Department of Social Science and Recreation, Full-time Programmes

Higher Diploma in Social Work (Registration for 2024-25 is closed)

Full-time: 2 years

Course Code:
SWFT
QF Level:
4
Registration Number:
23/000618/L4
Validity Period:
1 September 2023 To 31 August 2026
Start Date:
Sep 2024
Mode of Study & Programme Length:
Full-time: 2 years (including 1 Block and 1 Concurrent Placements)
Medium of Instruction:
Lecture: English supplemented with Cantonese (except for subjects to be taught in Chinese). Unless specified otherwise, teaching and assessment materials are also provided in English. Local Field Placement: mainly Cantonese.
Tuition Fee:
$79,500/year (By monthly installments)
Programme Features:
  1. Rich Transmission of Practical Experience:
  • Our organization has accumulated a vast pool of professional knowledge combined with practical experience. We integrate that experience by inviting professional social workers from our organization to conduct themed lectures, group workshops, and skills demonstrations, providing students with valuable knowledge and practical work skills.
  1. Emphasis on Students’ Professional Development:
  • We are committed to providing a conducive learning environment, including a library, language centre, and downloadable electronic resources, such as books and journal articles of an international standard. Our aim is to enhance the quality of professional social work education. Teachers also actively care about students’ difficulties in the learning process, providing individual consultations and emotional support to ensure students successfully complete the programme.
  1. Emphasis on Fieldwork Education:
  • We follow the principles, criteria, and standards set by the Social Workers Registration Board. Students are required to complete 100 hours of preparatory workshops, including voluntary work before their placement, and a total of 720 hours of fieldwork through two placements. The programme regularly provides individual and group supervision and facilitates communication between students, supervising teachers, and staff from fieldwork agencies to ensure a smooth and valuable experience in social work practice. This will enhance the preparation of students for future professional engagement. In addition to our organization, other well-established social welfare service agencies also provide numerous placement opportunities for our students.

Email: sw@coc.cymca.edu.hk

Telephone Number: 2783 3530

Office Hours:

  • Monday to Thursday: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm
  • Friday: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday: Closed

Financial Aids

  1. Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students (FASP)
  2. Non-means-tested Loan Scheme for Post-secondary Students
  3. Continuing Education Fund (CEF)

 

Programme Content

Required Courses

 

Generic Modules

HGS100 Practical Chinese for Social Workers

HGS101 Practical English for Social Workers

HGS102 Introduction to Sociology

HGS103 Introduction to Psychology

HGS104 Law and Social Work

HGS105 Introduction to Research Method

HGS106 Personal Growth and Transformation

 

Social Work Specialized Modules

HSW200 Introduction to Social Work

HSW201 Social Welfare and Social Policies in Hong Kong

HSW202 Human Behaviour and Social Environment

HSW204 Social Work Values and Ethics

HSW205 Social Work Theory and Practice

HSW206 Working with Individuals and Families

HSW207 Skills Laboratory

HSW209 Working with Groups and Communities

HSW211 Programmeme Planning, Management and Evaluation

HSW214 Working with Older Adults

HSW215 Working with the Disadvantaged Groups

 

Elective Courses

HSW216 Working with Young People

HSW217 Ethnic Minorities and Social Inclusion

HSW218 Mental Health

 

Fieldwork Education

HSW208 First Placement Preparatory Workshop

HSW210 Second Placement Preparatory Workshop

HSW212 First Fieldwork Placement (Full-time – Summer Block)

HSW213 Second Fieldwork Placement (Full-time – Concurrent)

 

Arrangement of Fieldwork

  • 100 hours Preparatory Workshops
    • Orientation, pre-placement workshop, agency visits, voluntary work, etc.
  • 720 hours of field practicum
    • The 720 hours field practicum is divided into two courses, HSW212 First Fieldwork Placement (Full-time – Summer Block) & HSW213 Second Fieldwork Placement (Full-time – Concurrent), each consisting of 360 hours. There are two placement modes:
      • Summer Block Placement: This placement requires 5 days per week for a duration of 9 consecutive weeks.
      • Concurrent Placement: This placement requires 2 days per week for a duration of 23 weeks.
Admission Requirements
  • Obtain Level 2 or above in any FIVE Core Subjects / Elective Subjects (including Chinese Language and English Language) in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE)*; or
  • Obtain relevant Qualifications Framework Level 3 qualifiedion with at least 1-year full-time study load or equivalent recognized by the HKCAAVQ, or
  • Complete Diploma offered by YMCA College of Careers; or
  • Complete pre-Associate Degree or Diploma Yi Jin or an equivalent qualification; or
  • Age 21 or above will be considered on an individual basis; and
  • Pass the admission interview
  • Interview priority will be given to applicants who have social services experiences.

Remarks:
* Applicants possessing “Attained”, “Attained with Distinction (I)” and “Attained with Distinction (Il)” in
Applied Learning (ApL) subjects are deemed to have attained “Level 2”, “Level 3” or “Level 4” respectively in the application,and a maximum of two ApL subjects (excluding ApL(C)) can be counted for admission purpose.

Further Opportunities

Profession Recognition

Students can apply to the Social Workers Registration Board to become a professionally recognized “Registered Social Worker” after graduation, and apply for “Social Work Assistant” in local social welfare agencies that require a social work diploma qualification.

Continuing Education

Students have the option to pursue further studies and apply for admission to local universities for programmes at Level 5 of the Qualifications Framework after graduation.