PhD Program Requirements
All students in the School of Child and Youth Care must adhere to the Faculty of Human and Social Development’s Guidelines for Professional Conduct, and will be expected to function within the School of Child and Youth Care's Visions and Values Statement and Essential Requirements: /hsd/cyc/index-original.php#tabs-mission-statementand-values. All travel, accommodation, meal, textbook, course reading and other expenses related to attending course sessions are in addition to the program tuition costs, and are the responsibility of the student.
Students are required to have access to a computer with stable internet access, word processing software, a private space for joining videoconference online course sessions and videoconferencing equipment (camera, microphone, etc.).
The focus of the PhD program is the preparation of graduates who will play key leadership roles at provincial, national, and international levels in the broad field of Child and Youth Care. Through research and knowledge development, and with a particular emphasis on the scholarship of practice, graduates will influence teaching, research, policy, practice, program development, and evaluation.
The School of Child and Youth Care is also committed to addressing issues related to communities or populations that have been historically oppressed or marginalized. The courses address theoretical and practical foundations for working within and across cultures.
The program of study consists of a total of 30 units. PhD program students must complete 7.5 units of core courses, with additional course work if necessary as determined by their committees. The remaining units will consist of 3 units of Candidacy Examinations and a dissertation of 18-19.5 units.
Minimum course requirements:
Complete all of:
- CYC 641 - Generating Critical, Interdisciplinary Knowledge in CYFCS (1.5)
- CYC 644 - Research Design and Knowledge Mobilization in CYFCS (1.5)
- CYC 682B - Applied Internship in CYFCS (3.0)
- CYC 680 - Doctoral Seminar in CYFCS (1.5)
- CYC 693 - Candidacy Exams (3.0)
- CYC 699 - PhD Dissertation (18.0 - 19.5)
Other requirements
Students will normally be in residence while taking core courses.
Candidacy
Students will be expected to complete two candidacy papers (one focused on the substantive area of interest including related theories, and the other on methodology related to their area and topic of interest) and an oral examination before qualifying to undertake PhD research and a dissertation. Within thirty-six months of registration as a provisional doctoral student and at least six months before the final oral examination, a student must pass a candidacy examination.
PhD proposal
Following the successful completion of candidacies, the doctoral student will produce a research proposal. The student will be expected to outline their research proposal and answer questions from their supervisory committee as part of the approval process. The committee members will then indicate by signature their support and approval of the proposed research on the proposal and the student will proceed to the ethics review process (as appropriate) and subsequent research.
Dissertation
The doctoral dissertation must be original work and constitute a significant contribution to knowledge in the candidate’s field of study. It should contain evidence of broad knowledge of the relevant literature, and should demonstrate a critical understanding of the works of scholars closely related to the subject of the dissertation. Material in the dissertation should, in the opinion of scholars in the field, merit publication.
Oral examination
Students are required to pass an oral examination at the end of their dissertation.
Program length
The maximum time limit for the PhD Program is 7 years. It is expected that full-time students will complete in less than 5 years.