Youth and Children’s Studies (BA)

Want to make a positive impact on children and youth? Explore childhood and adolescence in today's world. Engage with young people and graduate career-ready with a deep understanding of their issues past and present, both locally and globally in Youth and Children's Studies offered exclusively at Laurier Brantford. This program offers hands-on experience through courses, placements, and research, equipping you with skills to succeed. 

Program Details

Degree Highlights

Your future professors work hard to make sure your academic experience is current, complete and designed to open doors in your career. Here are a few things you can count on:  

  • Practice-based Curriculum: Courses combine theoretical frameworks with hands-on practical experiences, allowing you to develop essential skills.
  • Award-winning Faculty: Learn from some of Laurier’s best faculty members who have been awarded for their innovative and experiential teaching practices.
  • CARE Lab: Participate in research, knowledge sharing and community outreach projects with opportunities within the Child and Adolescent Research and Education (CARE) lab.
  • Pathway to Teaching: Looking ahead to a career in education? Apply to the Youth and Children's Studies with Teaching Option program. 

Top Experiences

Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree (check out the Experience Guide for even more!):

Courses, Options and Pathways

First-Year Courses

  • Foundations for Community Engagement and Service
  • Introduction to Indigenous Studies
  • Introduction to Psychology I
  • Introduction to Psychology II
  • Studying Youth and Children: An Introduction

Sample First-Year Electives

  • Design Thinking I: Foundations
  • Introduction to Criminology
  • Love and It’s Myths

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Children’s Rights
  • Children, Toys and Media
  • Picturing Childhood: Representations of the Child through Time
  • Adoption: Past and Present
  • Youth and Sexuality
  • Indigenous Children and Families

Options and Minors

These are a few of the many popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge:

  • Game Design and Development Specialization 
  • Leadership Minor/Option 
  • Psychology Minor 
  • Computer Science Minor 
  • Politics and Public Policy Option  

Check out other options to enhance your degree

Teaching Pathway

This is a path to the Bachelor of Education program (BEd). Students applying on OUAC for an honours degree with the Teaching Option will be considered for admission directly into the BEd program. The Teaching Option is designed to provide you with a variety of courses and hands-on learning opportunities. 

Combinations

Expand your field of expertise by pairing your Youth and Children’s Studies degree with another major (or another degree) in Women and Gender Studies, Communication Studies, Psychology or English.

Admissions

  • Format: full time or part time
  • Duration: four years
  • Start: September (fall term), January (winter term) or May (spring term)
  • OUAC codes: UYS (Youth and Children's Studies); UYT (Youth and Children's Studies with Teaching Option)

Your Career Awaits

It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • autism therapist
  • child and youth worker
  • children’s advocate
  • guidance counsellor
  • non-profit program manager
  • psychologist
  • teacher
  • youth parole officer

Explore more careers.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

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Tuition and Scholarships

Getting a university education is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing a wide variety of funding opportunities for you throughout your degree, such as scholarships and bursaries, and by equipping you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

 

Laurier is among the top 6 percent in the Global 2000 World University Ranking

 

Laurier students engaged in hands-on learning in 2023

 

Laurier graduates employed or in post-graduate studies in 2023

Brantford Campus

The Brantford campus is woven into the downtown core of the City of Brantford and is home to more than 3,000 students. Close to great walking and biking trails, you get the best of both worlds.

There are many ways to tour our Brantford campus, whether that's on a guided tour with one of our Laurier student ambassadors, on your own using virtual reality, or even on-demand through one of our pre-recorded tours. See our campus spaces and start to picture yourself at Laurier.

Chat with Current Students

Want to know what it’s really like to be in this program? U Community is our Discord server where future Golden Hawks like you can connect with current students to get their first-hand stories and tips on living and learning at Laurier.

Connect with Us

Questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.


You Belong Here

Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?