Honours Bachelor of Social & Community Development Online

Make a long-lasting impact on your community when you strengthen your ability to design, implement and manage social programs using advanced research skills and data-driven decisions.

Apply by: 2024/12/13
Start classes: 2025/01/06
Apply Now

Program Overview

Earn a respected Honours Bachelor of Social & Community Development degree online

Whether you’re seeking career advancement or interested in building towards a career in the Non-Profit and Voluntary Sector, you can prepare for leading roles in social services and community development when you earn the Honours Bachelor of Social & Community Development in our fully online asynchronous program at Sheridan College. Elevate your understanding of non-profit organizations, public policy, research methods with communities, and creating sustainable organizations to serve diverse communities ethically, using an anti-oppressive approach. Plus, you will work directly with experienced instructors who provide practical knowledge, professional connections and industry-aligned curriculum.

The Honours Bachelor of Social and Community Development online asynchronous program is designed for individuals who have a college diploma in Social Service Work, Gerontology, Community Work, Child and Youth Care or another high-affinity human services field. With 100% asynchronous online coursework and a four-month, 420-hour summer internship, you can earn this career-advancing degree quickly.

Also available online:

At Sheridan, we offer a variety of innovative online programs that can help you advance. Explore other undergraduate programs.

Total Tuition: $12,708
Transfer Credits: Past completed credits might apply towards your program
Credit Hours: 60
Apply Now

Need More Information?

Call +1-833-588-4325

Call +1-833-588-4325

Tuition

Discover the affordability of the online social and community development degree program

When you earn your Honours Bachelor of Social & Community Development online, you’re investing in your future.

View additional tuition information

Program Per Program
Honours Bachelor of Social & Community Development $12,708

*Tuition does not include additional fees and tuition fees may vary depending on your status as full time or part time. Click here for more information on our additional fees.

Tuition breakdown:

Total Tuition: $12,708
Credit Hours: 60

Calendar

Stay on track with convenient start dates

Sheridan College online programs are delivered in an accelerated online format that is ideal for flexibility and convenience. We offer multiple start dates per year, so you can begin your program when it suits your schedule.

Apply by 2024/12/13
Start Class 2025/01/06

View full calendar  + 

TermStart DateApp DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlineTuition DeadlineClass End DateTerm Length
Winter A2025/01/062024/12/132024/12/132025/01/062025/01/312025/02/217 weeks
Winter B2025/03/032025/02/252025/02/252025/03/032025/03/312025/04/177 weeks
Spring/Summer A2025/05/052025/04/292025/04/292025/05/052025/05/312025/06/207 weeks
Spring/Summer B2025/06/302025/06/242025/06/242025/06/302025/07/312025/08/157 weeks

Ready To Take the Next Step?

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Admissions

Here’s how to start the application process

Review the streamlined admission process below for the online Bachelor of Social Work and Community Development program from Sheridan College. Gain real-world work experience before graduation in the Honours Bachelor of Social and Community Development program, you'll have the benefit of completing a mandatory work term as part of your degree. This provides valuable work experience and connections. It also allows you to practice and finesse skills and concepts learned in class. Students who have already obtained more than 420 hours of program-related work experience can apply to have that previous experience applied to the internship credit during their studies.

Admission Requirements:

  • Complete an online application
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA2
  • Ontario college diploma in human services or equivalent
View full admission requirements

You must meet the following requirements for admission to this online Honours Bachelor of Social & Community Development program.

Be a successful graduate1 of the following Ontario college human service diploma programs with a minimum 3.0 GPA2:

  • Social Service Worker (MTCU 50721) or
  • Social Service Worker – Gerontology (MTCU 50728) or
  • Community Worker (MTCU 50703) or
  • Child and Youth Care/Child and Youth Worker (MTCU 60701)

OR

One of the following Ontario college diplomas deemed equivalent by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers with a minimum 3.0 GPA2:

  • Addiction and Mental Health Worker Program (MTCU 50733) – Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology
  • Community Development Work (MTCU 50707)
  • Family Violence Counsellor and Advocate (MTCU 50904)
  • Native Community Worker (MTCU 50704, 50733)
  • Community Gerontology (MTCU 51470)
  • Native Child and Family Services (MTCU 60722) – Confederation College of Applied Arts and Technology
  • Human Services Counsellor (MTCU 50719) – George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology

1Applicants with a Human Service Diploma (SSW, SSW – Gerontology or CW) conferred prior to 2009 will require a supplemental application (portfolio).

2Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 (B grade) will require a supplemental application (portfolio).

Students without an Ontario College Diploma in Human Services and those from a high-affinity degree program will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

English Language Proficiency

All applicants whose first language is not English must meet Sheridan’s English Proficiency Requirements.

Credential Assessment

If you have education from outside of Canada, you may need to provide a Credential Assessment Report when you apply to Sheridan.

Courses

Explore the online coursework for the bachelor’s of social work and community development

To graduate from the online Honours Bachelor of Social & Community Development program, you must complete a total of 60 credit hours, including 51 credit hours of core courses and nine credit hours of breadth elective courses.

Expand all
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore the key components of the research process and compare Quantitative and Qualitative research methods as they apply to community-based research. Students examine Anti-Oppressive and Participatory Methods in research and issues related to research ethics. Students critically review existing research and develop research tools.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore the key components of applying values, ethics and anti-oppressive practice in community and social development. Students examine what values and ethics are dominant in community practice.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore key sociological concepts and ideas related to the sociology of community development, formations of community and the role and qualities of communities. This course will draw on inter-disciplinary approaches to examine themes which include loss of community, intersectionality of communities and the geography of communities.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore the key theories and trends that have shaped and continue to shape the practice of community development and the non-profit and voluntary sector. Students examine, community development approaches, community engagement strategies, advocacy and ethics with a focus on creating sustainable positive change.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students select from appropriate quantitative or qualitative methods to answer a research question. They identify major concepts in participatory program planning and develop a research proposal that describes steps in community-based research and that adheres to the ethics guidelines at Sheridan College.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore history and critical trends in the third sector by examining Canada's historical and contemporary social safety net and the role of third sector in service provision work, advocacy and communities. From pre-colonialism to modern times the third sector is examined throughout history and through its contested history. Themes include roles of the third sector in Canadian society, how civil society is funded and critical modern trends in the third sector.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore the process of identifying a need within a community organization in collaboration with a community partner. Students create a funding proposal based on a community need and develop all components of the proposal from initial letter of intent to the final draft. Students examine the importance of stakeholder relationships, the use of social media and technology and alternate funding sources to leverage support for projects in the non-profit and voluntary sector.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The Restructured Community Organization Students explore current and historical trends that have had a significant impact on nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations and examine strategies that organizations and their personnel have adapted to continue to effectively meet the needs of the communities that they are working with.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Students explore effective Internship job search and self-marketing strategies in preparation for their work-term(s) and career development. Students familiarize themselves with the responsibilities and rights of a student as it relates to professionalism, ethical behavior and relevant policies/legislation during an Internship job search and work-term. Students explore competency development and cultivate an understanding of their personal employability skills and competencies through self-assessment and reflection. They investigate the current industry requirements for their field of study and develop effective job search and self-marketing strategies. Students create job search self-marketing tools that articulate relevant employability skills and competencies to help achieve their employment goals. In addition, students learn effective interview skills and techniques to confidently prepare themselves for employment interviews. Through experiential activities, reflective practice, in-class discussions, and assignments, students are guided to prepare for successful job search and work-term(s).
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students in the degree Internship work-term apply skills and competencies within a Sheridan-approved work-term. Students self-assess and practice competencies within a work-term setting, develop meaningful and measurable competency learning goals and a plan of action appropriate to the work-term expectations. Throughout the work-term experience, students evaluate their growth and development of competency learning goals. Students interact with industry professionals while developing and expanding skills and competencies in a professional work-term environment. Students gain an understanding of work-term accountabilities for their role as well as the importance of collaboration and teamwork. Students reflect on their experience cultivating self-awareness and growth from real world experiences. Students practice professionalism, and judgment as well as compliance with work-term expectations specific to their role, accountabilities and industry. Through self-assessments, on-going reflection, employer competency assessment/evaluation, and work-term assignments, students are guided to complete a successful work-term and prepare for future career success.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students design and implement a community-based research project in collaboration with a community partner. Students apply the research process to a real-life research question. They plan and create the different stages of an effective research project in partnership with community stakeholders. They analyze research using suitable techniques, summarize results of a research project, adhering to Research Ethic Board (REB) guidelines in working with human participants.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students identify different types of arts-based advocacy and research methods and describe the relevance of arts-based methods to advocacy and research. They apply arts-based and creative approaches to address social issues with the goal of building stronger communities.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore the role of public policy in social change in the work of the community practitioner. Themes include the role of advocacy in social change, how to develop a strategy to target change. Contemporary examples of grassroots public policy change will be examined.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore the key principles of project management and leadership development within the non-profit and voluntary sector. Students apply project management and leadership principles to a community- based project.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students examine the importance of knowledge mobilization and implement a knowledge mobilization/dissemination project in collaboration with community partners. Students reflect on the importance of knowledge mobilization for community-based research.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore social movements and social change within a Canadian and global context. Students will look at the role of trans-national and local movements for social change. Themes and movements examined in this course will include: solidarity, tactics for social change, the intersectionality of social movements, movements centering on Indigenous sovereignty, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, disability rights, anti-imperialism, the Prison Industrial Complex, access to education, migration, austerity and the environment.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore the key components of social innovation and social entrepreneurship as they apply to working with diverse communities. Students examine different approaches to social innovation and work collaboratively with a community partner to develop a project to meet a community need.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students explore the key components of leadership development and leadership capacity in both individual and community contexts. Students examine how they can facilitate and support the development of community leaders using an anti-oppressive approach.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students examine classical and contemporary philosophical views on living a philosophical life in the face of life's dilemmas. They examine their own lives to determine what contributes to a philosophically good life for them. Main foci include philosophical perspectives on friendship, pleasure, happiness, morality, personal identity, freedom, and responsibility. Various philosophical readings, audio-visuals, and lectures introduce students to philosophical ideas and ways of examining life. Philosophical thought experiments and dilemmas hone thinking and problem-solving skills, and foster self-knowledge. Reflective decision-making projects, and other individual evaluation components aim to augment and intensify students' philosophical explorations.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students examine the political, social, and cultural forces that have shaped European history from the French Revolution to the end of World War Two. They identify how and why the Modern era developed and evolved, and how it has contributed to the contemporary world. Students explore the nature and development of the French Revolution and its impact on the development of modern Western civilization. In addition to the French Revolution, they analyze the major themes and events of the Restoration, Industrial Revolution, Revolutions of 1848, European Imperialism, and the Era of the World Wars. Through a combination of group activities, discussions and debates, individual and collaborative research, and interactive lectures, students also examine the roots and development of modern statehood, representative government, nationalism, liberalism, and industrialism.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students examine the complex and dynamic relationship between leadership, facilitation, and creativity. Through the study of cross-disciplinary theory, they assess conceptions of leadership within a global context and explore processes, methodologies, structures, styles, and skills associated with creative leadership and problem solving. Students also examine cultural factors influencing creative leadership and facilitation abilities in a cross-cultural, international context. Through interdisciplinary readings, interactive lectures, in-class activities, a leadership project and self-reflections, students nurture their creative leadership and problem-solving capacities.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students critically examine four aspects of creativity-the creative person, process, product, and press-and increase the degree to which they recognize and nurture their own creative potential. Supported by interdisciplinary research and theory, they also assess the increasing importance and global context of creativity skills in the 21st century. Through interactive lectures, experiential learning activities, written assignments and presentations, students explore foundational concepts in creativity studies and enhance their own creative capacities.

Gain real-world work experience before graduation

In the Honours Bachelor of Social and Community Development program, you'll have the benefit of completing a mandatory work term as part of your business degree. This provides valuable work experience and allows you to practice and finesse skills and concepts learned in class. Students who have already obtained more than 420 hours of program-related work experience can apply to have that previous experience applied to the internship credit during their studies.

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Students explore effective Internship job search and self-marketing strategies in preparation for their work-term(s) and career development. Students familiarize themselves with the responsibilities and rights of a student as it relates to professionalism, ethical behavior and relevant policies/legislation during an Internship job search and work-term. Students explore competency development and cultivate an understanding of their personal employability skills and competencies through self-assessment and reflection. They investigate the current industry requirements for their field of study and develop effective job search and self-marketing strategies. Students create job search self-marketing tools that articulate relevant employability skills and competencies to help achieve their employment goals. In addition, students learn effective interview skills and techniques to confidently prepare themselves for employment interviews. Through experiential activities, reflective practice, in-class discussions, and assignments, students are guided to prepare for successful job search and work-term(s).
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Students in the degree Internship work-term apply skills and competencies within a Sheridan-approved work-term. Students self-assess and practice competencies within a work-term setting, develop meaningful and measurable competency learning goals and a plan of action appropriate to the work-term expectations. Throughout the work-term experience, students evaluate their growth and development of competency learning goals. Students interact with industry professionals while developing and expanding skills and competencies in a professional work-term environment. Students gain an understanding of work-term accountabilities for their role as well as the importance of collaboration and teamwork. Students reflect on their experience cultivating self-awareness and growth from real world experiences. Students practice professionalism, and judgment as well as compliance with work-term expectations specific to their role, accountabilities and industry. Through self-assessments, on-going reflection, employer competency assessment/evaluation, and work-term assignments, students are guided to complete a successful work-term and prepare for future career success.

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