Associate of Arts (Pre-Social Work) Degree
The Associate of Arts degree is a two-year undergraduate program offered by many institutions in the province of British Columbia and beyond. The Associate Degree program is designed to provide broad-based knowledge and experiences which lay a foundation for further undergraduate study.
For full program description, requirements, and policies, see the Academic Calendar.
Program Description
What you will learn
Students of the Associate of Arts (Pre-Social Work) degree program will gain multi-disciplinary knowledge in the faculties of arts, humanities, and social science, and develop their critical thinking and research skills.
The program also includes a customizable concentration in pre-social work, which allows students to explore different areas in social sciences, including social welfare, psychology, sociology, gender, and Indigenous studies.
Program Structure
The Associate of Arts (Pre-Social Work) Degree is a foundational two-year undergraduate degree consisting of 60 credits in total.
What you can do after graduation
Transfer to 2nd/3rd Year at a University
Upon completion of the Associate of Arts (Pre-Social Work) Degree program, students may choose to continue their undergraduate studies. Attainment of this degree concentration does not qualify graduates for immediate employment in the field of social work. The credential is primarily intended to facilitate transfer into the third-year of four-year Bachelor of Social Work programs at a universities in BC.
For more information on the option of transferring to a university upon completion of an Associate of Arts (Pre-Social Work) Degree, please consult the BC Transfer Guide or see an Academic Advisor.
Program Requirements
The Associate of Arts (Pre-Social Work) Degree program consists of the following course requirements, which must be completed with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater.
- 6 credits in first-year English
- 9 credits in science which shall include at least:
- 3 credits in mathematics, computer science, or statistics (statistics courses taught in subject areas such as business, commerce, economics, psychology, etc. may also be used to meet this requirement)
- 4 credits in a laboratory science
- 36 credits in arts which shall include:
- At least 6 credits in humanities, other than English, including both of:
- ANTH 160 or HIST 107
- GSWS 100
- At least 6 credits in Social Science, including both of:
- PSYC 101
- PSYC 102
- At least 6 additional credits in Arts, including one of:
- SOCI 100
- SOCI 103
- At least 18 credits in 2nd year arts, taken in two or more subject areas.
- 9 credits in Arts, Science, or other areas, including both of:
- SOWK 201
- SOWK 202
Our Student Stories
