Overview
In today's evolving knowledge-based economy, individuals with the practical ability to apply social sciences and humanities knowledge are sought after assets.
The diploma in Applied Social Sciences and Humanities (DASSH) combines a set of core courses with elective options that give students a critical foundation to enter today's workforce and to transfer successfully into degree programs in social sciences and humanities.
The DASSH curriculum is selected to be applied and transformative. DASSH combines theoretical, experiential, and technical learning that is a foundation for any knowledge-based career whatever degree program in social sciences or humanities a student may choose to pursue.
DASSH students acquire technical skills through courses in digital media, software use, and financial literacy, including working with an external client on an applied project in the final semester. Graduates are able to demonstrate to prospective employers the practical value of the skills and knowledge gained through their course of study.
The DASSH diploma program chooses core Social Sciences and Humanities courses that are required for success in a variety of career areas including business, law, journalism, government, communications, public administration, the non-profit sector, and information technology and management.
Program Curriculum
The labour market has shifted away from traditional industry and manufacturing toward a knowledge-based economy where individuals with a grounding in social sciences and humanities are sought-after assets. The purpose of the DASSH program is to provide social science and humanities education and related technical skills training necessary to success in a variety of evolving knowledge-based careers, including those in business, law, journalism, government, communications, public administration, the non-profit sector, and information technology and management.
The program comprises a set of core social sciences and humanities courses that teach critical foundational knowledge and skills for an evolving knowledge-based economy and workplace. To facilitate practical translation and application of the core social sciences and humanities education, students acquire technical skills through courses in digital media, software use, and financial literacy. Together, the knowledge and skills produced fall into nine broad categories - communication, critical thinking and problem solving, quantitative fluency, information literacy, ethical reasoning, digital literacy, institutional knowledge, systems thinking, and teamwork and collaboration.
Courses in this diploma program are taught so that students are able to articulate and actively apply the employability skills and knowledge they have acquired. An experiential learning project enables students to apply and showcase their learning. They will graduate with a portfolio demonstrating their knowledge and skills.