Humber College is a publicly-funded college located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1967 and offers a range of certificate, diploma, and degree programs in a variety of fields, including business, technology, health sciences, media, and more.

The college has a diverse student population, with over 33,000 full-time and part-time students enrolled each year, including international students from over 138 countries. Humber College has a strong focus on experiential learning, offering students opportunities for hands-on learning through co-op programs, internships, and work placements. The college has partnerships with over 500 employers, providing students with access to a range of job opportunities and real-world experience.

Humber College is known for its state-of-the-art facilities, including its Centre for Trades and Technology, which offers training in a variety of skilled trades, and its Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation, which provides students with access to cutting-edge technology and equipment. The college is also committed to sustainability, with a number of initiatives in place to reduce its environmental impact and promote sustainable practices.

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Humber’s Developmental Services Worker (DSW) diploma program teaches you skills to effectively promote the physical, mental and emotional health of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our faculty team consists of developmental services professionals who are active in the field, and our small class sizes allow for individualized attention. Our curriculum is designed with input from developmental services field experts, ensuring courses are current and relevant. Your studies begin with an introduction to the developmental services sector and an overview of the types of developmental disabilities and the range of available community support services for this population. Next, you will learn about positive behaviour supports and intervention techniques, person-centered planning, dual diagnosis, health and wellness, basic pharmacology, supporting people with autism and other complex needs, sign languageand augmentative forms of communication, and effective responses to people who have experienced abuse. Finally, you will develop skills in building interpersonal relationships and problem solving. You will also build your expertise in our counselling labs which provide an ideal setting to develop competencies for working with individuals with limited verbal skills. New Advanced Standing Pathway Already have a diploma or a degree? Complete the Developmental Services Worker diploma in three semesters. Apply to Semester 2 at ontariocolleges.ca. View the pathway and course curriculum for Advanced Standing in Explore Pathways > The Developmental Services Worker program is also offered part time. Show less

Semester 1
DSW 111: Intervention Techniques 1
DSW 112: Introduction to Developmental Disabilities 1
DSW 113: Community Orientation
DSW 140: Interpersonal Communication
DSW 153: Educational Strategies
GNED 101: An Introduction to Arts and Sciences
PSYC 210: Psychology: Developmental
WRIT 100: College Reading and Writing Skills
Semester 2
DSW 150: Field Experience and Seminar 1
DSW 152: Person-Centred Planning
DSW 154: Responding to Abuse
DSW 157: Health and Wellness 1
DSW 158: Introduction to Developmental Disabilities 2
DSW 159: Abnormal Psychology/Dual Diagnosis
DSW 163: Professionalism in Developmental Services
Semester 3
DSW 201: Human Sexuality
DSW 217: Autism and Other Complex Needs
DSW 218: Sign Language and Augmentative Communication
DSW 219: Community Building
DSW 220: Basic Pharmacology 1
DSW 221: Intervention Techniques 2
DSW 224: Interpersonal Relationships and Problem Solving
WRIT 200: Workplace Writing Skills
Select 1 from the following courses
GNED : General Elective
Semester 4
DSW 250: Field Experience - Developmental Service Worker
DSW 251: Health and Wellness 2
DSW 253: Basic Pharmacology 2

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Work Placement
Our program offers a rich diversity of innovative and traditional opportunities to connect with the field. You will complete 600 hours of experience in the developmental services sector with established community partners over the duration of the program.

Students will engage in the first 200 hours of work-integrated learning two days per week, over 14 weeks in Semester 2. In Semester 4, students will engage in 400 hours of work-integrated learning, four days per week for 14 weeks. Opportunities are arranged with the help of a dedicated field placement co-ordinator and are typically unpaid. As part of work-integrated learning, students will attend seminar classes and complete coursework.

Take a Tour of Our Sim Labs
student standing in the court of justice

Student dusting bottle for fingerprints

Student using the driving simulator

Students in the Therapeutic Play Lab

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Advisory Committee
This program’s advisory committee is comprised of people with extensive experience in the developmental services work profession, representing a variety of settings where developmental services workers are employed. Many are also members of the Ontario Association on Developmental Disabilities (OADD).

Community Partnerships
Some of our community partners include:

Addus
Brampton Caledon Community Living
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Community Living
Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board
Peel and Halton Acquired Brain Injury Services

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You will need to book the accommodation after you have been accepted.

You can choose to live on campus or off campus in private accommodation.

How to book:

• Make a booking online after you have been accepted (in this case please let us know your choice when you apply).
• Register when you arrive - its not possible to reserve a room before arriving. You can arrive a few days before and book it

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