If you are a compassionate person committed to building relationships with at-risk children, youth and families, the Bachelor of Arts in Child & Youth Care (BACYC) Program is the first step in helping you enter the challenging and rewarding field of child and youth care.
Child & Youth Care practitioners support the wholistic development and wellbeing of young people and their families in community, striving for a more socially just world. The Bachelor of Arts in Child & Youth Care (optional exit with the Diploma) gives its students an understanding of the challenges young people face, and the ways of knowing, being, and doing to support them in their world. Collectively, its courses will prepare graduates for professional practice, focusing on: working collaboratively in complex contexts, embodying a relational and ethical approach, focusing on strengths, designing interventions, programs, and environments to best support young people, all with a foundation of interpersonal communication skills and self-awareness.
Program Highlights
- Gain competitive skills
- Virtually 100% employment rate for graduates
- Experienced instructors who focus on real-world skills
- Practical experience through practicum placements in the community
The Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care (BA CYC) program is a comprehensive 120 credit degree program with both full time and part time offerings. Students can complete the degree in eight semesters of full-time study over four years. Students can take the program at their own pace by applying to the part time program. Part time classes are currently held in the evenings.
After completion of year 1 and 2 (60 required credits – see program guidelines), students can apply to graduate with a Diploma in Child and Youth Care and either remain in the degree or exit. If you exit, you can return at a later date to complete your degree by applying to 3rd year entry.
Please note: applicants who wish to complete the CYC Diploma on-campus must apply for admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care (BA CYC)
Holders of a 60 credit Child and Youth Care diploma or Human services-related diploma from a recognized public post-secondary institution may be eligible to apply to enter the BA CYC at third year.
The following Douglas College diploma programs are eligible for block transfer into the BA CYC:
- Child and Youth Care
- Classroom and Community Support
- Community Social Service Work
- Early Childhood Education
- Youth Justice
Block transfer of Child and Youth Care or human services-related diplomas from other public post-secondary institutions will be evaluated by the CYC coordinator. For information, please email cyc@douglascollege.ca.
The online diploma in CYC is an exclusively ONLINE option to complete the CYC diploma requirements within 3 years (9 semesters of part time study, 2 courses in the Fall, Winter, and Summer terms). Courses in the online Diploma program are offered in the evenings and delivered in a synchronous format. As part of the program, students will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills through two practicums in their local communities.
Upon completion of the online CYC diploma, graduates may choose to further their education by completing a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth care at Douglas College on-campus by applying as a 3rd year entry into the CYC Degree Program.
The certificate of Academic Foundations (CAF-CYC) is a thirty-credit certificate designed for students who wish to take some Child and Youth Care courses as well as completing other University Transferable (UT) courses.
This pathway will be of interest to:
- Students who are unsure if Child and Youth Care is a profession they are interested in and would like an opportunity to sample some courses
- Students who are unsuccessful in the current application process due to seat availability or selection ranking but would like to continue to work towards acceptance into the BA CYC
Completion of the CAF-CYC does not guarantee admission into the BA CYC. Students are required to apply to the BA CYC and complete the admission process.
The Indigenous Pathway is an entry point of 4 courses which are taught from an Indigenous perspective. Courses are taught by First Nations, Métis and non-Indigenous allied faculty with Elders' support. Once a student completes these 4 courses, students may choose to continue taking part time courses towards a diploma or degree in Child and Youth Care.
