Schools across Canada offer unique programs to them, even programs that people don’t normally consider. Even if they are unusual, they provide education for jobs that are just as essential. Check out Langara’s Family Studies Program.
What Family Studies is
If you’re going into Family Studies thinking that they’ll teach you to be a parent, you’re unfortunately mistaken. You’ll get the opportunity to explore literature, philosophy, psychology, and history all in this program. On top of that, you’ll gain necessary work skills such as critical thinking, written communication, and researching.
The core of Family Studies is the social construction of a family in Canada. Like scientists that dissect frogs, you as a student in family studies, will be dissecting the inner workings of a family. You’ll explore what makes a family and why some families don’t work out or why some do.
The program itself is reading and writing intensive. Since students get to learn more than just the social construct of a family, there will be a lot of researching and essays. It’s a great option if you’re not one for exams, but that doesn’t mean the program is relatively easy.
Career Prospects in Family Studies
Family studies opens up a wide range of opportunities after graduation. It’s an awesome program for people who have a certain goal to get into social work or for people who just want to have many options available for them.
The main kinds of jobs that people enter after they graduate include:
- Social worker – Social workers’ main duties are to provide support to disadvantaged people and communities. They get about $73,000 annually. Between 2019 and 2029, almost 3,000 job openings are expected. The job market is slowly growing.
- Journalist – Journalists investigate, research, and report the latest trends. They have an average annual salary of $55,000. As communities in Canada grow, so will the need for journalists.
- Therapist – Therapists are people who provide support to individual people. They are like doctors but focus on a person’s mental wellness. They get about $83,000 annually. As people become more aware of the importance of mental health, more jobs are opening up.
There are still many kinds of jobs that you can get with a degree in Family Studies such as:
- Social policy researcher
- Preschool teacher
- Family interventionist
- Protection and Support Service Provider
Further Education in Family Studies
With Langara’s Family Study Diploma, students can take their education to the next level and get a Bachelor’s in a related discipline.
Because of its relation to psychology and psychotherapy, an option that students have is to pursue their certification in therapy and become a psychiatrist. This requires further education than just a Bachelor’s. With higher education credentials in your arsenal, there will be more career opportunities available to you.
Admission Requirements
According to the Admission Requirements on the site, the only requirement you’ll need as an international student is what they call the “Category 3” English Level. There are different ways to prove you have this achieved, but in general, it’s a 6.5 average score in the IELTS.
The general requirements are:
- English Language Requirement, Category 3; and
- One or all of the following:
- Successful completion of a BC secondary program (Grade 12) or the equivalent;
- Be at least 19 years of age by the first day of the first semester of attendance; or
- Successful completion of an ABE (Adult Basic Education) or GED (General Educational Development) program.
If you meet these requirements, you can apply for the Family Studies program.
Advantages of Family Studies
Going into the workforce with a Family Studies degree in your hand has you essentially prepared for anything and any kind of person. You get to pave your own path. You can head towards a more psychiatrist path and help people overcome their greatest challenges, you can be a teacher to young kids, or you can work in the media as a journalist.
It’s never a dull moment. You can take on whatever you want because you have that skill set.
Choose Langara
If your dream is to work with young people and make a difference in their lives, then Langara is the best choice for you. This program is unique in the BC College system, so you won’t find another program like it unless you look elsewhere in the country.
The students that come out of the program are prepared for whatever they may face in their careers. This is because the instructors at Langara are thorough, inspirational, and supportive. It’s a great institution to spend your post-secondary time in.
Source: Langara Family Studies Career Opportunities in Child and Family Studies WorkBC Social Workers
