Diploma in Social Service is a diploma in Social Work programme offered by Dawson College in Westmount, Canada. The programme runs for 3 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 7,575 per semester.
Social Service is a three-year Diploma of Collegial Studies (DEC) technical program at Dawson College that trains social service workers to support children, youth, adults and seniors facing difficulties such as family conflict, isolation, mental health challenges and poverty. The curriculum builds core intervention skills, including active listening, non-violent communication, conflict resolution, needs assessment, group facilitation and crisis intervention, alongside strength-based and anti-oppressive approaches to practice. Students complete two mandatory internships in community settings, and some coursework is shared with students from the college's Nursing, Diagnostic Imaging Technology and Physiotherapy Technology programs. A police background check is required in the first semester before students begin fieldwork. The program suits students who want to work directly with vulnerable populations and support systemic change in community settings. Graduates commonly work as social service workers, case workers, child care workers, behaviour technicians or community intervention workers in hospitals, CLSCs, youth protection agencies, schools or community organizations, and some continue into university studies in social work or applied human services.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Requires a Quebec Diploma of Secondary Studies (DES), or an academic background judged equivalent. Applicants must submit a letter of intent of up to 500 words addressing their fit with the programme, relevant volunteer or work experience, and self-care strategies, plus two recommendation forms completed by a teacher, employer, volunteer coordinator or community contact; an interview may also be required to assess background and fit. Students must pass a criminal-record (police background) check in their first semester to take part in fieldwork placements. English-language proficiency is not addressed on the programme's own pages and defaults to Dawson College's general policy: TOEFL iBT (minimum 4), IELTS Academic (minimum 6.0), PTE Academic (minimum 50), or Duolingo (minimum 95-100) for applicants not schooled in English. The application deadline is March 1.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic and international applicants apply directly through the Dawson College Application System rather than SRAM. Applications for Winter 2027 opened 22 September 2026 with a deadline of 1 November 2026; however, international students are not eligible to apply for the Winter semester unless they already hold a valid CAQ/CSQ and Study Permit naming Dawson College, given Quebec's study-authorization processing times. Fall admission's standing deadline is 1 March, though Fall 2027 application dates were not yet posted as of September 2026 (Fall 2026 closed on 1 March 2026 with no late applications accepted). Admission is not described as rolling; these are firm deadlines. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
