FACULTY of ARTS and SCIENCE
Childhood, Youth and Family Studies Minor
Families are diverse—and family dynamics are complex. If you are seeking a deeper understanding of the relationships that shape families or are interested in working with these groups, this minor is for you.
Become familiar with the complex systems influencing today’s children, youth and families. Acquire the skills and knowledge to foster stronger relationships between children, youth, their guardians and the greater community. In this minor, you learn to make a positive impact where it matters most.
This minor is a strong complement to majors in sociology, psychology and anthropology.
What to expect
Led by faculty who are experts in their fields, you are introduced to holistic human development, relationships and early childhood education. This multidisciplinary minor draws on insights from psychology, sociology and education. Through assignments that focus on real-world situations, you learn to integrate theory with practice.
In required courses, you learn theories of families and family dynamics and explore historical and contemporary views of childhood and youth, including the social, cultural and economic factors that affect their well-being. You also choose from a number of interdisciplinary courses that cover topics such as social justice, mental health, law and social services. Throughout this minor, you learn about different ways of caring for children and youth, ethical decision-making when working with individuals and families, and various assessment and intervention methods.
Your future
This minor gives you a well-rounded understanding of family dynamics and the intricacies of working with children, youth and their guardians.
In this minor, you learn to:
- Think critically and empathetically
- Build on family members’ existing strengths and resources
- Support diverse families in different settings
- Understand when and how to use family assessment methods and interventions
- Use holistic approaches when working with families
- Integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines, including psychology, sociology and anthropology
- Effectively communicate current theories, frameworks and models of families and guardianship practices
The childhood, youth and family studies minor introduces you to the knowledge and skills necessary to work in a number of settings. These may include:
- Education
- Family or human service agencies
- Children and youth programs
- Development or support organizations
- Community education organizations
- Government agencies
We recommend these resources to learn more about working in the field of human services:
- Careers and Experience: Career counselling and support from MacEwan career development specialists
- Child and Youth Care Association of Alberta (CYCAA): A recognized leader in advancing the practices of child and youth care to better the health of our children, youth and families in safe and healthy communities
- The Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta (AECEA): A non-profit, member-based society that advocates for those in the early childhood education sector
- The International Child and Youth Care Network (CYC-Net): A registered non-profit and public benefit organization that promotes and facilitates reading, learning, information sharing, networking, support and accountable practices amongst children, youth and family workers
The Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) has detailed occupational profiles, salary survey data, trend reports and assessment tools to help you choose and plan a career that matches your skills and interests.
Program of study
This minor is open to students in the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science. Courses for your minor are only one component of the degree requirements you need to graduate. To see all courses required for the minor, check the program of study in the academic calendar.
Requirements can change from year to year. You will follow the program of study outlined in MacEwan University’s Academic Calendar for the year you declare your major/minor or the year you are accepted into an Honours program.
Academic advisors in the Faculty of Arts and Science have prepared resources to help you understand how your major/minor fits within overall degree coursework. Consult the academic planning information to choose and enrol in courses and complete the major/minor declaration process.