Program Highlights
NIC's human services department and its programs are part of a provincial network that ensures not only high-quality instruction and programming, but also transferability throughout the province. The program has links with Vancouver Island University, Camosun College, Royal Roads University, and the University of Victoria through a Vancouver Island Collaborative Agreement, which fosters collaboration related to post secondary education and training needs throughout the region. The human services department at NIC also works closely with community agencies to ensure that course content is current, relevant, and valued by employers.
The Human Services diploma has a generic focus which allows students to pursue courses in community support, education assistance, or social service. A variety of employment options exist in human service agencies depending on the courses chosen and final practicum focus.
The diploma provides opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills developed in the certificate programs, and can be pursued on a part-time or full-time basis. The program runs from September until the end of June and includes human services (HSW) and/or social services (SSW) courses.
Students can choose a variety of different courses depending on their chosen career path. The current program allows students to take five university transfer courses and five human service or social service courses. Students are advised to speak to Student Advisor after their first year to ensure that their second year diploma courses reflect their specific career goals.
During the diploma program, students can choose from a variety of university transfer courses, including but not limited to, the field of criminology, sociology, psychology, women's studies, First Nations studies, and equity and social justice, to name a few. In the spring semester, students participate in an eight-week, full-time practicum to gain experience in their chosen field. Students must also have current standard first aid certification.
Note: The human services department is currently reviewing the generic diploma program to examine possibilities for including new course work in emerging areas in the field of human services, providing more specialized courses in education assistance and community support, and increasing university transfer credit for students who want to pursue degree programs.
Career Opportunities
The Human Services diploma prepares graduates for employment in human services agencies that require two years of education and training. It also provides students who wish to pursue a bachelor's degree with transfer credit toward many education, social work, or child and youth care programs in the province.
Practice Experience
The program offers an eight-week full-time practice experience at the end of the program. The placement is supervised by agency personnel and faculty. A weekly seminar provides additional learning, and connection of theory with practice. Education assistants have placements in school districts, community support workers in agencies that support individuals with developmental delays and physical disabilities. Students who wish to have more general experience may be placed in agencies that support families, or individuals who are struggling with financial or family interaction issues, violence or addiction issues, or mental health issues. The purpose of the practice experience is to provide students with direct on the job experience. This allows students to learn exactly what the job entails, what skills are required, and the opportunity to learn those skills both in theory and in practice. This is an exciting and holistic approach to learning. It is important to note that if a student's main goal is to work in social services or to pursue a bachelor of social work degree, the Social Service diploma may be the best option for employment and transferability. The human services faculty are currently developing international placement options which will begin in spring 2011.
Seat Availability
A student who fails any course in the program cannot progress until the course is passed. In order to repeat a course, the student must reapply to the program in a subsequent offering of the same term in which the failure occurred providing there is an available seat. If in repeating the course, the student fails again, then the student will be removed entirely from the program and can only re-enter by going through the admission process. Please note that the student may be required to begin at term one.
A student who has failed a human services (HSW) course, repeated it and passed, re-entered the program and then fails another course, will be removed entirely from the program and can only re-enter by through the admission process. Please note that the student may be required to begin at term one.
Re-entering the program under any circumstance is dependent on an available seat and at the discretion of the human services department. Students who fail a required course may be asked to complete a learning assessment prior to being reconsidered for re-admission. These regulations are important to the profession to ensure that graduates have the required skills and knowledge, and are therefore deemed safe to practice.