Help children and youth thrive in today's world. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Youth and Children’s Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, offered exclusively at the Brantford campus, explores childhood and adolescent development, well-being and the social issues affecting young people past and present, locally and globally.
Through hands-on learning, including placements, community-engaged research and experiential courses, you’ll develop practical skills in communication, advocacy, research and leadership. Graduate prepared for careers in child and youth services, education, community organizations, social services, recreation, advocacy or graduate studies focused on supporting children, youth and families.
Discover what makes this Laurier program unique and how you'll gain real-world experience.
Your future professors work hard to make sure your academic experience is current, complete and designed to open doors in your career. Here are a few things you can count on:
Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree (check out the Experience Guide for even more!):
Explore a sample weekly schedule to see what your day-to-day might look like in this program.
Get a glimpse of what you will study throughout your degree. See what your first-year classes will look like through sample courses and start exploring what your upper academic years can offer.
Explore a variety of courses, specializations and pathway options that let you shape your degree around your unique interests and goals. Find out how you can customize your experience and prepare for what’s next.
Apply to a direct entry pathway to the Bachelor of Education program (BEd). Students applying for an honours degree with the Teaching Minor will be considered for admission directly into the BEd program. The Teaching Minor is designed to provide you with a variety of courses and hands-on learning opportunities to prepare you for future studies and a rewarding teaching career.
Apply directly to Youth and Children Studies with Teaching Minor on the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) by choosing ‘Teaching Minor’ as your program enhancement.
These are a few of the many popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge:
Once you’re at Laurier, you can connect with an academic advisor in your first year for more information about pursuing a minor. In the meantime, check out other electives and minors to enhance your degree.
Expand your field of expertise by pairing your Youth and Children's Studies degree with another major:
Connect with an academic advisor in your first year for information about pursuing a second major.
When you apply on the OUAC application:
Students applying to this program from a Canadian province outside of Ontario are encouraged to review our course equivalents by province chart. This chart will show you what courses from your province are equivalent to the admission requirements listed under the Ontario High School Admission Requirements section.
Students applying to this program from an international curriculum must present the following:
Students applying to this program from an international curriculum are encouraged to review our curriculum-specific requirements. You will find which courses from your country's curriculum are equivalent to the admission requirements listed above. If your country or curriculum is not listed, please reach out to international@wlu.ca.
Laurier's language of instruction is English, and so we may require you to provide evidence of your English proficiency to help make sure you are successful in your academic courses.
Your three most recent years of full-time education must be in English without taking any ESL (English as a Second Language) courses. If you do not meet this requirement, you must provide evidence of your English proficiency.
We reserve the right to request an English-language test from any applicant.
If you do not meet Laurier's English proficiency requirement but are academically qualified for your program, you may be eligible for a conditional offer of admission.
The Academic Transition Pathway (ATP) program is offered through our affiliated institution, Wilfrid Laurier International College, and provides an option for meeting our English-proficiency requirement. If you have received an offer to Laurier with a condition to meet our English-proficiency requirement, you can meet that condition by successfully completing the ATP program.
If you've completed studies at another college or university, you may be eligible to transfer into Wilfrid Laurier University's Youth and Children's Studies (BA) program. Admission requirements vary depending on your academic background and the number of postsecondary courses you've completed.
To find out if you can transfer into this program, we encourage you to:
1. Review our transfer admission requirements to find the criteria that applies to your unique situation, including information about transfer credits and academic requirements.
2. Explore our transfer pathway opportunities to see how your previous studies may count toward this program.
Visit our admission requirements section to find specific requirements for transfer students, indigenous applicants, mature learners, homeschooled applicants, senior citizens, refugees, and more.
It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.
Our Youth and Children's Studies (BA) graduates go on to a wide range of rewarding careers. Here are just a few examples:
Note: Additional training and education may be required.
As a Laurier Alum, you'll have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.
Below is a breakdown of tuition fees and expenses for Laurier Liberal Arts students for one year (or two terms) studying full time. Fees are based on 2026/27 rates and are subject to increase. All fees are shown in Canadian dollars.
| Fee Type | Domestic Students | International Students |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $7,222 | $36,624 |
| Student Fees | $1,830 | $2,778 |
| Textbook Fees | $1,500 | $1,500 |
See a full breakdown of your first-year expenses.
When you apply to Laurier you’ll be automatically assessed for entrance scholarships (based on your final admission average) and for in-course scholarships in your upper years (based on your Laurier GPA from the previous academic year). We also offer more than 700 competitive scholarships and awards, which require separate applications and may be awarded throughout the academic year.
This is primarily an in-person program, meaning you'll attend classes on campus and learn face-to-face with professors and classmates. When you register for courses, you'll be able to select from available sections and create your timetable.
In-person delivery gives you direct access to faculty, hands-on learning opportunities and a traditional university student experience.
Become a Laurier insider to get quick, fun and informative updates along your application journey.
Have questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548‑889‑8888 or see all contact information.
Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?
