COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts Honours in Childhood and Youth Studies at Carleton University is a four-year, 20.0-credit program designed to equip students with a critical and interdisciplinary understanding of the lives of children and youth. The program includes 8.0 credits directly related to the major and 12.0 credits outside the major. Students begin with foundational courses such as Introduction to Childhood and Youth Studies and Experiential Learning in Childhood and Youth Studies. As they progress, they take courses like Research Methods, Conceptualizing Adolescence, Race and Childhood, Gender and Sexuality in Childhood, and Disability and Childhood. The curriculum includes 3.5 credits chosen from a wide range of electives that explore children’s literature, policy and practice, youth culture and activism, Indigenous contexts, children's rights, environmental perspectives, and more. It also allows students to take interdisciplinary courses from other departments such as Critical Race Studies, History, Philosophy, and Sociology to enrich their understanding of childhood and youth. In the final year, students complete 1.0 credit of advanced-level courses, including options such as Theories and Epistemologies of Childhood and Youth, Queer and Trans Youth, and Popular Culture. Alongside these core requirements, students take 8.0 credits in electives outside the Childhood and Youth Studies discipline and 4.0 credits in free electives, which provide the flexibility to explore other academic interests or pursue a minor. This structure allows students to tailor their education according to their career aspirations or graduate study goals. The program is unique in Eastern Ontario for its focus on both childhood and youth and its emphasis on critical intersectionality and social justice. Additionally, students may opt to complete a practicum placement, applying classroom learning in real-world community settings and gaining valuable hands-on experience. This comprehensive academic framework prepares graduates for careers in education, social services, policy development, and youth advocacy.