Bachelor of Social Services (Specialty)

Summary

This degree will give you the necessary skills to be a capable and confident social services professional working in New Zealand. At the end of your first year, you’ll choose your specialty, then complete placements during your second and third year to build your industry experience and contacts. You’ll graduate with a high-level of self-awareness, a thorough understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principals and the communication skills to engage and support a diverse range of people.

About the programme

With specialties in Career Practice, Counselling or Health and Wellbeing Practice

Want to help people and their whanau improve their quality of life?

Our industry-relevant programme will prepare you to enter the social service sector as a counsellor, career practitioner, or to offer holistic services in the health and wellbeing sector such as mental health support.

You'll learn how to empower clients to overcome social and personal disadvantages, achieve their aspirations and realise their individual and community potential. And you’ll develop knowledge and awareness of the cultural diversity of Aotearoa, so you’re prepared to work with clients in a culturally-competent way that upholds the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

At the end of your first year, you'll choose your specialty - Career Practice, Counselling, or Health and Wellbeing Practice - and then complete placements during your second and third year to build your industry experience and contacts.

Graduating with a high-level of self-awareness and the communication skills to engage a diverse range of people, you’ll be able to provide professional practice within the community, demonstrate social responsibility and will meet the standards needed to be eligible for membership with the Professional Association for your chosen specialty.

Choosing a specialty

You can choose to study one of the following specialties within this programme and would graduate with that specialty attached to the qualification name e.g. Bachelor of Social Services (Career Practice):

Career Practice
Counselling
Health and Wellbeing Practice.

Career Practice

Career opportunities include:

Government agencies
Youth organisations
Disability services
Liaison services
Schools
Human resources.