Social Services Diploma at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, Canada is a diploma in Social Work programme. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition is CAD 5,100 per total for local students.
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Social Work
Duration: 2 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 5,100 / total
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Social Services Diploma gives you a strong foundation in developmental psychology, adolescent and child development, trauma resiliency and conflict resolution. You'll take courses in addictions and addiction treatment, conflict resolution, leadership and supervision, community development, interpersonal skills, and more. Upon graduation, you'll be prepared for roles such as human service assistant, probation officer, rehabilitation counsellor, school counselor, or marriage and family therapist.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Entry requires English 12 with a minimum grade of 'C' (or equivalent), volunteer or paid experience in the human-services field, a resume, two current letters of reference, and a completed Personal Profile form; an interview may also be required. General admission requirements apply beyond these. VIU does not publish a programme-specific English-language test score on this page; the English 12 requirement stands in its place. Students planning to transfer into the Bachelor of Social Work must separately hold a grade point average of at least 2.33 ('C+') calculated on their most recent 24 completed credits; this bar applies to that transfer, not diploma entry. The diploma has one Fall intake at the Nanaimo campus (September 8, 2026).
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic (Canadian) applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC; Vancouver Island University sets no institution-wide equal-consideration date, and its admissions FAQ states deadlines vary by programme, with applications for most academic programmes opening 1 October in the year before a September start. VIU publishes no general closing date for that window; applicants are directed to each programme's own page for its own deadline. International applicants use the same portal; VIU publishes no international-specific institution-wide date either, and several health programmes (Practical Nursing, Nursing Unit Assistant) are stated as not currently open to international students. Each programme's own page carries its own Start Date, Deadlines, and Additional Application Details table for the 2026-27 cycle, and admission for programmes without a stated window is treated as ongoing/rolling until the intake fills. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
