Social Service Worker, Indigenous Focus Diploma at University of the Fraser Valley

Programme overview

The Social Service Worker diploma is a two-year, 62-credit program that prepares students to work in community-based social service settings, including community inclusion, family support, group homes, housing support, Indigenous services, mental health, older adults, outreach, settlement, substance use, and youth support.

Duration: 2 years | Study mode: full-time | Intake: January, September | Location: Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

What you will study

The program provides students with employment-related skills while earning many university-level credits towards a Bachelor of Social Work or other degree. Graduates practice from a place of cultural humility and develop an understanding of the impact of colonization on Indigenous communities.

Career pathways

The British Columbia 2025 Labour Market Outlook identifies social work as a high opportunity occupation with excellent projected employment rates.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

One of: B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent with an overall C average. Successful completion of at least nine university-level credits that are required by the Social Service Worker diploma program with a minimum GPA of 2.00 calculated on the courses used for admission. Prerequisites for CMNS 125 or ENGL 105 . Demonstrated ability to work effectively in social services is required. The ability to work in culturally safe ways with Indigenous Peoples is required when applying to the Social Service Worker diploma – Indigenous Focus. Evidence of this may include volunteer and/or paid work in social service settings. This is demonstrated through submission of the Additional Application Information Form (see below). Students who do not meet these requirements might consider Qualifying Studies .

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the courses you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

UFV has three semesters: Fall (September to December), Winter (January to April) and Summer (May to August; two sessions, May-June and July-August). Some programs accept new students only at specific times (for example Fall only); others accept students in all semesters.

Domestic applicants: programs with continuous application accept applications any time; programs with specific intakes accept applications for set start dates only, listed on the programs open for application page.

International applicants: application period for Fall (Sept to Dec) is Oct 1 to June 1, for Winter (Jan to Apr) is May 1 to Nov 1, and for Summer (May to Aug) is Oct 1 to March 1. Tuition deposit deadlines are June 15 (Fall), Nov 15 (Winter) and Mar 15 (Summer). Some programs may close early due to high demand.

Domestic applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC. Grade 12 students graduating in June may apply for continuous-application programs starting October 1 of their grade 12 year; final high school grades for Fall are due by August 3. The application fee is paid by credit card when applying, or by debit card or cheque at the Office of the Registrar on any campus.

Apply through the official page: https://www.ufv.ca/admissions/apply/

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