If you're excited to work with children, youth, families and communities; understand the importance of building relationships;and keen on being part of a profession dedicated to making a difference in human services, this degree would be of interest to you.

Mount Royal University is proud to deliver the only four-year Bachelor of Child Studies degree in Western Canada that offers two majors:

• Child and Youth Care Counsellor
• Early Learning and Child Care

As an integral part of your degree, we pride ourselves on offering hands-on learning through work with vulnerable populations in community settings and opportunities for gaining valuable skills while engaging in play-based and therapeutic programming.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Child Studies program are doing challenging and innovative work out in the field and pursuing higher education. They're finding employment with/as:

• school boards
• group care
• programs that work with adolescents struggling with mental health and/or addictions
• behavioural strategists
• early intervention and support
• social services

Professional career possibilities include:

• early childhood educator
• parent support
• child care licensing officer
• support for children with differing abilities
• child and youth care counsellor
• youth justice worker
• family support worker

Many graduates are interested in graduate studies (Masters programs). Some directions our alumni have pursued include:

• University of Calgary — Bachelor of Education, two years post-baccalaureate
• University of Alberta — Speech-language Pathology
• University of Alberta — Occupational Therapy
• University of Calgary — Master of Counselling
• University of Victoria — Master of Child and Youth Care
• McMaster University — Master of Child Life and Pediatric Psychosocial Care

The Bachelor of Child Studies degree begins in the Fall Semester (September).

Applications open Oct. 1 for the following year. Learn more about Mount Royal's admission requirements and how to apply online.

Accepted applicants with an Child and Youth Care Counsellor (CYCC) or Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) diploma from an accredited, recognized Alberta post-secondary institution could receive up to a maximum of 60 credits of transfer credit. Transfer credit is evaluated through official transcripts once an applicant has applied and been accepted. We are currently working towards core transfer for CYCC and ELCC courses with our partnering Alberta institutions, which include:

• Bow Valley College
• MacEwan University
• Grande Prairie College
• Red Deer College
• Lethbridge College
• Medicine Hat College
• Portage College
• Keyano College
• Lakeland College
• Northern Lakes College

Yes. You need to select one of the following majors — Child and Youth Care Counsellor (CYCC) or Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) — when you apply for admission into the Bachelor of Child Studies degree program.

A police information check is more than a Canadian criminal record check. Three databases are searched and the results provided on a certificate letter by your local police service. Disclosure includes Canada-wide Criminal Record History, Vulnerable Sector Search and Police History; this includes local police information and Alberta provincial court records.

A child intervention record check, or child welfare check, determines if an adult has an existing intervention record with Children and Youth Services, which indicates that the person may have caused a child to be in need of intervention as defined by the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act.

Cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies can be found on the Money Matters section of our website.

Of course! More common than not, many students have home or work commitments while going to school full time. Please note that if you are working full time, you should expect to take longer than four years to complete the degree. On average, each course requires an additional three to six hours per week of preparation and homework.