Child and Youth Care Counsellor, BCST

Help in the healthy development of vulnerable children, youth and families by becoming a positive role model. Working with people in need can be demanding, but you will experience job satisfaction and the rewards are significant. Opportunities for employment include school programs, group homes, treatment centres, and community programs. To become a child and youth care counsellor you need to be strong, emotionally and ethically. The children, youth and families you will work with may have suffered physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect and/or family breakdown. Some may also have behavioural or learning difficulties which require your knowledge, skill and support.

Curriculum

In the Child and Youth Care Counsellor major, students will learn to advocate for, counsel and nurture vulnerable children, youth and families. The children and youth may have suffered physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect, family breakdown and may have behavioural or learning difficulties. The courses will explore the dynamics of abuse and neglect in child and youth care theory and practice, development, intervention and treatment strategies, and counselling theory and skills. Students will be required to have a current CPR and First Aid Certificate prior to entry into the second year practicum placement.

General Education Requirements

Ten courses must be completed to meet the General Education requirements to graduate with a Bachelor of Child Studies - Child and Youth Care Counsellor.

Four courses will be taken at the foundational level: one from each of the thematic clusters.
Three courses will be taken at the second tier: no more than one from each of the thematic clusters. One of these courses must be from the Numeracy and Scientific Literacy cluster.
PSYC 2235 - Life-Span Development
PSYC 3351 - Topics in Child Development or PSYC 3355 - Topics in Adolescence
One additional course from the third tier in clusters 1, 3, or 4.

For a description of General Education program requirements, see the General Education section of this calendar. Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor before registering for all support courses.

Graduation Requirements

Eligibility to graduate from a Mount Royal program requires that a student meet all of the following conditions:

has been officially admitted into the program;
has completed at least 25% of the graduation requirements as a student within the program;
has met the residency requirement;
satisfies all program requirements specified in the curriculum at the time of admission to the program or the current program;
meets the requirements for Good Standing at the time the application to graduate is evaluated.

Students should also be aware that there is a limit on the number of 1xxx level (i.e., junior) courses that can be used to satisfy program requirements. Exceptions to any of these conditions must be approved, in writing, by the Dean of the program from which the student is applying to graduate.