Courses

Social Development Studies (SDS) is a University of Waterloo faculty of arts major with courses reflecting four social science perspectives. These include a wide array of interdisciplinary topics (SDS), introductory social work content (SOCWK), and specific areas of both psychology (PSYCH) and sociology (SOC).

Click on the links below to quickly view the relevant sections.

SDS: Social Development Studies

SOCWK: Social Work (undergrad/introductory)

PSYCH: Psychology*

SOC: Sociology*

*Only specific PSYCH and SOC courses count for SDS plans, see list below and compare against the associated plan checklist.

*Table reflects most commonly scheduled courses, but timing and course outlines are subject to change. Please confirm any questions with the SDS department.

Outline Legend: 

  • W = Winter term (Jan - Apr), S = Spring term (May - Aug), F = Fall term (Sept - Dec)
  • 01, 02, 03 = on-campus sections
    • e.g. W24 01 = Winter 2024, on-campus section 1
  • 081, 082, 083 = online sections.
    • e.g. F23 081 = Fall 2023, online section 1

Social Development Studies (SDS)

Code Title Modality Recent Outline Commonly Offered* 
SDS 131R Political Ideologies and Social Development

On-Campus 

Online

W24: 01&02

W24: 081, 082

Fall and Winter

Every Term

SDS 150R Lifespan Processes

On-Campus

Online

W24 01, 02

W24 081

Fall and Winter

Every Term

SDS 205R

History of Education in Canada

(cross-listed with HIST 225)

On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter, every other year
SDS 210R

Children's Rights in Canada

(cross-listed with LS 273)

Online W24 081 Possible any term
SDS 215R Education and Social Development from a Global Perspective On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 220R Changing Concepts of Childhood Online F23 081 Possible any term
SDS 231R Introduction to Social Policy Processes On-Campus   Fall or Winter
SDS 240R Art and Society On-Campus   Fall or Winter, every 2-3 years
SDS 242R

Religious Diversity and Social Development

(cross-listed with RS 242R)

On-Campus F23 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 245R Dying and Bereavement On-Campus New F24 TBD
SDS 250R Social Statistics

On-Campus

Online

W24 01

W24 081

Winter

Every Term

SDS 251R Social Research

On-Campus

Online

F23 01&02

W24 081

Fall 

Every Term

SDS 260R Ecology, Society, and Justice: Social Development and the Environment On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter, every other year
SDS 310R Disability and Society On-Campus   Fall or Winter, every other year
SDS 311R

Indigenous Peoples and Canadian Public Policy

(cross-listed with LS 373)

On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 312R Homelessness and Public Policy On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 322R Community Engagement and Social Development On-Campus   Fall or Winter, every other year
SDS 331R Social Inequality, Social Justice, and Social Action

On-Campus

Online

N/A

W24 081

Fall or Winter

Every term

SDS 350R Adult Life Crises and Events Online W24 081 Winter or Spring
SDS 353R

The Evolution of Family Law in Canadian Society

(cross-listed with LS 374)

On-Campus F23 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 354R Values and Contemporary Families On-Campus F23 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 355R Resilience and Social Support

On-Campus

Online

F23 01

S23 081

Fall or Winter
SDS 357R Family Violence Online W24 081 Winter
SDS 358R Child Maltreatment: Identification and Prevention Online F23 081 Fall
SDS 367R Aging and Social Development On-Campus F23 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 400R Comparative Social Policy Online F23 081 Possible any term
SDS 405R Cosmopolitanism and Social Development Online F23 081 Fall or Winter
SDS 410R

Queer and Trans Studies

(held with GSJ 472)

On-Campus F23 01 Fall or Winter, every other year
SDS 411R Decolonization and Social Action On-Campus N/A Fall or Winter
SDS 415R Gender Relations within Educational Institutions On-Campus   Fall or Winter
SDS 420R Critical Encounter with Human Nature On-Campus   Fall or Winter
SDS 421R (Re)framing Indigenous-Settler Relations On-Campus F23 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 425R Educational Equity in Canada Online W24 081 Possible any term
SDS 435R Restorative Approaches to Education On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 440R Optimal Living On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 441R Popular Culture and Social Change in the Radical Imagination On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 449R Prejudice and Discrimination On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter
SDS 451R Community Based Research for Social Development On-Campus N/A Fall or Winter, every other year

Social Work (SOCWK)

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Code Title Modality Recent Outline

Term (subject to change)

SOCWK 120R

Introduction to Social Work

On-Campus

Online

W24 01

W24 081

Fall and Winter

Every Term

SOCWK 220R Social Work with Individuals - Theory and Practice 1

On-Campus

Online

F23 01

W24 081

Fall 

Winter and Spring

SOCWK 221R Social Work with Groups

On-Campus

Online

W24 01

F23 081

Fall or Winter

Spring, Fall or Winter

SOCWK 222R Community Organization

On-Campus

Online

N/A

W24 81

Fall or Winter

Spring, Fall or Winter

SOCWK 300R Canadian Social Welfare Policy

On-Campus

Online

N/A

W24 81

Fall or Winter

Spring, Fall or Winter

SOCWK 301R Understanding Diversity in Canada

On-Campus

Online

N/A

W24 081

Fall or Winter

Spring, Fall or Winter

SOCWK 321R Social Work with Families

On-Campus

Online

W24 01

F23 081

Fall or Winter

Spring, Fall or Winter

SOCWK 356R Developmental Disabilities and the Family On-Campus   Fall or Winter, every other year
SOCWK 365R Social Work in Health Care On-Campus   Fall or Winter, every other year

Psychology (PSYCH)

Code Title Modality Recent Outline

Term (subject to change)

PSYCH 101R or 101

Introductory Psychology 

101R: On-Campus

101:On-Campus, Online

F23 01&02

081 - contact PSYCH

101R: Fall

101: Every term, modality varies

PSYCH 212R or 212

Educational Psychology

212R: On-Campus

212: On-Campus, Online

F23 01

081 - contact PSYCH

212R: Fall or Winter

212: Fall or Winter

PSYCH 213R Exceptional Children On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter
PSYCH 226R Positive Psychology On-Campus W24 01 Fall or Winter

PSYCH 253R or 253

Social Psychology

253R: On-Campus

253: On-Campus, Online

F23 01

081 - contact PSYCH

253R: Winter

253: Fall or Winter, modality varies

PSYCH 257R or 257

Psychopathology

257R: Not scheduled

257: On-Campus, Online

081 - contact PSYCH

257R: Not scheduled

257: Every term, modality varies

PSYCH 312R or 312

Learning Disabilities

312R: On-Campus

312: Online

W24 01

081 - contact PSYCH

312R: Fall or Winter

312: Fall or Winter

PSYCH 334R Theories of Individual Psychology On-Campus F23 01, 02 Fall or Winter
PSYCH 352R Culture and Psychology (previously 349R) On-Campus F23 01 Fall or Winter
PSYCH 354R or 354 Interpersonal Relationships

354R: Online

354: On-Campus

S23 081

01+ - contact PSYCH

354R: Spring

354: Fall or Winter

PSYCH 356R or 356 Personality

356R: Online

356: On-Campus

W24 081, 082+083

01+ - contact PSYCH

356R: Winter

356: Fall or Winter 

PSYCH 444R Psychological Interventions Online W24 081 Winter
PSYCH 448R Close Relationships On-Campus F23 01 Fall or Winter

Sociology (SOC)

Code Title Modality Recent Outline Term (subject to change)
SOC 101R or 101 Introduction to Sociology

101R: On-Campus

101: On-Campus, Online

F23 01&02

081 - contact SOC 

101R: Fall

101: Every term, modality varies

SOC 204R Sociology of Adolescence Online W24 081 Fall or Winter
SOC 207R

Sociology of Education

(cross-listed with SOC 207)

Online F23 081 Fall or Winter
SOC 223R

Deviance: Perspectives and Processes

(cross-listed with LS 223, SOC 223)

On-Campus   Fall or Winter
SOC 224R Poverty in Canada and its Social Consequences On-Campus F23 01 Fall or Winter

Notes

  • Final grades for all courses that count within the major (SDS, SOCWK, some PSYCH and SOC) will contribute to a student's SDS plan average (with the exception of no PSYCH 101/101R and SOC 101/101R for the SDS minor).
  • Social Work courses at the undergraduate level (SOCWK) are not the same courses for Renison's Bachelor of Social Work program (SWREN). The latter are only accessible to current BSW students. 
  • Some courses require their own application to be enrolled in because they are not standard lectures or seminars: SDS/SOCWK/PSYCH/SOC 398R, 399R, 490R, SDS 495R, SDS 496R, and SDS 499A/B.
  • Courses with "/" are cross-listed; this is only one course but has 2 or more codes, where either code counts for the credit.
  • Courses with "R" in the code are housed at Renison and offered either on-campus or online.
  • Special Topics courses (e.g. SDS 450R) highlight unique content not covered in other SDS courses and topics may change term to term. Students can take SDS 450R up to three time if the topics are different. SDS 450R (among others) is listed in most SDS specializations, but currently only "Comparative and International Education" is an approved topic (towards the Education specialization). If you have questions contact your academic advisor.
  • Review our Enrolment FAQs page for scheduling tips. 

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