PPL Field Placements Paperwork Submission Deadlines Please read all of the information on this page if you are planning on applying for a field placement within your program. When you are ready to apply, please follow the "Steps To Placement" below for detailed instructions on how to proceed. Fall 2026 Winter 2027 Spring 2027 Placement Request Availability - DC Connect & Synergy Access: Students upload paperwork to DC Connect & Synergy platforms Jul. 10 to Aug. 11, 2026 Oct. 13 – Nov. 24, 2026 Mar. 9 to Apr. 13, 2027 Paperwork Deadline - DC Connect & Synergy Platforms: All paperwork is due in both DC Connect & Synergy platforms Due: Aug. 18, 2026 Due: Dec. 1, 2026 Due: Apr. 20, 2027 Term Start & End Dates: Students will not begin placement hours before the posted start date Sept. 8 to Dec. 15, 2026 Jan. 11 to Apr. 20, 2027 May 10 to Aug. 17, 2027 Please read each step thoroughly before proceeding: Step 1 - Initiate Placement Request Please complete the following steps below to request access to DC Connect and/or Verified by Synergy Gateway for the WINTER 2027 term: WINTER 2027 requests are accepted from October 13 – November 24, 2026 ONLY. Requests sent outside of these dates will not be processed. Please Read Carefully Use this form to request access to DC Connect and/or the Synergy Gateway to upload field placement documentation for the upcoming term. Note: Once this form is submitted, the Placement Officer will review your eligibility and GPA status for field placement. DO NOT submit more than ONE PLACEMENT REQUEST. If you are not eligible for placement, you will be contacted via email at your DC Mail address with the next steps. If you are eligible, you will be registered in the requested field placement course, and the tuition fee will be added to your student account for payment prior to the course start date. Should you choose not to continue with placement, or if you do not meet the paperwork deadline, you will be withdrawn and subject to a $30 administration fee. Click Here to Submit Field Placement Request NOTES: All paperwork is due on December 1, 2026 in order to qualify for placement. Please submit your request only once. This process is for PPL students only. If you are not a PPL student, you must contact your school office for field placement details and instructions. Requests received will be processed the next business day. DC CONNECT MODULE ACCESS: Students are required to check DC Connect daily for the addition of the Pre-Placement Paperwork module (a separate email from the PPL department will not be sent). SYNERGY GATEWAY ACCESS: Students will receive an email from Verified by Synergy Gateway with first time login instructions for the Synergy platform. This email will go to your DC Mail account only. You must check this account daily. If you have not received this email from Synergy within 2 business days of your request, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders. (NOTE: If you are a returning student and have gained access to Synergy Gateway previously, you will still have access and can log in using your previous login credentials). It may take up to 2-3 business days to gain access to DC Connect and Verified by Synergy Gateway in some cases. Students are required to monitor their dcmail.ca email account during the application process and throughout placement, as placement correspondence will only be sent to the student’s dcmail.ca address. Personal email addresses will not be used. CRC w/ VSS (CRIMINAL REFERENCE CHECKS WITH VULNERABLE SECTOR SCREENING) Students are advised to order Criminal Reference Checks w/Vulnerable Sector Screens (as required for your placement course) A MINIMUM OF 8-12 WEEKS BEFORE THE DUE DATE. Police stations are backlogged and have been taking a minimum of 8 weeks to process in many cases. If you have an existing CRC/VSS that will expire before the end of the placement term (April 20, 2027), you must order a new one and submit by the December 1, 2026 deadline to be eligible for the Winter 2027 term. CRC/VSS validity dates have been increased from 6 months to 1 year for SSW & Library Tech placements. All other placements requiring CRC/VSS remain at 6 months. ENTRY IMMUNIZATION FORMS (EIF) Please ensure you book an appointment with your doctor to have your Health forms completed a minimum of 2-3 months before the posted due date. The newest version of the Entry Immunization form can be found here: Entry Immunization Form. Step 2 - Placement Eligibility PLACEMENT ELIGIBILITY Students must complete ALL prerequisite courses prior to applying for field placement.Note: Some of the Business programs, All Health programs and ECE Field Placement #3 require that ALL courses in the program must be completed prior to registering for the final placement component. Students must also have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher in order to be eligible for placement. Students must meet all paperwork and registration deadlines in order to be eligible for placement. Step 3 - Uploading Paperwork Students doing IN PERSON, REMOTE or HYBRID format placements are required to upload paperwork to Verified by Synergy Gateway. Once you have access to the DC Connect Pre-Placement Paperwork Module, please read and follow all of the instructions outlined in the platform. Book your Synergy Gateway documentation review appointment. Collect and Upload ALL documentation required by Synergy as instructed. Students must regularly check Verified by Synergy Gateway to ensure documentation has been accepted and approved. Failure to submit all complete, required documentation by the posted deadline will result in not being eligible for placement for the term. PLEASE NOTE: Criminal Reference Checks are taking a minimum of 8-12 weeks to receive. Please ensure you order yours at least 8 weeks before the due date. Step 4 - Paperwork Review and Approval Documents uploaded to Synergy Gateway will be reviewed by Synergy staff. Once all documents have been approved, Synergy will issue the student a Pass or Fail Status. Once ALL paperwork has been reviewed and approved, by both PPL and Verified by Synergy Gateway, final grades from the previous semester have been processed, and each student’s host agency has been confirmed/approved, each student will be provided clearance to begin placement via email. Note: If you are awaiting grades from the previous semester, they are typically posted the week before the placement course begins. Students are expected to continue the submission process while awaiting their final grades. Step 5 - Agency Approval and Confirmation Once the student has been registered for their placement, and documentation has been approved by Synergy Gateway, the PPL Field Placement Officer will contact each student's placement agency host to confirm the student's placement. Your patience is appreciated during this time, as this process is lengthy and many students from all programs are being placed at the same time. If your agency has any questions, please have them reach out to the Field Placement Officer at pplplacements@durhamcollege.ca. Step 6 - Field Placement Clearance Once the student's host agency and paperwork have been approved and prerequisite grades have been received, the student will receive an official clearance email sent to their dcmail.ca email address. This typically happens shortly before the course start date. Please note: The approval of documents uploaded does not give you permission to begin your placement hours. You are not to begin any placement hours until you have been officially cleared by the PPL Placement Officer (Students will receive an official clearance email). Any hours completed prior to clearance will not be counted and must be made up prior to the course end date. Clearance will only be sent to the student's dcmail.ca email account - personal email addresses will not be used. Other Information PROGRAM SPECIFIC FAQs FIELD PLACEMENT FORMATS FIELD PLACEMENT INFORMATION PROGRAM SPECIFIC FIELD PLACEMENT FAQs Select your program from the list below to view the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding its specific field placement requirements. Business Administration - Accounting (Three-Year Ontario College Diploma) Business Administration - Human Resources (Three-Year Ontario College Diploma) Early Childhood Education (Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) and Observing the Young Child Early Childhood Education - Resource Consulting (One-Year Ontario College Graduate Certificate) Educational Support (Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) Human Resources Management (Graduate Certificate) Library and Information Technician (Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) Mental Health Nursing RN/RPN (Certificate) Palliative Care (Certificate) Perioperative Nursing (Ontario College Graduate Certificate) (Hosted by: Lambton & Loyalist Colleges) Retirement Communities Management (One-Year Ontario College Graduate Certificate) Social Service Worker (Two-Year Ontario College Diploma) Click Program Title to View Field Placement Options: Accounting Diploma field Placement In Person, Remote and Hybrid format options are available. These options will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates. Students are required to research and secure their own placements in this program. Remote placements can be secured at agencies anywhere in Canada, providing the agency is willing to support this option and can meet the learning objectives and supervision requirements for the placement. Human Resources Diploma Placement In Person, Remote and Hybrid format options are available. These options will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates. Students are required to research and secure their own placements in this program. Remote placements can be secured at agencies anywhere in Canada, providing the agency is willing to support this option and can meet the learning objectives and supervision requirements for the placement. HURM Graduate Certificate Placement Option 1: In Person, Remote and Hybrid format options are available. These options will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates. Students are required to research and secure their own placements in this program. Remote placements can be secured at agencies anywhere in Canada, providing the agency is willing to support this option and can meet the learning objectives and supervision requirements for the placement. Option 2: HR Capstone Project - HCAP 6250 is an alternative to the field placement course. Students may register and pay for this class online, and no pre-placement documentation is required. ECE Field Placement Preparation 1, 2 & 3 These courses are THEORY only courses and do not require activation or paperwork. Students can register online for these courses. ECE Field Placement Preparation 1 is available for registration. ECE Field Placement Preparation 2 is available for registration. ECE Field Placement Preparation 3 is available for online registration for those students requiring it as part of their program of study. If you are unsure if your program of study includes this course requirement, please reach out to the PPL Student Advisor. Observing the Young Child This course should be taken alongside ECE Field Placement Level 1 & ECE Field Placement Preparation 2. Observations will be completed IN PERSON in a daycare setting. Students must have completed the required prerequisite courses in order to be approved to register for this course. Students will be provided with permission to register, via email, once a prerequisite audit (including GPA) has been completed and all pre-placement/observation documentation has been submitted/approved. Early Childhood Education Diploma Field Placement 1, 2 & 3 Please note: These placements must be completed IN PERSON in a licenced daycare setting, supervised by an RECE.This placement must be completed IN PERSON in a childcare setting. Specialized placements (Schools, Montessori, EarlyON centres and non-standard program sites) are only available in the final field placement. This option will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates on the PPL Field Placement Page. Students must have completed the required prerequisite courses in order to be approved to register for this course. Students will be provided with permission to register, via email, once a prerequisite audit (including GPA) has been completed and all pre-placement documentation has been submitted/approved. Early Childhood Education Resource Consulting Placements ECRC PLACEMENT 1: The first placement is hosted by Seneca College. This placement must be completed in person at an approved agency and supervised by a qualified Resource Consultant. Students are required to research and secure their own placements. Students are to be supervised by an approved Resource Consultant (RC) or Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT). This placement will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates on the PPL Field Placement Page. Students must have completed the required prerequisite courses in order to be approved to register for this course. Students will be provided with permission to register, via email, once a prerequisite audit (including GPA) has been completed and all pre-placement documentation has been submitted/approved. ECRC PLACEMENT 2: The second placement is hosted by Conestoga College. This placement must be completed in person at an approved agency and supervised by a qualified Resource Consultant. Students are required to research and secure their own placements. Students are to be supervised by an approved Resource Consultant (RC) or Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT). This placement will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates on the PPL Field Placement Page. Students must have completed the required prerequisite courses in order to be approved to register for this course. Students will be provided with permission to register, via email, once a prerequisite audit (including GPA) has been completed and all pre-placement documentation has been submitted/approved. Educational Support Placements These placements are hosted by Mohawk College. This placement must be completed IN PERSON, supervised by a Certified Educational Support/Assistant or OCT Certified Teacher. Students are required to research and secure their own placements. This placement will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates on the PPL Field Placement Page. Students must have completed the required prerequisite courses in order to be approved to register for this course. Students will be provided with permission to register, via email, once a prerequisite audit (including GPA) has been completed and all pre-placement documentation has been submitted/approved. Healthcare / Nursing Field Placements (Mental Health Nursing & Palliative Care) MENTAL HEALTH NURSING PRACTICUM In-Person, Remote or Hybrid Remote or Hybrid options may be available with community agency partners (ie: LTC, Correctional Services, Community Mental Health agencies, hospices etc.) Hospital placements are in person placements only. Mental Health Nursing Capstone This online course will include a series of applied learning activities/assignments to help consolidate learning across the program. No agency hours will be required, therefore, no paperwork to submit. Students interested in the Capstone course may register and pay online via our website. PLAR A PLAR challenge may be an option for students with current industry relevant experience – please contact plar@durhamcollege.ca for details and eligibility requirements and to register for the PLAR challenge. PERINATAL/OBSTETRICS NURSING PRACTICUM In Person Onsite (in-hospital) practicums may be available with hospitals willing and able to accommodate students at this time. Remote or Blended placements are not available for this program's practicum. PLAR The PLAR challenge may be an option for students with current industry relevant experience – please contact plar@durhamcollege.ca for details and eligibility requirements. NOTE: In-hospital placements must be secured by the PPL Placement Officer. Unfortunately, PPL is currently experiencing extensive wait times for in-hospital opportunities to become available. Students who have had placement requests deferred from previous terms will have requests prioritized, should in-hospital placements become available. New requests will placed in order of receipt, however, those requests could be deferred to future semesters based on placement availability. For mental health nursing placements, opportunities with community agencies may be possible should students wish to identify and secure a placement themselves. Placement opportunities secured by students, must be with a community agency (e.g.: long-term care homes, correctional services, community mental health agencies, hospices, etc). Students are not permitted to contact hospitals to arrange their own placement opportunities. These MUST be arranged by the PPL Placement Officer. Library Technician Diploma Field Placements These placements are hosted by Mohawk College. Students must have completed the required prerequisite courses in order to be approved to register for this course. Students will be provided with permission to register, via email, once a prerequisite audit (including GPA) has been completed and all pre-placement documentation has been submitted/approved. Students are required to research and secure their own placements. Students must be supervised by someone with the educational qualifications of a librarian, library technician or teacher-librarian. In Person Option: Students complete their placement IN PERSON for a library or information service. This placement will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates on the PPL Field Placement Page. Remote Option: Students complete their placement remotely from home for a library or information service. Remote placements can be secured at agencies anywhere in Canada, providing the agency is willing to support this option and can meet the learning objectives and supervision requirements for each placement. This placement will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates on the PPL Field Placement Page. Retirement Communities Management Graduate Certificate Field Placement This placement is hosted by Centennial College. This placement must be completed IN PERSON. Students are required to research and secure their own placements. This placement will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates on the PPL Field Placement Page. Students must have completed the required prerequisite courses in order to be approved to register for this course. Students will be provided with permission to register, via email, once a prerequisite audit (including GPA) has been completed and all pre-placement documentation has been submitted/approved. Social Service Worker Diploma Field Placement 1, 2 & 3 Students can choose the following placement formats: IN PERSON, REMOTE, or Hybrid. (Students must be supervised at all times by an appropriately credentialed agency supervisor). Remote placements can be secured at agencies anywhere in Canada, providing the agency is willing to support this option and can meet the learning objectives and supervision requirements for each placement. Students are required to research and secure their own placements. Placements 2 & 3 must be completed with the same agency, which is different from the agency where they complete field placement 1. This placement will require pre-placement documentation to be submitted according to the term's deadline dates on the PPL Field Placement Page. Students must have completed the required prerequisite courses in order to be approved to register for this course. Students will be provided with permission to register, via email, once a prerequisite audit (including GPA) has been completed and all pre-placement documentation has been submitted/approved. FIELD PLACEMENT INFORMATION REQUIRED PAPERWORK FOR PLACEMENT Students that are required to upload placement paperwork will find the list of required documents in the DC Connect module associated with their program. Students will gain access to the module only after they have been approved for the current term. See the "Steps To Placement - Step 1 – Initiate Placement Request" above. You may also view the “Program Specific FAQs” tab and select your program to view the list of required documents. ENTRY IMMUNIZATION FORM (EIF) The completion of the Entry Immunization form (EIF) ensures that you have taken the necessary precautions to avoid contracting or spreading disease or illness. The EIF can take a significant amount of time to complete so it is strongly advised that you make an appointment with your family doctor or the Durham College Health Centre (on campus) to get these forms filled out as soon as possible. You MUST have an approved EIF before you can attend placement, and it must remain valid for the duration of your placement. (if any vaccine/bloodwork is set to expire during the placement term, they must be updated by the paperwork due date to receive a pass for the term) Print all pages of the Entry Immunization Form and bring it with you to your doctor’s appointment. The doctor will need to fill out the forms completely. Please note: The Health Care Provider information page included in the form explains each immunization that is required. If you have completed this form in the recent past, you may be able to use the same form providing all of the immunizations are still up to date. If you do not have a family doctor, you can make an appointment with the Campus Health Centre. Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre – Room G1030 T: 905.721.3037 F: 905.721.3133 E: healthcare@dc-wp.lndo.site Hours of Operation Mon. to Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CRIMINAL REFERENCE CHECKS (WITH VSS) Students must have a current Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening submitted by the due date and valid until the end of the placement term in order to be cleared to begin. Students will be required to keep an original CRC to show their agency host. NOTE: The Criminal Reference Check must be valid within 6 months of your placement and remain valid for the duration of your placement. If your CRC/VSS will expire before the end of the term you MUST upload the following to Synergy Gateway: A copy of your current, expiring CRC/VSS. A copy of the receipt from the police service confirming you’ve ordered your CRC/VSS a minimum of 8 weeks before the due date. A copy of the “Offense Declaration” form – downloaded from the Synergy Gateway portal. (Note: Depending on where you are placed, your placement host may require a CRC newer than Durham College’s requirement – example: Regional Daycare centres often require the CRC is no more than 1 month old). NOTE: As of Fall 2024, SSW and Library Technician placement validity dates have increased from 6 months to 1 year. All other placements remain at 6 months. CRIMINAL REFERENCE CHECK REQUESTS PLEASE NOTE: Criminal Reference Checks are taking between 8-12 weeks to process in many areas, including Durham Region. Students MUST order their reference checks early, in order to avoid being declined placement eligibility. Durham Region & Outside Durham (except Toronto Police Services) To request a Criminal Record Check and/or a Vulnerable Sector Screen a student may be required to provide a letter from the College on letterhead, with a staff signature stating the reason the check(s) are required. Please check the requirements of your local police service prior to sending your request. Sending incorrect or incomplete information could delay their process. Click here to access the letter: Criminal Reference Check Request Letter. Toronto Police Services If you are from the Toronto area, please email pplplacements@durhamcollege.ca requesting the access code to be used on the Toronto Police Service website. Students living in Toronto do not use the letter above when requesting their record checks. For more information on the TPS process, including current processing times, please visit their website – Toronto Police Services/Background Checks/Vulnerable Sector Screening. DURHAM COLLEGE - EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING View the Experiential Learning – Field Placement & Clinical Practicums guide for full details.
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