BA Child and Youth Care at Vancouver Island University

Programme overview

With a degree in Child and Youth Care (CYC) you can make a positive difference in the lives of children, youth and families. The job market in BC for child and youth care counsellors is growing, and our grads get hired. With this degree you can start a career as a child and youth care worker in schools, community-based organisations or with the Ministry for Children and Family Development.

Faculty: Human Services | Duration: 4 years | Study mode: full-time | Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

What you will study

Courses include Child Development, Interpersonal Communication Skills in a Therapeutic Context, Introductions to Professional Child and Youth Care Practice, Introductions to Group Work in Child & Youth Care Practice, Theoretical Foundations in Child and Youth Care, Adolescent Development, Literature and Culture, An Introduction to Family Development and Support.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

General admission requirements apply.; To be eligible for admission at first year, general admission requirements apply.; To obtain second year standing, VIU B.A. CYC program students must complete 24 of the required 30 credits from first year. Those 24 credits must include ENGL 115 and 6 credits of Human Development (normally CYC 111/112), and the following Child and Youth Care core courses (or content equivalent of) CYC 100, 101, 152, and 165, or students must have completed a recognized Human Services Certificate program that includes the English and Human Development and CYC courses or equivalency requirements as stated above.; To be eligible for admission to third year, students must have completed a diploma in a Human Services discipline, including completion of the Degree English requirement, (6 credits with a min. "C+") and Human Development Requirement (6 credits with a min....

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Most programmes start in September; January intake is offered for some bachelor's degrees and other programmes; many programmes offer alternative start dates throughout the year.

The deadline to apply for most undergraduate programs that begin in September is March 31; deadlines for other start dates vary by program.

Extended deadline of August 16, 2026 for Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science; Business Management Certificate, Event Management Certificate, Education Assistant and Community Support Certificate, Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care, Health Care Assistant Certificate and Practical Nursing Diploma list ongoing deadlines.

Applications for most academic programs open October 1 in the year before the program start date (applications for programs beginning September 2027 open October 1, 2026); deadlines vary by program.

Application fee: domestic undergraduate $46.98, domestic graduate $121.86, international all programs $156.06 (non-refundable); no application fee for Adult Basic Education.

Apply through the official page: https://www.viu.ca/apply

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