Last updated: March 20, 2013 @ 02:21PM

Distinct and Diverse Communities

Co-ordinator
Thomas Dunk

Program Co-ordinator and Adviser
Jo Stewart

General Information

Executive Assistant to the Dean
Fatima Noorbhai

905-688-5550, extension 3425
Scotiabank Hall 324

The Distinct and Diverse Communities program involves courses offered through Brock University, Sault College and an Anishinabek Educational Institute (AEI) in Ontario. This program combines a four-year degree at Brock with practical coursework and training in a number of applied social service settings at the college and the AEI.

Students obtain both solid applied skills and a strong theoretical foundation in order to practice in social services in Ontario. The program leads to career opportunities in areas in the social services that are aimed at assisting members of various Aboriginal communities. At Brock, students complete an integrated series of courses from a wide variety of disciplines. Students spend one year at Sault College or the AEI completing a diploma program that offers them applied knowledge and skills development and training in areas within social services that are specific to Aboriginal communities both on- and off-reserve. Obtaining both an Honours BA or BA with Major and a college diploma would ordinarily involve six years of study, but this program combines the two in a single integrated package that can be completed in four years. Enrolment is limited.

Students must consult with the academic adviser responsible for this program before enrolling in courses. All course choices must be approved by the Office of the Dean, Social Sciences. Courses must be shown by the student to have content relevant to Aboriginal communities before approval will be granted.

Requirement for graduation with a BA (Honours) Distinct and Diverse Communities degree is a minimum 70 percent major average, a minimum 60 percent non-major average and a minimum 60 percent overall average. Requirement for graduation with a BA With Major Distinct and Diverse Communities degree is a minimum 60 percent major average and a minimum 60 percent overall average.

Further details concerning the Distinct and Diverse Communities program are available from the Office of the Dean of Social Sciences.

Program Notes
  1. No more than 6.0 credits may be taken from any one discipline. Contact Program Co-ordinator and Adviser.
  2. Students must apply to the Office of the Dean of Social Sciences at the end of Year 1 for admittance to the college program of their choice. Admittance to these programs is limited to those students with a 70 percent overall Brock average. Students who do not meet this requirement at the end of Year 1 will be required to change their major at that time. Students must maintain a minimum 70 percent overall average in Year 2 in order to proceed to the college/AEI program in Year 3.
  3. ABST 1F01, 1F20, 1P03, 1P04, 1P31, 1P32 are recommended.
  4. Students who opt to take WGST 3P41, 3P42, 4P41 or 4P42 must obtain permission of the Program Co-ordinator.
  5. Admission to year 4 (Honours) is by application and requires a minimum 75 percent overall average.
  6. In 20 credit Honours degree programs a maximum of eight credits may be numbered 1(alpha)00 to 1(alpha)99; at least three credits must be numbered 2(alpha)90 or above; at least three credits must be numbered 3(alpha)90 or above; and the remaining credits must be numbered 2(alpha)00 or above.
    In this 20 credit BA with Major degree program a maximum of eight credits may be numbered 1(alpha)00 to 1(alpha)99; at least four and one-half credits must be numbered 2(alpha)90 or above; at least one and one-half credits must be numbered 3(alpha)90 or above; and the remaining credits must be numbered 2(alpha)00 or above.
    In some circumstances, in order to meet university degree and program requirements, more than 20 credits may be required.

Brock/Colleges Articulation Agreement

Social Service Worker Program

Aboriginal Stream - Anishinabek Educational Institute or Sault College

Year 1
·   ABST 1F90
·   CHSC 1F90
·   PSYC 1F90
·   SOCI 1F90
·   one Humanities context credit or one Sciences context credit

Years 2-4
·   Seven approved Distinct and Diverse Communities-Aboriginal stream credits (see program notes 1 and 6)
·   one language credit (see program note 3)
·   the Humanities context credit or Sciences context credit not taken in year 1
·   one elective credit (see program note 6)
·   five credits from Anishinabek Educational Institute or Sault College

Description of Courses

See relevant calendar entry for course descriptions.