Social Work
- Two-year diploma
- Full-time studies
- Daytime classes
- Fall and winter starts
- Downtown Edmonton campus, Drayton Valley (starts winter 2012), Whitecourt (starts winter 2012)
NOTE: Details regarding the program outline and method of delivery for the diploma program offered in Drayton Valley and Whitecourt may differ from those listed on this webpage.
Program Overview
NorQuest College offers a two-year Social Work diploma program with a multicultural focus. As its mission, the program emphasizes the value of human diversity and teaches practice within an anti-oppressive framework that is supportive and empowering.
The Social Work Diploma with a multicultural focus program just completed a two-year approval process with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). The program has been granted the status of approval for seven years by the ACSW Professional Social Work Education Board. This is the highest level of approval/re-approval to a diploma program by the profession's regulatory body.
Program themes include:
- Competency working in different cultures
- Social work practice that recognizes and deals with oppression
- Awareness of cultural displacement issues
- Awareness of personal abilities and resiliency
- Spirituality
- Community practice
- Holistic practice
- Practice in specialized settings
Students in the Social Work program can expect to develop knowledge and skills in the following areas:
- Social work foundations
- The helping process
- Social policy
- Assessment and interviewing
- Social work models and practice
- Working with groups
- Working with families and communities
- Mental health
- Abuse, violence, and addictions
Prior to applying to the Social Work Diploma program, it is required that students request an admission interview with the Community Studies department. This is to ensure that students meet the admission and practicum requirements. Please contact Community Studies at 780.644.6410 for more information.
Transferability
Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for the Registered Social Worker (RSW) designation with ACSW and, through a transfer agreement with the University of Calgary, for third-year admission to the University’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program.
Course work completed at another post-secondary institution may be equivalent to course work at NorQuest College. To be considered for transfer credit, a formal assessment must be made. Request forms may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar.
Admission Requirements (2011-2012)
- 60% in English Language Arts 30-1 or equivalent
- Documentary evidence (e.g., a letter from the agency involved) of having completed at least 100 voluntary and/or paid work hours in the human services field
- Program interview. Please contact the Faculty of Business and Community Studies.
English Language Proficiency
If English is your second language, you must provide proof of English language proficiency (ELP) prior to admission. ELP must have been completed within the two years prior to application to the program. Acceptable evidence of ELP may be one of the following:
- CLBA, with a score of 8 in Reading, 8 in Writing, and no lower than 7 in Speaking/Listening
- TOEFL Internet-based test score 84, with no section score below 21
- IELTS Academic 6.0, with no band scores below 6.0
- CAEL 60, with no subtest below 60
Note: Meeting the English language proficiency requirement does NOT exempt the applicant from meeting the English academic course work required for admission to this program.
Practicum Expectations
A criminal record check and an Intervention Record Check must be submitted to Community Studies, Social Work Diploma Program. Program representatives will assess the results of these checks to determine whether they meet the criteria of the practicum sponsors.
Provisional Admission
An applicant may be granted provisional admission to this program. A student who has provisional admission must satisfy certain conditions within the first year of enrolment and by the date specified in the offer of admission. Conditions will be stipulated in the admission letter. Access to courses, activities, and practicum experiences may be limited until all provisional requirements are met. Provisional admission may be offered only to applicants who have a clear security clearance.
Admission Requirements (2012-2013)
- 60% in English Language Arts 30-1 or equivalent
- Documentary evidence (e.g., a letter from the agency involved) of having completed at least 100 voluntary and/or paid work hours in the human services field
- Program interview*
*For your program interview, please contact the Faculty of Business and Community Studies.
Practicum Expectations
A criminal record check and an Intervention Record Check must be submitted to Community Studies, Social Work Diploma Program. Program representatives will assess the results of these checks to determine whether they meet the criteria of the practicum sponsors.
Note: Internet (online) criminal record checks are NOT accepted by the College. Please contact your local law enforcement agency directly to obtain an official criminal record check. The existence of a criminal record may prevent clinical placement, program completion, and professional licensure and therefore may affect employment prospects. Prospective students who have a criminal record should discuss the matter with the Program Chair prior to applying for admission.
English Language Proficiency
If English is your second language, you must provide proof of English language proficiency (ELP) prior to admission. ELP must have been completed within the two years prior to application to the program. Acceptable evidence of ELP may be one of the following:
- CLBA, with a score of 8 in Reading, 8 in Writing, and no lower than 7 in Speaking and Listening
- TOEFL Internet-based test score 84, with no section score below 21
- IELTS Academic 6.0, with no band scores below 6.0
- CAEL 60, with no subtest below 60
Note: Meeting the English language proficiency requirement does NOT exempt the applicant from meeting the English academic course work required for admission to this program.
Provisional Admission
An applicant may be granted provisional admission to this program. A student who has provisional admission must satisfy certain conditions within the first year of enrolment and by the date specified in the offer of admission. Conditions will be stipulated in the admission letter. Access to courses, activities, and practicum experiences may be limited until all provisional requirements are met. Provisional admission may be offered only to applicants who have a clear security clearance.
Progression
To qualify for graduation, students must pass all courses.
Credential
After successfully completing this program, graduates will be awarded a NorQuest Social Work diploma.
Honours Criteria
- Overall grade point average (GPA) is greater than or equal to 3.7.
- The student has not failed or repeated any courses.
Tuition and Fees
Please refer to our Tuition and Fees page for the 2011/12 tuition and fees schedule.
Program Outline (2011/12)
- The program outline may differ slightly for students enrolled in the diploma program in Drayton Valley or Whitecourt.
- Courses may be adjusted within the terms specified. A final schedule will be provided to learners during registration.
Year 1
| Course Code |
Course Title |
Credits |
| Term 1 |
16 weeks |
|
| ENGL
1011 |
Critical Reading and Writing: Prose |
3.0 |
| HEED
1000 |
Health Education: Individual Health |
3.0 |
| PSYC
1040 |
Introduction to Psychology |
3.0 |
| SOWK
1010 |
Introduction to Social Work |
3.0 |
| SOWK
1020 |
The Helping Process |
3.0 |
| |
Term 1 Total |
15.0 |
| Term 2 |
16 weeks |
|
| ENGL
1012 |
Critical Reading and Writing:
Poetry
and Drama |
3.0 |
| PSYC
1050 |
Foundations of Human Behaviour |
3.0 |
| SOWK
1030 |
Assessment and Interviewing |
3.0 |
| SOWK
1040 |
Models and Practice from an Anti-Oppressive
Perspective |
3.0 |
| SOCI
1000 |
Introduction to the Study of Society |
3.0 |
| |
Term 2 Total |
15.0 |
| Term 3 |
8 weeks |
|
| SWPR
1025 |
Social Work Practicum I |
6.0 |
| |
Term 3 Total |
6.0 |
| |
Year 1 Total |
36.0 |
Year 2
| Course Code |
Course Title |
Credits |
| Term 1 |
16 weeks |
|
| SOWK
2010 |
Community Development |
3.0 |
| SOWK
2020 |
Social Work with Groups |
3.0 |
| SOWK
2030 |
Social Work with Families |
3.0 |
| POLS
1010 |
Canadian Politics: Institutions and Issues |
3.0 |
| PSYC
2010 |
Developmental Psychology:
Human Life
Span |
3.0 |
| |
Term 1 Total |
15.0 |
| Term 2 |
16 weeks |
|
| SOWK 2040 |
Social Policy |
3.0 |
| SOWK
2050 |
Mental Health: A Multicultural Perspective |
3.0 |
| SOWK
2060 |
Violence and Addictions:
Issues in
Social Work |
3.0 |
| SOWK
2070 |
Social Work in Organizations |
3.0 |
| Elective* |
University transfer option |
3.0 |
| |
Term 2 Total |
15.0 |
| Term 3 |
16 weeks |
|
| SWPR
2025 |
Social Work Practicum II |
6.0 |
| |
Term 3Total |
6.0 |
| |
Year 2 Total |
36.0 |
| |
Program Total |
72.0 |
* One 3-credit undergraduate University transfer course (with transferability to University of Calgary) offered at NorQuest College or elsewhere.
Last updated:
October 10, 2011
| 
