four to six student applicants and
two SWHS department members. Applicants should be prepared to discuss their
career goals and knowledge of the field, and are expected to demonstrate
appropriate interpersonal and life skills.
Note: Students with a post-secondary CGPA of less than 2.0 will not normally be
admitted to the program. A GPA of 2.0 is required for practicum placement. You
must be at least 19 prior to December 31 of the semester you take HSER 129.
Practica are scheduled for the second semester.
How to apply
1. Submit the application fee along with your UCFV application for admission
form to the Admissions and Records (A&R) office. Application forms are available
from any A&R or Student Services office. You are advised to mail in your
application as it will receive priority over hand-delivered applications, based
on the postmarked date. See the
Admissions Guide for a complete list of application dates
and general information.
Additional documents required for a complete application:
• proof of B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent (see
entrance
requirements).
• a Composition Placement Test (CPT) score of 48 or better, or documentation
(official transcript or test score) of the equivalent (see entrance
requirements).
• official transcript (or interim transcript) from all other previous
post-secondary institutions showing grade/course achievement.
• an additional application information form detailing all your past work and
volunteer experience and education (include social service related and other).
• a personal statement indicating why you want to enter the program and what has
brought you to make this career choice. Please refer to the kinds of experiences
you have had in this field, either paid or volunteer.
• two recent satisfactory letters of reference from past employers, teachers, or
volunteer supervisors who can comment on your suitability to work with people in
the social services field should be included with your application package.
These must be on reference forms available from the SWHS department, or
original, signed letters on letterhead addressing the criteria on the reference
forms.
2. Only those who submit complete applications and score the minimum required
points will be called for a group interview. Should you not receive notification
by April 1, contact Admissions and Records.
3. Upon admission to the program you will be provided with registration
information. A deposit is required when your register (see the
Fees and Other
Costs section). This money will be applied to the tuition fees and is
not refundable. Final payment of all course fees is due the end of the second
week of classes.
If the program is full, qualified students will be placed on a temporary wait
list. If you meet the entrance requirements and a space becomes available before
September 1, you will be contacted. After September 1 the waitlist is void.
In cases where interim transcripts are submitted, an admission decision may be
made conditional upon completion of academic requirements. Proof of completion
of entrance requirements is due the end of the first week in August.
Continuance in program
Students are required to complete a minimum of 62 credits, and at least 50
percent of these must be completed at UCFV.
A GPA of 2.0 (C average) is required for practicum placement and graduation.
Please note that entrance requirements for the Social Work degree program
stipulate a minimum GPA of 2.75.
All core courses (SOWK 110, 210; HSER 120, 200) must be completed with a grade
of C or better. Students who are not making satisfactory progress may be
required to withdraw from the program. Unsatisfactory progress includes:
• having been placed on academic warning for inappropriate classroom conduct
• failing two or more core courses in one semester
• failing a required course twice
• failing to make the required grade in a core course twice, and/or
• failing a practicum
• failing to maintain a 2.0 GPA.
Academic regulations
Students may elect to take this program on either a part- or full-time basis;
however, students are expected to do a practicum in the second semester of their
first year. In order to fill that requirement, students must have completed SOWK
110; HSER 120, HSER 129, and CMNS 155 or ENGL 105. Students who are unable to
complete these courses in the first semester in the program should postpone
their application to the program until they have taken some of the above courses
as general studies students. Taking these courses does not guarantee you will be
accepted into the program. Students have a maximum of four years to complete the
program requirements that were in place when they entered the program.
Students wishing to work with children or the mentally or physically challenged
are encouraged to acquire a Class IV driver’s licence and a Standard First Aid
certificate. They should include HSER 196 as a recommended elective. In
addition, keyboarding and computer skills are considered useful skills by most
employers and practicum agencies.
Fees and additional costs
Fees stated are in effect for 2004/05 and are subject to change for 2005/06.
Tuition fees for most full-time students are about $1,900 per semester (based on
enrolment in five courses or 15 credits). Books and additional supplies cost
approximately $150 per course. See the
Fees and Other Costs section for more information.
There will also be other expenses such as travelling to practicum sites and
field trips.
Workload and classroom expectations
Full-time students should be prepared to spend about 20 hours per week in class,
and about 20 to 35 hours outside of class in independent learning. Full-time
students take five or six courses each semester. During the winter semester,
full-time students take three courses, plus a six-credit practicum. The
practicum requires two full days in the field and students must make themselves
available during this time. In addition to the field work, practicum students
must attend a weekly 80-minute practicum seminar.
Practicum regulations
Acceptance into the program does not guarantee practicum placement. If you are
not 19 before October 31, we may not be able to place you. Placement into a
practicum will be at the discretion of the instructor. A GPA of 2.0 is required
for practicum placement. You will be individually assessed during the first
semester as to your readiness for the practicum, in terms of skills, attitudes,
and knowledge. The ability to pass a criminal records check is a prerequisite
for most placements and suitable appearance is necessary. A valid driver’s
licence and access to an automobile is required for most practica.
Students must register for seminars and practica on their assigned campus as
practica will be done in that region; students are not guaranteed the practicum
of their choice.
Students currently working in the field, or with significant work experience,
may be able to challenge the second practicum. Regulations concerning challenge
opportunities are covered in the first-term courses HSER 129/229. Challenge
options are to be discussed with the instructor.
Dates and locations
Admission to the program is for the September semester only. The program year is
from September through April. Part-time Social Service diploma students may
enroll in any available social services course provided they meet the stated
prerequisite and there is space. Part-time students may not be able to access
courses in sequence. General Studies students and students in other programs may
be able to enroll in some social service courses if they meet the stated
pre-requisite and there is space.
The diploma program is offered at both the Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses.
You must indicate on your application form which campus you wish to attend.
Acceptance into the program on a specified campus does not guarantee that all
your non-SWHS courses will be available on that campus. Students are expected to
complete required SWHS courses and practica at the campus to which they are
admitted to (i.e., Chilliwack students will complete required SWHS courses and
practica in Chilliwack; Abbotsford students will complete
required SWHS courses and practica in either Abbotsford or Mission). While
efforts are made to ensure adequate reserved seats, students are not guaranteed
seats in courses (including core courses) and may not be able to access courses
in sequence. It may not be possible to complete the program in two years or as
planned.
Program outline
For complete details on courses see
Course descriptions.
Social Services diploma
First Year
Semester I
Course | Title | Credits |
CMNS 155 | Communications for Human Services | |
or ENGL 105 | The Reading and Writing of Prose | 3 |
SOWK 110 | Intro to Social Work & Human Services | 3 |
HSER 120 | Intro to Interpersonal Communications | 3 |
HSER 129 | Seminar | 1 |
PHIL 110 | Morality and Politics | 3 |
PSYC 101 | Intro to Psychology I | 3 |
Total | 16 |
Semester II
Course | Title | Credits |
HSER 130 | Practicum I (2 days/week) | 6 |
HSER 150 | Approaches to Helping: A Theoretical Overview | 3 |
SOC 101 | Introductory Sociology | 3 |
Elective | (See Note1) | 3 |
Total | 15 |
Second Year
Semester III
Course | Title | Credits |
CMNS 250 | Report Writing for Business, Information Technologies, Social and Services | 3 |
HSER 200 | Counselling Skills | 3 |
HSER 229 | Seminar | 1 |
HSER 283* | Family Dynamics (or semester IV) | 3 |
Elective | (See Note1) 3 | |
Elective | (See Note1) | 3 |
Total | 16 |
Semester IV
Course | Title | Credits |
SOWK 225 | Human Behaviour and the Social Environment | 3 |
HSER 230 | Practicum II (2 days /week) | 6 |
SOWK 210 | Intro to Social Welfare | 3 |
Elective | (See Note1) | 3 |
Total | 15 | |
Program total | 62 |
* Students must complete HSER 283, which is offered on alternating campuses.
Note1: Electives
Students will take four electives in their diploma program. The electives are divided into two groups:
Group A: Data manipulation requirement (choose one):
• Biology 105, 111, 112
• Chemistry 100, 101
• Economics 101, 102
• Math 104, 105, 106, 110, 111, 112, 115, 116, 125
• Computer Information Systems 100, 110 or BUS 160
• Geography 101, 102, 201, 202, 251, 253
• Computing 100, 150
• Physics 101, 103, 104
• Psychology 110, 210, 220
• KPE 163, 170, 270
Group B: Other electives (choose three):
The remaining electives can be chosen from the following university transfer
disciplines, but no more than two electives can be from the same discipline
(with the exception of FNST courses): adult education, anthropology, art
history, biology, chemistry, child and youth care, computing science,
criminology, economics, English, geography, history, kinesiology, languages,
Latin American studies, media and communications, philosophy, physics, political
science, psychology, sociology, theatre.
Students may also choose their elective courses from the following:
• FNST 101: Stó:lõ Nation Development
• FNST 102: Stó:lõ Traditional Ways of Healing
and Helping
• FNST 201: Aboriginal Communities: Stó:lõ
World View
• FNST 202: Stó:lõ Social Structure
• HSER 160: Introduction to Gerontology
• HSER 190: Introduction to Community Support
• HSER 192: Supporting Skills Development
• HSER 195: Relationships and the Community
• HSER 196: Personal Care for the Handicapped
• INCS 392: Immigration and Social Integration:
the Indo Canadian Experience
• SOWK 301: Social Work Practice with Groups
• SOWK 394: Substance Misuse Issues
Note: Students intending to apply to the BSW program need to include the
following electives: PSYC 110 or MATH 104 (or equivalent introductory
statistics), plus three qualifying university- transfer arts and sciences
electives.
Please contact the School of Social Work and Human Services regarding
appropriate arts and sciences electives.
Note: UCFV cannot guarantee that all courses can be scheduled as outlined.
Students may take courses in any order as long as individual course
prerequisites are met; however, students should note that taking courses out of
the recommended sequence may result in delay of program completion.
Certificate in Extended Studies in Social Services diploma - First Nations
option
The certificate in extended studies is designed for students who:
a) have previously graduated with a diploma in Social Services, Substance Abuse,
or Criminal Justice, or a bachelor degree in Social Work, Criminal Justice,
Adult Education, General Studies, or equivalent;
and
b) wish to complete the equivalent of the First Nations option of the Social
Services diploma.
For details about entrance requirements and program requirements, please contact
the department.
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