Academic advice
Get the advice you need
Academic advisers can help you plan your program, decide which courses to take and find out which courses transfer to UVic. Please contact the adviser for the program you’re interested in.
HSD Indigenous student adviser
Trevor Good bswis@uvic.ca 250-472-5311
Undergraduate advisers
Child and Youth Care:
Vicki Ziegler vziegler@uvic.ca phone 250-721-7984
Kathy Harrison kharriso@uvic.ca phone 250-721-7984
Health Information Science:
Andre Kushniruk andrek@uvic.ca phone 250-472-5132
Nursing:
Lori Klear klear@uvic.ca, phone 250-472-4702
Public Administration:
Tara Da Silva spadipl@uvic.ca (undergraduate and diploma), phone 250-721-8074
Public Health and Social Policy:
Joan Gillie jgillie@uvic.ca 250-853-3845
Social Work:
Marian Simmonds swadvise@uvic.ca (child welfare, Indigenous or Indigenous child welfare specialization), phone 250-721-8042
Michelle Osborne swadmit@uvic.ca (standard BSW), phone 250-721-8047
Frequently asked advising questions
Undergraduate advisers supplied these examples. Contact the adviser for each program for more information.
Child and Youth Care
Child and Youth Care
Do you give credit for certificate and diplomas from other institutions?
Yes, we recognize human service certificates and diplomas from accredited institutions. (Programs with vocational or continuing studies designations are not included.) Certificate/diplomas completed with an overall B average may be eligible for block credit of 15 units for a certificate or 30 units for a diploma upon admission to the CYC degree program.
How long will it take me to do my degree?
The BCYC degree program will take four years of full-time study to complete. It may take less depending on your transfer credit.
Do I need to have work experience in the child and youth care field?
Having some paid or voluntary experience is very valuable. We encourage you to register in CYC 100 – Introduction to Professional Child and Youth Care Practice to learn more about child and youth care. It’s offered September-April and can be taken during your first year.
How and when do I apply?
The full application package is available on the Child and Youth Care site in December. The application deadline is February 28.
Can I take courses in another faculty if I’m a Child and Youth Care student?
Yes, you may take courses in any faculty if you have the prerequisites. We encourage students to take courses from a wide range of disciplines, and often CYC students have a minor in another faculty.
Can a CYC degree qualify me to enter the Teacher Certificate Training Program?
A CYC degree is an asset to practicing teachers. It’s important that you complete foundational subjects, such as math, language arts and/or a lab science. Please see an adviser in the Faculty of Education for more information.
Can I complete a practicum in another country?
Yes, you’ll have the opportunity to complete an international fourth year practicum.
As an online learner, do I need to come to campus to complete any required courses?
Yes, there is a fourth-year course with a mandatory ten-day seminar on campus for our distance learners.
Health Information Science
Health Information Science
Can I take the first year courses without being in the program?
Yes. All first- and second-year HINF courses are open to any student with the necessary prerequisites.
How long will it take me to get through the program if I already have a degree?
If you have a previous degree it usually takes 2-1/2 years to finish the program. The exact length depends on coursework from your previous degree and whether you take 4, 5 or 6 courses each term.
Do I have to retake courses I took in my first degree?
You won’t have to repeat any courses that have a UVic equivalency.
Can I use the MATH 100 I took in place of MATH 151?
No. MATH 100 is calculus and does not replace MATH 151, which is finite math.
Can I substitute the STAT 255 I took for STAT 252?
Yes. If you’ve already completed STAT 255 you don’t have to take STAT 252.
If I apply for the combined CSC and HINF major, can I change to the regular BSc program?
Yes, but you’ll need to complete a re-registration form and go through the application process to change programs.
Nursing
Nursing
How much will it cost?
Post-RN BSN: $10,000 includes tuition and materials (term-by-term fees depend on your course load).
Where can I take the program?
You can complete our programs from anywhere in Canada or the US.
How much time will it take to complete the program?
The post-RN BSN program may be completed full-time in 16 months, or part-time over a longer period. This program must be completed within six years.
What are the distance programs I can take?
The undergraduate distance program is the Post-RN diploma BSN. BSN applicants can also take a course through Thompson Rivers University Open Learning in the term before coming to UVic. You can also apply as an unclassified undergraduate in the Faculty of Human and Social Development to take a course before being accepted.
See becoming a student for more information on the BSN program.
Public Administration
Public Administration
Can the program I am interested in be completed entirely online?
Yes. The following undergraduate programs can be completed entirely online:
- Diploma in Public Sector Management
- Diploma in Local Government Management
- Professional specialization certificates
Other programs are delivered mostly online with a small, intensive on-campus component:
Is there a time limit for completion of the program?
No, there is no time limit for completing our undergraduate programs.
What is the cost?
You’ll find a complete explanation of tuition costs for each of our programs on the Public Administration site.
I have specific questions about my admissibility.
See the Public Administration site for information on admissibility into our programs.
Social Work
Social Work
How much does the program cost?
Tuition fees are based on a fee-per-credit unit as set each year by the university. The BSW program requires completion of approximately 30 units of course work. The current tuition fees per unit can be found on the Accounting Services site. The cost is the same for on-campus and distance learning.
Can I do it where I live?
It’s possible to do almost the entire BSW program as a distance student. You will, however, be required to attend a mandatory five-day face-to-face session on campus for one of the courses (SOCW 312). The on-campus portion is usually offered twice during the year – once in early May and then again in late August. You’ll also need to live in Canada during your studies.
As an online learner, do I need to come to campus to complete any required courses?
You will be required to attend a mandatory five-day face-to-face session on campus for one of the courses (SOCW 312). The on-campus portion is usually offered twice during the year – once in early May and then again in late August.
How long does it take?
The program can be completed within a two-year time span if you’re taking a full-time course load. The completion length varies if you’re taking a part-time course load. Please see our policy regarding maintaining your BSW status.
Which program options are offered by distance?
Our standard BSW program and the child welfare and Indigenous specializations are all available by distance education.
Is the program offered part-time or full-time?
Both! The program is flexible and you can choose a full time or part time course load.
Can I take a non-degree course before entering the program?
You’ll be required to have the equivalent of 30 units of UVic course work or 30 units of university equivalent transfer credit, including Social Work 200A and 200B, before entry to the BSW program.
All UVic students, regardless of faculty or program, are eligible to register in SOCW 200A and SOCW 200B. Senior-level social work courses are restricted to registration by BSW students.
How do I apply?
Please see the School of Social Work site for detailed application information.
Can I take the first year courses without being in the program?
There are no first year social work courses. In first and second year, in addition to SOCW 200A and SOCW 200B, you should be taking a wide range of liberal arts, social science and humanities courses.
Do I have to retake courses I took in my first degree?
No.
Can I use the MATH 100 I took in place of MATH 151?
Don’t worry - a math course is not required for the BSW.
Is there a time limit for completion of the program?
No, but you must successfully complete at least one course in the first year of acceptance to the school in order to maintain your status as a BSW student. Then you’ll need to complete at least one course every two years.
Will I receive transfer credit for the Human Services diploma I completed at my local college?
Each course within the diploma is reviewed individually by Undergraduate Admissions for possible transfer credit eligibility. Applicants don’t receive block transfer credit for previously completed social/human services diplomas from any institution.
Arts and sciences courses: Generally speaking, arts and sciences courses are eligible for possible transfer credit and will be reviewed as part of the application process.
Social/human services courses: With the exception of equivalents to SOCW 200A and SOCW 200B, social/human services courses are generally not eligible for transfer credit.
Applicants to the BSW program who have completed a social/human services diploma that includes at least two practicum placements may also be eligible for an additional 6.0 units of discretionary credit applicable towards the BSW program only.
Can I complete a practicum in another country?
Yes, it’s possible to complete a 4th year practicum in another country. You’ll need to do significant advance planning.
Can I complete my practicum in my place of work?
No -- generally a social work field placement is to be an unpaid educational experience. A proposal for a paid placement may be considered if the placement is focused on new learning and someone who is not your current work supervisor can supervise you.
Do you offer co-op placements?
No.
Professional accreditation
Professional programs in the Faculty of Human and Social Development prepare our students for work and practice in a field that requires expert knowledge and practical experience of a specific field or occupation.
Our schools and professional programs have affiliations and close working relationships with relevant professional associations. Establishing relationships and collaborations with professional organizations is important to the delivery of our professional programs. We meet the requirements of professional accreditation bodies for professional practice.
See the following associated links for further information:
Professional associations
Professional associations
Child and Youth Care:
- Federation of Community Social Services of BC
- Child and Youth Care Consortium of BC
- Child and Youth Care Association of BC
Health Information Science:
Nursing:
Public Administration:
- The MPA is a recognized professional standard similar to MBC
Social Work:
Studies in Policy and Practice Master’s program:
- One of the goals of SPP is to provide information about critical work on contemporary issues going on locally, nationally and internationally. See this list of related organizations.
Professional accreditation
Professional accreditation
Nursing:
Social Work:
