Faculty of Human & Social Development

Prepare for life

The Faculty of Human and Social Development (HSD) is a vibrant place to learn and prepare to make a contribution to the health of society. Here, students train for professions that support children, families, elders, communities and governments. The faculty is home to the schools of child and youth care, social work, nursing, health information science and public administration. HSD also offers community-based interdisciplinary graduate programs. The faculty has a history of championing students who want to contribute to their community. This reflects a strong belief in community partnerships, public health services, government engagement and the pursuit of social justice.

For 30 years all schools in the faculty have offered full programs and specialized courses through distance education. Up to 70% of all HSD students are remote learners. Distance learning is supported through computer-based technologies and high quality methods of communication. Public service is an important priority in Victoria and HSD researchers in the School of Public Administration are actively involved in advising on government policy processes. HSD also initiated BC’s first program to train nurse practitioners, who provide advanced primary health care services at a time when there are 2000 unfilled nursing positions in BC and two million Canadians without a family doctor.

The faculty is seeking funds for scholarships and bursaries, especially for undergraduate nursing students and aspiring nurse practitioners. The faculty also plans to establish a Chair in Indigenous Child Welfare to train First Nations social workers and child care practitioners, desperately needed in a province where half of the children in care are Aboriginal. Other fundraising priorities include scholarships for health information science students. UVic offers Canada’s only program in health informatics where health practitioners develop systems that support the expansion of electronic medical records, modernizing the way our health care system is delivered.

For more information, visit the Faculty of Human and Social Development or contact Ms. Lynne Milnes, Development Officer, at 250-472-5031, email lmilnes@uvic.ca.

To make a donation now, please go to the online giving form. You may give to a fund of your choice or choose a Faculty of Human and Social Development fund from the menu.