Early Childhood Education/Child and Youth Care
ufv.ca/ece

Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care degree

This program provides degree-completion opportunities for students from a range of human service disciplines. The CYC program is tailored to part-time students and those already in the workforce, with core course offerings scheduled for afternoons and evenings. Students without a background in the human services field may apply to the program following successful completion of entrance requirements.

The BA in Child and Youth Care is designed to offer credit-based professional education to practitioners in human services agencies working with children, youth, and families. Most child and youth care workers are balancing agency, family, personal, and professional needs as they pursue training or upgrading in an increasingly demanding and complex field.

Child and youth care is an expanding field. It crosses a range of work settings and areas of practice, including residential/group home programs, regular and alternative school programs, day care and early childhood programs, child life/hospital-based programs, youth justice/ probation/young offender programs, special needs foster care, parent/counsellor resources, programs for people with mental disabilities, and early intervention and child development centres.

Workers, supervisors, managers, and trainers in these programs bring a diverse set of backgrounds and credentials to their positions. Increasingly, an undergraduate degree is sought by employers for the more desirable employment situations in most areas in the field. This has led to a growing number of practitioners in line supervision and management positions investing in professional education to complete this BA degree.

The breadth of the child and youth care field requires a primary curriculum focus on generic development and social competence as a context for therapeutic intervention.

The degree is awarded following successful completion of a minimum of 120 recognized credits. You may enter the program upon completion of related certificate and diploma programs, or one full year of university-level courses, providing they meet the program requirements. The 200-level CYC courses may be taken by students prior to acceptance into the degree program with permission of the department head if seats are available. The program of study includes core and elective courses.

Entrance requirements

1. Admission to the CYC program requires at least 30 credits of work as defined below:

a. 30 credits of university-level courses with a grade point average of at least 2.33 (C+), including six credits of first year English and/or Communications with a minimum combined grade point average on the six credits of C+ or better
 or
b. A certificate in Early Childhood Education or other human service certificate program with a grade point average of at least 2.84 (B), including six credits of first year English and/or Communications with a minimum combined average on the six credits of C+ or better (see Note).

Note: Students who have completed an ECE or other human services certificate or diploma program with a 2.84 (B) average or higher may be given block credit for this training (up to 30 credits for a certificate and up to 60 credits for a two-year diploma).

2. An orientation and interview is normally required prior to admission to the program. Paid or volunteer experience with children or youth in a program setting is considered in the admissions decision.

It is strongly recommended that applicants for the program have a current first aid certificate and updated Rubella and TB clearance.

Students who do not meet these requirements might consider the Child and Youth Care Studies program path.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall semester only. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

How to apply

1. Submit the application fee along with your UFV application for admission form to the Admissions and Records (A&R) office. You can apply online or download an application form at ufv.ca/ar/admissions/apply. Application forms are also available from any A&R or Student Services office.

Additional documents required for a complete application:
• Letter of intent outlining past experience and career objectives.
• An official sealed transcript from every post-secondary institution you have attended, whether or not you have completed courses there (transcripts received in the original sealed envelope of the issuing institution are considered to be official).
• Resume.
• Two reference letters (one personal and one professional).

2. Students seeking application to the CYC degree program are required to attend an orientation. Once your application is complete, you will be informed of the orientation date and time.

3. You will be advised of an admission decision and provided with registration information. A deposit is required when you register (see the Fees and Other Costs section). This money will be applied toward your tuition fees.

Basis for admission decision

Admission will be on a competitive basis. Meeting the minimal requirements does not guarantee admission. Applications for the Fall semester must be received by January 31. Applications received after this deadline will be considered if space is available in the program. Complete applications will be evaluated according to the following categories, for a total of 100 points:

1.  Academic history/GPA (30 points)
2.  Work experience (20 points)
3.  Volunteer experience (20 points)
4.  Letters of reference and resume (15 points)
5.  Applicant essay (10 points)
6.  Attendance at an orientation session (5 points)

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section.

Visiting students

Since the CYC courses in the program are transferable to the University of Victoria, some students may wish to take them at UFV for the purpose of completing their studies at UVic. UVic students require a Letter of Permission from UVic as well as an application to UFV as a visiting student. Please consult the Registrar’s office at UVic. Applicants visiting from other institutions may not receive the same priority in registration as UFV students.

Courses at UVic and other institutions

Students who wish to pursue the degree program more quickly than the part-time offerings at UFV allow, may arrange to take distance education courses through UVic on an individual basis. You must obtain permission in advance from the UFV program head.

A Request for Letter of Permission form for this purpose may be obtained from the Admissions and Records office. You must still apply to UVic as a visiting student.

Total transfer and course challenge credits may not normally exceed 90 credits; however, students pursuing a second degree are permitted to transfer a maximum of 50% of the CYC degree credits from their previous degree. All CYC degree requirements must be met. Not more than 18 upper-level (300 and 400 course numbers) credits will count toward the upper-level requirements for the degree.

Graduation

All degree candidates must complete and submit the Request to Graduate form to the Admissions and Records office by April 1.

All program requirements must be completed by April 30. This includes any transfer credits from other institutions. Students who enroll in the Summer semester to complete their program will qualify for the following year’s graduation.

Standing required for continuance

In order to graduate from the BA in CYC, a C+ or higher is required in the following:

• All CYC core courses
• ENGL/CMNS requirements
• Developmental psychology requirement.

Students will be required to maintain a cumulative grade point average and semester grade average of C+ (GPA 2.33) or higher. Students who fail to meet the required semester and/or cumulative GPA will be placed on academic warning. Students will be expected to repeat any course from the categories listed above if they received lower than a C+ grade. If a student fails to meet the GPA requirements after being placed on academic warning, they may be withdrawn from the program.

Students receiving academic warning for low grades or unacceptable student behaviour, will not normally be permitted to participate in the practicum component of the program.

Regulations concerning practica

The department head reserves the right to approve any agency or institution that provides placements for student practica, and to change any placement assigned to a student. Students are placed in practicum settings in accordance with their professional background and current learning needs. You have the right to be informed in writing of the reasons for any change in placement. You may be required to withdraw from a practicum course if none of the available practicum agencies will accept you.

A criminal record check is required prior to practicum placement.

Students are required to provide their own transportation to and from practicum sites.

A special note about practicum: Field experience is an integral part of the CYC degree. Students will complete two, 300-hour practica while in the program. There are a variety of excellent practicum sites in the Fraser Valley and throughout the Lower Mainland available to our students. The CYC faculty has links to many agencies and organizations in the child and youth care field. Different sites have different requirements regarding the amount of time a student will need to spend there, in order to provide the best learning and experience. If you are currently working in a regular position, be prepared to adjust your schedule to meet the demands of practica. Some students save up vacation time; others have taken a leave to complete the required field experience hours.

Program requirements

Completion of at least 120 credits with a minimum grade point average of 2.33. At least 42 of these credits must be upper-level (300-400).

Program outline

First year

Note 1: CMNS courses can be replaced with first-year and second-year university-level English.

Note 2: PSYC 101 and 102 are prerequisites to PSYC 250.

Note 3: Graduates of approved ECE certificate and diploma programs are eligible for block transfer credits.

Second year

Third year

Note: Students may not register for 300-level core CYC courses until they have completed all 200-level core CYC courses and are admitted to the program.

Fourth year

Note: Students may not register in any 400-level core CYC courses, except 423 and 425, until they have completed all CYC 200- and 300-level core courses.

Recommended areas for elective courses could include arts, science, human services, English, and criminology. Electives must be university level. CYC-sponsored electives may also be offered under courses CYC 260, 360 and 460. To confirm elective transferability, contact the ECE/CYC program head.

Child Protection specialization

For program information on the Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care — Child Protection specialization, please see this section.

Child Life Professional Certification

Students completing the Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care who are interested in meeting the eligibility requirements for the Child Life Professional Certification Examination should contact the ECE/CYC program head. Please see childlife.org for more details about CCLS requirements.

Certificate in Extended Studies in Child and Youth Care

Students who have completed the Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care can be recognized for additional work to meet the Child Protection Specialization. Please see this section for more details.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.