Child and Youth Studies (B.A.)

Child and Youth Studies is offered exclusively at our Durham GTA campus and focuses on how children learn through play and creativity. You will explore emotional and cognitive development, relationships and social interaction, diversity and social justice, laws and rights, and teaching and programming. As an interdisciplinary program, you will take courses that focus on Psychology, Education, Cultural Studies, English, Indigenous Studies and Environmental Studies. 

For more information about the CHYS program please contact:

Program Coordinator, Alba Agostino
chys@trentu.ca, 905-435-5102  ext 5047

For more information about the Durham Campus and Admissions, please contact:

Durham Campus Enrolment Advisor, Tawny Flude
tawnyflude@trentu.ca, 905-435-5102 ext 5003
Durham Campus Rm. 101.3

Studying Child and Youth Studies at TrentU Durham? Your typical first year will look like this:

• CHYS 1000H - Introduction to Child and Youth Studies.
• CHYS 1001H - Child and Youth Theory and Voice.
• CHYS 1002H - Playful Pedagogy.
• PSYC 1020H - Introduction to Psychology I.
• PSYC 1030H - Introduction to Psychology II.
• SOCI 1001H - Introduction to Sociology I.
• SOCI 1002H - Introduction to Sociology II.
• WRIT 1001H - Write in Time.
• 1.0 Elective Credit.

First Year CHYS Course Descriptions

• CHYS 1000H: Introduction to Child and Youth Studies.Provides an introduction to the field of child and youth studies. Key topics discussed include the history of childhood, theories of children and youth, the home and family, socialization, representations in the mass media, victimization and protection, child care and education, race/ethnicity, family disruptions, and living in poverty.
• CHYS 1001H: Child and Youth Theory and Voice. Students explore child and youth studies theory in relation to the experiences of children and youth represented in literature and popular culture.  Students work on critical literacy skills as they learn to locate their own biographies and biases, and develop their voices within the theoretical landscape.
• CHYS 1002H: Playful Pedagogy Provides an introduction to how we consider creative engagement, and how children play with simple and complex ideas such as family and belonging; citizenship and collaboration; identity and emotional development; cognition and intellectual development; playing with math ideas, language and literature; and fantasy play and the imagination.

All CHYS Course Descriptions 

Career Paths:

• Teacher 
• Lawyer
• Artist
• Social Worker
• Administrator
• Youth Program Developer
• Researcher
• Activist
• Child & Youth Worker