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School of Child and Youth Care
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Change that lasts

Learn to support children, youth and families through justice-oriented care.

Master of Arts in Child, Youth, Family & Community Studies

Are you passionate about working with children, youth, families and communities? Do you want to make a meaningful difference in people's lives and create a more just and caring world? You've come to the right place.

This program will prepare you to be a future leader in a dynamic, growing field where skilled, compassionate practitioners are in high demand. Our graduates are advocates, educators and change-makers—working locally and globally in mental health, education, early years programs, child protection, youth justice and beyond.

Academic calendar
Admission requirements
Find a supervisor
Contact advising
How to apply

Mentorship and career growth

One-on-one faculty guidance
From day one, you’ll be paired with a faculty supervisor who will mentor you through research design, professional development and academic milestones. 

Leadership for impact
Graduates are prepared for roles as policy analysts, educators, consultants, researchers and leaders across human services sectors. 

Flexible delivery

Learn without relocating
Study online while staying connected to your local support networks. You'll still get to meet your peers in person during the on-campus Summer Institute. 

Balance life and learning
Perfect for parents and busy professionals. Flexible timing lets you balance family, work and study.

Justice-forward learning

Critical and decolonial foundations
Our program is built on decolonizing, anti-racist and anti-oppressive approaches to research, education and practice. You’ll engage deeply with Indigenous and global perspectives, exploring how to lead change in ways that centre equity and relational accountability.

Ethics in action
From your first course to your final project, you’ll practice applying justice-oriented theories to real-world contexts. 

Signature experiences

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Summer Institute

Immerse yourself in an intensive two-week, on-campus learning experience that brings theory to life. The Summer Institute combines coursework, seminars and community-building events, giving you the chance to connect with faculty and peers. Beyond class sessions, you’ll participate in welcome gatherings, social events and opportunities to explore Victoria while deepening your knowledge in global practices and land-based approaches.

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Practicum (200 hours)

Put your learning into action through a minimum 200-hour supervised practicum placement that builds real-world expertise in child and youth care. With guidance from a graduate practicum instructor, you’ll gain hands-on experience in a setting that matches your interests and career goals. This is an essential step in bridging academic study with meaningful, professional practice.

Courses

This program offers a curriculum designed to prepare you for leadership, research, and practice in contexts where children, youth, families, and communities face complex challenges. Each course integrates academic foundation with practical application, ensuring that what you learn has direct impact on your career path and contributes to critical social change.

Core Courses (12.0 units)

  • CYC 541 - Decolonial, Critical & Justice-oriented Theories in Child, Youth, Family & Community Studies
  • CYC 544 - Research Design & Knowledge Mobilization
  • CYC 546 - Global Practices for Human & Social Change (Summer Institute)
  • CYC 550 - Program Planning, Policy, Advocacy & Leadership
  • CYC 553 - Practicum in Child, Youth, Family and Community Studies
  • CYC 558 - Applied Research Seminar
  • CYC 586 - Advanced Land-based Approaches in Child, Youth, Family & Community Studies (Summer Institute)
  • CYC 588: Seminar on Project or Thesis Completion

Thesis or Applied Research Project (4.5 units)

Your graduate journey concludes with a major project that allows you to specialize and contribute original knowledge in your field:

  • CYC 599 - Thesis: Conduct original scholarly research, contributing to the academic knowledge base in child and youth care.
  • CYC 598 - Applied Research Project: Collaborate with a community partner to produce applied knowledge and a final report, directly addressing pressing societal issues.

Visit the UVic academic calendar to see the full course listing for this program.

Find a supervisor

From the start of your program, you’ll be matched with a supervisor who shares your research interests. Your supervisor will be your mentor and collaborator, helping you sharpen your topic, choose the right methods and build a strong supervisory committee. Together, you’ll design a clear path forward: setting timelines, planning regular check-ins and feedback cycles and preparing for key milestones such as ethics review (if needed), your proposal and your defense. 

Find a supervisor

Program costs & funding

Use the UVic tuition calculator to calculate a custom estimate of your program fees. 

Funding & financial support

Graduate students have access to a variety of funding sources, including fellowships, scholarships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. If you have questions or concerns, the Scholarships Office in the Faculty of Graduate Studies is your go-to resource for advice and guidance. School of Child & Youth Care students may also be eligible for additional scholarships and donor awards.

You can find details about awards, application procedures, and due dates on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website. Many students also receive support through provincial or federal student loans, the UVic Tuition Bursary Fund for those in financial difficulty, and competitive external scholarships such as the Canadian Graduate Scholarships – Master’s.

Ready to apply?

Applications for this program are accepted online each fall for entry the following September. To be considered, you must complete the Graduate Admissions online application and submit all required documents by December 31.

See admission requirements How to apply

Learn more

Questions? Connect with our team:

Doris Kakuru, Graduate Program Advisor
cyc.gradadvisor@uvic.ca 

Caroline Green, Graduate Program Assistant
scycgrad@uvic.ca