Diploma in Developmental Services Worker is a diploma in Social & Cultural Studies programme offered by Durham College in Oshawa, Canada. The programme runs for 4 semesters, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 15,489 per year (CAD 2,776 per year for local students).
The diploma prepares students to support people with a developmental disability across every life stage, with a focus on helping children and adults build full, satisfying lives as valued members of their community, guided by values of social justice, empowerment, dignity, self-worth and integrity. Coursework covers developing and carrying out support plans that build meaningful skills, self-determination, community participation and healthy routines, working with students with autism and other disabilities in classroom settings, supporting families and building natural connections, and developing advocacy skill on clients' behalf.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Durham College's minimum entry is an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, or Mature Student Status for applicants 19 or older who have not completed high school. The Developmental Services Worker program's own page adds only Grade 12 English at the C or U level; it states no further academic prerequisite and no minimum admission average. The program page states no English-language test score of its own for international applicants and points to Durham's institution-wide requirement for certificate, diploma and advanced diploma programs, set out on the college's international admissions page: IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no band below 5.5, TOEFL iBT 80 with no section below 20, PTE Academic 53 overall with no section below 49, CAEL 60 overall with no section below 60, or Duolingo English Test 105; domestic applicants may instead evidence English with the required Grade 12 English credit. Before starting field placement, students must also provide a clear, current Criminal Reference Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening, current Level C CPR and Standard First Aid certification, and a completed entry immunization form.
Application Details
Start Date:September intake - the only intake listed on this program's page. Classes begin 8 September 2026 in the current cycle.
Application Deadline:Domestic (apply at ontariocolleges.ca): equal-consideration date 1 February for a September start - 1 February 2026 covered the September 2026 intake and the same rule applies to the next September intake. Applications completed after the equal-consideration date are still accepted and assessed while seats remain. International: apply through Durham College's own international application, not ontariocolleges.ca; Durham publishes no general international closing date and directs applicants to the Intakes and Availability table on the program page.
