SOCIAL WORK DIPLOMA Red Deer College | School of Arts & Sciences Updated April 2021

THE PROGRAM

The mission of the Social Work Program at RDC is to graduate ethical and compassionate social workers committed to anti-oppressive practice and social justice. The program prepares students for employment as social workers, and provides a foundation for further post-secondary education through the introduction and integration of practice skills, theoretical knowledge, and the application of social work ethics and values. Social workers are trained to 'help people help themselves.' The focus of social work is on the interactions between people and their social environment. The program examines how to help people meet the demands of daily life. Social Work seeks to improve people's problem-solving and coping skills, and links them with systems that offer resources, services, and opportunities. Social Workers also work with groups or communities to change social conditions that negatively affect personal functioning.

Objectives of the program are: 1. To provide a two-year diploma program in Social Work that prepares students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for jobs in beginning social work positions. 2. To prepare students to continue their education in a Bachelor of Social Work program.

ADMISSION INFORMATION

In addition to meeting the minimum academic admission requirements, applicants to the Social Work Diploma must meet the non-academic requirements.

Non-academic Requirements Once it has been determined that you have met the academic requirements above, a package of materials will be available to you online which includes: 1. A personal questionnaire and details concerning three required reference letters. 2. Documentation of a minimum of 100 hours of volunteer OR employment experience. The purpose of the volunteer OR employment experience is exposure to the human services field. The volunteer hours should be completed with one organization. Your main function must involve contact with people, and one reference letter needs to be completed by the employment or volunteer supervisor. For further information, view this program's Application Volunteer Requirements. 3. Information regarding an interview with a Social Work faculty member; this interview is required as part of admission. Please complete and submit the personal questionnaire, reference letters and documentation of 100 volunteer/work experience hours to the Office of the Registrar. If the Office receives this information by February 15, you will be contacted for an interview.

For more information on the Application Process, click here.

Social Work program contact: [email protected]

2021-2022 DIPLOMA SCHEDULING

YEAR 1 (FALL TERM) YEAR 1 (WINTER TERM) SOWK 201 SOWK 202

SOWK 204 SOWK 207

SOWK 212 SOWK 209 – Field Work I

SOWK 214 SOCI 260

English or Communication Option (see note 1) English or Communication Option (see note 1)

PSYC 260 PSYC 261

YEAR 2 (FALL TERM) YEAR 2 (WINTER TERM) SOWK 301 SOWK 304

SOWK 307 SOWK 306

SOWK 308 – Field Work II SOWK 309 – Field Work III

SOWK 315 SOWK 312

SOCI 261 Developmental Psychology Requirement (see note 2)

Elective

Field Work (SOWK 209 & SOWK 308/309 may be taken in the Winter/Spring if there offered and if there is sufficient enrollment)

NOTES

1. English or Communication Option: Completion of 2 three-credit English courses (ENGL 219 and ENGL 220), or two three-credit Communication Courses (COMM 150 and COMM 250). University bound students are advised to complete ENGL courses, specifically ENGL 219 and ENGL 220. COMM 150 and COMM 250 are not university transferable. Students who do not present English 30-1 (or equivalent) will be pre-set into COMM 150 and COMM 250.

2. Developmental Psychology Option: Students must complete at least three credits in a Developmental Psychology course. Choose at least one from: PSYC 353 (Child Development), PSYC 355 (Adolescence) or PSYC 357 (Adult Development and Aging). This course may be taken in either the fall or winter term in second year.

3. Elective: Choose 1 three-credit College or University Level course. It is recommended to choose a class that is University Transferable, and transferable to the University of Calgary. • Click HERE for a list of example Arts and Science electives for the current academic year (you are not limited to only these options, these are just some examples).

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UNIVERSITY TRANSFER OPTIONS: BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK (BSW) DEGREE

With proper course selection, the Red Deer College Social Work Diploma is directly transferable to Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs at the University of Calgary and MacEwan University. These programs have competitive entry and admission is not guaranteed. It is highly recommended to apply early and get familiar with the admission requirements of each program.

While we highly recommend you contact the Universities to learn more about transferring, the School of Arts and Sciences can also help you understand your transfer options and get you started. Our contact information is on the last page of this document.

Important notes about transfer to the University of Calgary BSW program: • Within your completed RDC Social Work Diploma, you must have a total of 8 university transferable courses. Courses titled “SOWK” do not count towards this requirement. • This means it is recommended to ensure your elective and English/Communication requirement are filled by university transferable courses. PSYC 260, 261, SOCI 260, SOCI 261 and the Developmental Psychology course are all transferable to the University of Calgary. • To see a full complement of available options and admission requirements, please visit the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work website.

Students can transfer the diploma outside of Alberta, however, it is recommended students connect with their intended institution directly if this is their intention.

University Contacts

Alberta Transfer Guide: http://transferalberta.alberta.ca

UCalgary Faculty of Social Work Phone: 403.220.5942 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: http://fsw.ucalgary.ca/

UCalgary BSW Learning Circles Program Phone: 1.888.492.2083 Email: [email protected] Website: http://fsw.ucalgary.ca/

MacEwan University Phone: 1.780.497.5154 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.macewan.ca/SocialWork

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RED DEER COLLEGE SOCIAL WORK DIPLOMA CHECKLIST

We encourage you to also visit your Grad tracker to review your academic progress to ensure you're on track for program completion and graduation. Access your Grad Tracker by: • Logging into your Loop account • Selecting Online Services • Select Student Services then Student Profile • From Student profile, select the link to Grad Tracker • You can also visit stellic.rdc.ab.ca and log in with your Loop account username and password.

COMPLETED REQUIREMENT TERM English or Communication Requirement o ______(ENGL 219 or COMM 150) o ______(ENGL 220 or COMM 250) Psychology Requirement PSYC 260 PSYC 261 Developmental Psychology Course: Sociology Requirement SOCI 260 SOCI 261 Elective o ______Social Work Courses SOWK 201 – Social Work Practice I SOWK 202 –Social Work Practice II SOWK 204 –Ethics in Social Work Practice SOWK 207 – Introduction to Social Welfare SOWK 209 – Field Work I SOWK 212 – Preparation for Practice SOWK 214 – Reconciliation through Social Work SOWK 301 – Social Work Practice with Families SOWK 304 – Social Work Practice with Groups and Communities SOWK 306 – Leadership in Social Work SOWK 307 – Social Policy SOWK 308 – Field Work II SOWK 309 – Field Work III SOWK 312 – Current Trends and Issues in Social Work SOWK 315 – Social Work Research

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CONTACT INFORMATION

School of Arts and Science | Academic Advising & Recruiting • Room 2203 • [email protected] • 403-342-3585 ext. 1 • Book an appointment: www.rdc.ab.ca/artscienceappointments

Alberta Transfer Guide: http://transferalberta.alberta.ca

PLEASE NOTE: This document is designed to provide recommendations and general information related to transfer pathways that best suit Red Deer College (RDC) course offerings. There are many ways to create a schedule and complete your studies, and we recommend you familiarize yourself with the intricacies of the program and university you want to transfer into. We are here to assist in helping you navigate your studies and can connect you with resources as needed, but you are responsible for your course registration, class schedule, applications to transfer and other related matters. Students in university transfer programs are strongly advised to refer to the calendar of the university that they wish to attend, and should contact appropriate university departments as required.

Please note that institutions can make changes to their program and/or transfer requirements without consulting RDC. As such, it is recommended you consult with the appropriate institutional information (i.e. university calendars, websites, advisors,) to gain the most up to date information as you progress through your studies.

You are cautioned that any changes to your courses, your major, or your transfer destination may adversely affect your transferable credit or admission requirements for future programs. Consult with the School of Arts & Sciences if you have any questions

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