Course Overview:

This advanced course equips students with mastery of interviewing and assessment techniques essential for effective social service practice within British Columbia’s diverse landscape. Students will engage in hands-on training to conduct structured client interviews, develop comprehensive assessment reports, and analyze the influence of social policies on vulnerable populations, such as those experiencing poverty or housing instability. The curriculum emphasizes practical skills through case study analyses, role playing exercises, and policy evaluation workshops, preparing learners to advocate for changes that enhance service delivery and client outcomes. Through interactive sessions with guest policy experts and group projects, students will explore the interplay between provincial legislation, community needs, and social work ethics, building the expertise to propose evidence-based recommendations. This course bridges theoretical knowledge with real-world application, fostering a professional approach to addressing systemic barriers in multicultural settings.

Prerequisite:

  • The students must have completed grade 12 or equivalent education, or mature student status (19 years or older).
  • Applicants must submit a written statement outlining their motivation, relevant experience, and career goals. An admissions interview may also be required to assess communication skills, professional awareness, and readiness for both academic study and practicum learning.
  • Because the program includes placements with vulnerable populations, applicants must provide a clear Criminal Record Check. Some sites may also require proof of immunizations, first aid certification, or other documentation to ensure safety and readiness for practicum participation.
  • All applicants must meet one of the following Language Proficiency Requirements (LPR):
    • Completion of 2 years of secondary education (including English 10 and 11 with a grade of ‘C’ or higher) from a country where English is one of the principal languages, or
    • Completion of 2 years of full-time post-secondary education at an accredited institution where English is the language of instruction, or
    • To meet BC Health Care Assistant English Competency Standards, students from non-English speaking countries must have completed grade 12 or equivalent education and provide verified results for one of the English Language Proficiency tests with minimum scores listed below:
      • IELTS: overall score of 6.0, with a minimum of 6 in Speaking/Listening, and not below 5.5 in Reading/Writing.
      • CAEL: overall score of 60, with no section below 50.
      • TOEFL iBT: minimum 76 overall, with no sub-scores lower than 20 (Speaking/Listening) and 18 (Reading/Writing), or
      • Another accredited equivalent score.
  • Mature Student Applicants
    Applicants who are 19 years of age or older at the start of the program, are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and are unable to provide official secondary or post-secondary education records may demonstrate English proficiency by:
    • Submitting a signed attestation confirming they have completed at least three years of full-time education in English in a country where English is one of the primary languages and
    • Completing the Accuplacer English Assessment (Next Generation: Reading, Writing, and WritePlacer) with the following minimum scores:
      • Reading: 235
      • Writing: 235
      • WritePlacer: 4

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, the students will be able to:

  • Conduct structured, strengths-based client interviews using culturally safe, trauma aware, and decolonizing communication approaches.
  • Prepare clear, factual, and culturally informed assessment summaries for diverse client situations, within the supportive, non-clinical scope of a social service worker.
  • Identify and explain how social policies impact marginalized, Indigenous, immigrant, and racialized communities, including how these policies reflect historic and ongoing effects of colonization.
  • Assess how policy barriers influence access to services in multicultural contexts and identify culturally safe, decolonizingapproaches that frontline workers can support.
  • Develop basic policy suggestions that draw on evidence, community perspectives, and decolonizing principles to promote equitable and culturally grounded service delivery.

Course Content & Topics:

Credit Information:

  • Credits: 3

Duration:

  • 14 Weeks: 3 hrs/week

Course & Related Fees:

  • Domestic & International: $700 (Seven hundred dollars)

For a detailed breakdown, please refer to Policy #S-005 Programs & Course Fee Schedule

Non-Refundable Fees:

  • Application Fee: $50.00/course (payable online and non-refundable)