Admission Requirements
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, including the following required courses:
- English - any Grade 12 (C) or (U), or equivalent.
Additional Requirements for Admission:
- Submission of a portfolio including the following:
- Resume
- Program Reference Information Form
- Personal statement
Recommended Courses and/or Recommended Skills (Not Required for Admission):
- Introduction to Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology - Grade 11 (M).
- Healthy Active Living Education - Grade 12 (O).
- Challenge and Change in Society - Grade 12 (M).
- Managing Personal and Family Resources - Grade 11 (C).
- Individuals and Families in a Diverse Society - Grade 12 (M).
- Issues in Human Growth and Development - Grade 12 (M).
- World Religions - Grade 11 (M).
- Related volunteer or cooperative work experience.
Selection and Ranking Process:
- Only those applicants who have submitted a satisfactory portfolio will be considered for admission. Eligible applicants will be ranked based on their prior academic performance in required courses.
- For competitive programs (the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of available places), selection will be based on the highest senior level final grade available at the time of ranking. Mid-term grades are not used for ranking purposes.
Note:
- Secondary School grades from co-op courses and half credit courses are not considered.
Professional Responsibility:
- A significant number of field placements in the social services field require students to be at least 19 years of age in order to assume a beginning level of professional responsibility. The professional responsibility applies to matters identified in the Code of Ethics of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.
The code describes a social worker’s responsibilities related to confidentiality, conflict of interest, personal
boundaries and other areas. The code is available at ocswssw.org. Those who are below 19 years of age could
have their field placement options limited, which in turn could delay graduation.
Criminal Reference Check (CRC):
- Many employers have instituted a CRC with vulnerable sector screening as a requirement for appropriate field placements. The CRC will be required at the beginning of the program term 2. All costs associated with the CRC are the responsibility of the student.
Health Requirement:
- The confidential Communicable Disease Surveillance form must be completed and mailed, faxed or emailed to Niagara College Health Services prior to the first day of Term 1. Requirements include proof of immunity to varicella, measles, mumps, rubella (2 doses), Hepatitis B and tetanus diptheria. Students also must provide date of last pertussis immunization. Influenza vaccination is recommended. Documentation of a 2 step TB test is required prior to start of program.
- Some placement sites require current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and/or First Aid certification.
- All costs associated with CPR/First Aid, vaccinations and/ or verification, are the responsibility of the student.
- All health requirements must be met one month prior to the start of the placement term or a placement will be denied
Transportation:
- Students are responsible for their own transportation in order to complete field placement requirements. Niagara cannot guarantee placements that are readily accessible by public transportation. Also, many of our placements require students to visit clients at home or in various locations to carry out their placement work. Therefore, provision of transportation for work placement will require access to a private vehicle. Students are responsible for all costs connected with such transportation.