Overview

Do you want to make a difference and pursue a career that values diversity, empathy, collaboration and inclusiveness? Social Services professionals dedicate themselves to helping people live better lives and build stronger communities.

The Social Services diploma program at Vancouver Island University gives you a strong foundation in developmental psychology, adolescent and child development, trauma resiliency and conflict resolution. With a social services diploma you become an advocate for human rights and social justice, helping to protect vulnerable people.

The program provides advanced-level training for working in the social services field and is available on a full-time or a part-time basis.

The program includes the following components:

courses in addictions and addiction treatment, conflict resolution, leadership and supervision, community development, interpersonal skills, and special topics;

elective courses drawn from a wide-ranging selection of elective options in many different disciplines relevant to the human services field.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the diploma program will gain skills to prepare them for work in a broad range of social services positions, including supervisory/administrative roles and more specialized direct service roles with community agencies, private service providers, and some government services.

Programme Structure

Courses included:

Alternative Conflict Resolution in Criminal Justice Systems

Developmental Psychology

Adolescent Development

Family Studies

Interpersonal Communication Skills

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-03-31 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

6.5

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Credits

45 alternative credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Nanaimo, Canada

Disciplines

Social Work View 110 other Bachelors in Social Work in Canada

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

IELTS

6.5

Free IELTS Mock Tests!

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

Check IELTS test dates and locations. Book an IELTS test now!

Other requirements

General requirements

General admission requirements apply.
English 12 with a minimum "C" grade, or equivalent.
Volunteer or paid employment in the human services field.
Résumé and two current letters of reference.
Submit a Personal Profile.
Interview may be required.

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Vancouver Island University and/or in Canada, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

24473 CAD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 24473 CAD per year during 24 months.
National

5092 CAD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 5092 CAD per year during 24 months.

Funding

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Social Services.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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