FAQs (Professional Diploma)

What is Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies?

Community Rehabilitation supports individuals and families affected by disabling conditions and chronic health concerns to live, learn, work, and participate in their communities. Community Rehabilitation includes the design, delivery and management of community-based services that offer short-term assistance and ongoing support. As such, Community Rehabilitation responds to the challenges of health, education, legal and social reform to empower individuals and communities.

Disability Studies is a field of study which challenges the traditional deficit-based "medical model" of disability and espouses a "social model" of disability. The social model argues that disability results from society's failure to adapt to the needs of impaired people.

In 1993 an official definition of disability studies was adopted by the Society for Disability Studies http://www.disstudies.org/, a professional organization of academics from around the world. The definition states that Disability Studies, among other things:

"examines the policies and practices of all societies to understand the social, rather than the physical or psychological determinants of the experience of disability. Disability Studies has been developed to disentangle impairments from the myths, ideology and stigma that influence social interaction and social policy. The scholarship challenges the idea that the economic and social statuses and the assigned roles of people with disabilities are the inevitable outcomes of their condition".

What does CORE stand for in the course name?

CORE is an acronym for COmmunity REhabilitation

How do I apply to the Professional Diploma program?

There are two parts to the application process. First you need to set up an appointment with a Student Advisor (Beth or Susan) and develop a program proposal of courses you would like to take. Next - the U of C application needs to be filled out and the $115 application fee needs to be paid. Transcripts need to be sent from the various institutions. Applications need to be received by April 1st for September admission.

How do I register for classes once I am accepted into the program?

Registration for courses is done on-line through the my.ucalgary.ca website You can also check on this site for your registration date and time.

How do I register as an Open Studies student before I am accepted into the program?

Before students are accepted into the BCR Program they can take CORE courses as an Open Studies Student. You can find the Open Studies form on the ucalgary.ca website by typing in Open Studies Form in the search box in the upper right hand corner of the home page. Fill out this form and mail or fax it to Beth at 403-220-6494 with your high school and college transcripts. Open Studies student need to wait until students in the program register for classes before they can be registered. This is usually a month after registration opens.

What courses should I take?

Course selection is negotiated by you and the student advisor when developing the program proposal. Have a look at the courses we offer on our website under Current courses.

When are courses offered?

CRDS offers courses in fall (September - December), winter (January - April), spring (May/June) and summer (July/August) terms.

What does TBA mean on the course timetable?

TBA = to be announced. This is used for our distance courses in Edmonton, Vancouver and on-line courses. It is also used for our on-campus courses for labs associated with them. For example our practicum courses have a tutorial scheduled and the lab component is arranged according to individual schedules for the practicum hours.

How do I know where courses are being offered (Calgary, Edmonton, or Vancouver or on-line)?

The timetable on my.ucalgary.ca indicates where courses are being offered if you click the highlighted course number. Courses listed as TBA in the Lecture section are usually a distance course.