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Professional child and youth care is a unique approach to working with children, youth and their families. A number of characteristics, taken together, differentiate this professional approach from allied human services disciplines. Learn more about child and youth care at UVic.

Our graduates are equipped with key professional skills for working directly with clients, including:

• case assessment, case management, risk assessment (suicide, sexual abuse and family violence)
• crisis intervention
• effective counselling and communication
• skills for facilitating planned change
• applied child development
• critical thinking and ethical decision making
• advanced training in practice with individuals, groups and families
• program evaluation

As well, child and youth care graduates are grounded in a developmental perspective, an ecological approach, and a multidisciplinary team-focused orientation to working with others. 

Our graduates work in the following postions:

• infant development, early childhood care and education
• community-based child and youth development programs
• parent education/training and family support
• government child welfare and child protection
• school-based youth and family counselling
• community mental health group homes
• residential day centres and residential treatment
• recreation Outward Bound programs
• home-based care
• psychiatric centres
• pediatric health care
• developmental/disability/rehabilitation programs
• community development
• child and youth advocacy and juvenile justice

Learn more about careers in child and youth care.

The School of Child & Youth Care is committed to decolonizing, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive leadership and pedagogies in research and education. Our practices aim at making substantial contributions in advancing social justice and an understanding of diasporic communities, disability studies, critical race theory and studies, gender and sexuality, critical queer studies, and Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being. Learn more about Indigenous initiatives in the school.

Advising & transfer credit contact

Undergraduate Student Advisor
250-721-7984

The full application package is available in September. The application deadline is January 31st each year for entry the following September.

See our finance page for information on tuition and other expenses.

You may qualify under UVic’s special access admission category for mature learners who may not meet regular admission requirements. Get more information on the special access category.

Non-CYC students are welcome to take many of our first and second year courses. Check the calendar and ask your advisor if you are not sure.

Yes, we recognize human service diplomas from accredited institutions. (Programs with vocational or continuing studies designations are not included.) Diplomas completed with an overall B average may be eligible for block credit of 30 units upon admission to the CYC degree program. For more information contact the CYC Undergraduate Student Advisor.

Having some paid or voluntary experience is very valuable. We encourage you to register in CYC 110 Introduction to Child and Youth Care -- to learn more about child and youth care. CYC 110 is offered in September and can be taken during your first year.

The BCYC on-campus degree will take four years of full-time study to complete. It may take less time depending on your transfer credit.

Yes, you may take courses in any faculty if you have the prerequisites. We encourage students to take courses from a wide range of disciplines, and often CYC students have a minor in another faculty.

A CYC degree is an asset to practicing teachers. It’s important that you complete foundational subjects, such as math, language arts and/or a lab science. Please see an adviser in the Faculty of Education for more information.

Yes, you’ll have the opportunity to complete an international fourth year practicum.

Completing your degree through distance education gives you the opportunity to work while you study. While distance education has both financial and educational benefits, it is most appropriate for students who are "self-starters." Learn more about the distance learning experience.

Our distance courses blend print, video/audio resources and web-based classrooms. Some courses are complemented by real-time web conferences with small groups of other learners. Learn more about distance education.

You can complete most of your BCYC degree by distance delivery. You’ll need to come to campus for a minimum of one ten-day seminar course (CYC 475) but have the option of taking additional on-site courses.

On-site seminars

SCYC requires distance students to attend one on-site ten-day seminar course (CYC 475).  There may also be options to attend other seminar courses that may be configured in one of the following ways: on consecutive weekends, over a two-week or six-day period. All seminar courses are intensive and you’ll need to complete pre- and post-seminar assignments.

Seminar attendance is at the ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø campus. If you need information on affordable accommodation we’ll provide it where possible. Distance students have enjoyed and benefited from seminar courses. They present opportunities to build networks, meet colleagues from other work environments, and exchange ideas in a face-to-face context.

Most distance part-time students complete their degrees in four to six years, depending on the transfer credit they receive for courses from other institutions. Each course requires approximately four to ten hours of work per week, depending on the individual learner. Most of our distance students are adult part-time learners with job and family commitments, and the program has been designed with their needs in mind.

All of our distance classes have web-based virtual classrooms so you’ll be able to stay connected with other learners. Although each course is unique, you’ll be expected to enter your virtual classroom site a minimum of twice a week to check your email, collaborate with fellow learners and/or complete and submit assignments. The virtual classroom system is very user friendly. If you’re able to turn on your computer and link to the internet, you have the basic skills you’ll need for working on SCYC distance courses.

Learn more about distance education.

Each course is unique. Most CYC distance courses do not require weekly real-time participation and meetings. Many courses include optional real-time meetings with students and instructors through web conferencing, chat, teleconference or other means.  Check the course timetable for details.

If you have any technical or connectivity problems with your distance course technology throughout the course, please contact the Computer Help Desk. They can also answer any questions you have about the technology's functions.

The School of Child & Youth Care is committed to decolonizing, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive leadership and pedagogies in research and education. Our practices aim at making substantial contributions in advancing social justice and an understanding of diasporic communities, disability studies, critical race theory and studies, gender and sexuality, critical queer studies, and Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being. Learn more about Indigenous initiatives in the school.

Advising & transfer credit contact

Undergraduate Student Advisor
250-721-7984