Research and Graduate Studies
Research and Graduate Studies
In response to labour shortages and an aging population, immigration is on the rise in Canada. And so is the need for settlement professionals equipped to facilitate newcomers’ rapid integration into society and the workforce.
UFV’s Migration and Citizenship graduate diploma is especially designed for professionals wishing to grow their careers in this area of practice. Through a series of case studies and a practical skills seminar, the Migration and Citizenship graduate diploma leads you to examine and assess a range of social, economic, political, cultural, and human rights issues bearing on migration, settlement, and citizenship.
The program offers a dynamic environment where you can collaborate with your peers, immigration professionals, faculty from a range of disciplines, and community mentors. You gain multi-disciplinary insights and explore areas of interest such as public policy, intercultural relations, immigrant service provision, and community work.
A practicum with a migration services agency and a capstone project provide you with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the classroom and help you develop a reflexive and ethical practice.
Courses are scheduled to accommodate both working and full-time students, with classes offered in evening and weekend time slots. Graduates who wish to pursue their studies can transfer into related master’s programs or Royal Roads University’s Master of Interdisciplinary Studies.
There is steady demand for settlement professionals to assist new immigrants with advocacy, language acquisition, vocational counselling, translation, legal assistance, and health services, among other social needs.
Jobs in migration and citizenship exist in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community services, local settlement agencies, immigration consultancies, humanitarian relief organizations, government bodies, and intergovernmental organizations.
Professionals in the field have titles such as settlement practitioner, project officer – multiculturalism, immigration consultant, refugee settlement program coordinator, immigration program coordinator, social policy researcher, development project officer, or social service planner.