Youth Work (GrDip)

Please note that prerequisite courses do not have to have been completed by the time of application. Please contact Abigail for more information.

Your completed application will include:

• Application form and Fee
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Two Letters of Reference and assessment form
• Statement of purpose (a maximum of 2 pages) should outline:
  • your related volunteer and/or work experience and why the Youth Work program is of interest to you
  • how the Youth Work program is aligned with your professional or personal goals
  • your strengths and areas for growth in your professional/personal development
  • your planned commitments in contributing to the Youth Work cohort community as a student in the program
  • the Youth Work program in Applied Human Sciences is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and accessible learning community. Social justice and addressing inequities are central features of Youth Work professional practice. As part of your Statement of Purpose, we ask that you speak to your understanding of, and contribution to, equity, diversity and inclusion in your personal, professional and academic journeys. Applicants from underrepresented and marginalized groups are encouraged to self-identify. 
• Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended
• Proof of Canadian citizenship (if applicable)
• Applicants whose primary language is not English, are required to submit official language test scores, unless exempted.

Please apply online. Read the how-to guide for application procedures. 

• Fundamentals of Child and Youth Care Work
• Individual Intervention with Youth
• Community Youth Development
• Parent-Child Relations
• Mental Health and Addictions: Youth Work Perspectives, Policies and Practices 
• Youth Work Ethics

Consult the Graduate Calendar for a list of courses.

Timeline for full-time students:

Timeline for part-time students:

2 courses per term

*Cross-listed from Human Relations undergraduate program

A number of teaching assistantships are available and awarded on a competitive basis.

Students who have been admitted in the program are also encouraged to consult with the Graduate Program Director to discuss funding opportunities.

The internship component of our program provides you with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in a clinical or community youth work setting. The aim of the internship is to allow you to fully assume the duties and responsibilities of a youth worker in a designated placement site. Under the supervision of an on-site field supervisor, you are required to successfully complete 320 to 420 hours in an approved internship setting.

Sectors where students usually complete their internships include child protection, schools, rehabilitation centres, community organizations, hospitals, youth and family centres and clinics. A selection of sites placements are organized by the program or selected in consultation with the Graduate Program Director.

Our research-active faculty members are practitioners who are actively involved in a wide variety of fields, including child and youth care, counselling, family life education, human relations, leisure sciences, psychology, social work, organizational and community development, and therapeutic recreation.

Faculty research interests include:

• adolescent development
• applied research methods and methods planning
• at-risk youth
• bullying
• chaos and complexity theories in human systems
• community youth development
• emerging adulthood
• gay and homosexual men sexuality
• homophobia, violence and applied interventions
• Indigenous youth identity and healing
• stereotyping processes
• transitions to independent living
• youth in care
• mental health literacy

Our alumni are highly sought after by youth and family centres, hospitals, school boards, community organizations, clinics, and drug rehabilitation centres. Recent graduates are working as child and family workers, behaviour specialists, social counsellors, therapeutic interventionists, educators, and human relations agents.

Examples of organizations our alumni are currently working for include:

• ACCESS Open Minds
• Agence Ometz
• Batshaw Youth and Family Centres
• Bartimaeus Inc.
• Douglas Mental Health University Institute
• McGill University Health Centre
• Portage
• SNAP West Island

“The biggest thing I took from the program was how hands-on it is. Even before our internship placement, we were interviewing youth, visiting schools and community centres, and doing projects that really built my confidence.”

Jennifer Singer

“This is definitely a place where you’ll experience some personal and professional growth, and where there’s value for whoever walks through the door.”

Kathryn Suchostawaski

“The professors in the program really challenge your own belief systems and the ways that you engage with child and youth work as a professional.”

Marianne Scarfo

“The sense of community begins in the class because the program allows us to work in groups and learn from one another. We get to engage with each other inside and outside the classroom.”

Sibusiso Moyo

1. Can the Graduate Diploma in Youth Work be completed on a part-time basis?

Yes. However, students’ learning experience is enhanced when taking the Youth Work program on a full-time basis. The core courses are offered sequentially, and once per year. The minimum recommended course load for part-time is 2 courses (6 credits), which would allow the completion of the diploma in 5 semesters over a 2-year period.

2.  What does an internship mean? How is it different from the undergraduate one? Are there limits on the duration of the internship (over what time period?) Can I take my internship before completing all courses?

An internship is an apprenticeship in Youth Work where you assume a professional role with the support of a site supervisor and a program instructor. The Youth Work internship in the provides an opportunity to build upon your prior work or internship experience and apply what you have learned from the courses in the program. The internship is completed over 2 semesters – Winter and Summer. Commencing your internship requires completion of core courses in the program and permission of the Department. Prospective applicants are advised that some internship opportunities require access to a vehicle, proof of COVID-19 vaccination, and fluency in French. 

3.  Can the internship be paid?

Internships are not paid positions. If your place of work has opportunities for you to take on a new role, that may be an acceptable internship but must be negotiated with the Graduate Program Director. The intent of the internship is to provide an opportunity for developing new skills, rather than provide credits for a job you are already engaged in and to provide for a learning experience.

4. Can I take courses in the program in the evening or online?

Some courses in the program will be offered in the evening.  There will also be courses that are scheduled intensively, in complete days rather than weekly over the course of the semester. However, it will be necessary to take a significant proportion of the courses in this diploma during the day. Working full time may not be possible for the whole length of the program.

5. Can I apply without having completed a course in adolescent development and/or research methods? What if I take it over the summer?

Yes. However, you must complete the required prerequisites before you begin the Youth Work program in September. If you can provide evidence that you will be taking the prerequisite course(s) over the summer, you may be considered for conditional acceptance pending the successful completion of the course(s).

6. Can in-service training or professional workshops count as the prerequisites for admission?

If you have taken professional training or workshop in Human Development or Research with Youth, you can ask for those trainings to be considered towards the prerequisite for the program. To do so, you must submit documentation about the training, either a written outline provided by the trainer or a letter from the organization.

7.  What if I don’t have any experience working with youth?

An important prerequisite of this program is some experience with children or youth. This can be volunteer experience, work at a camp, and can be a time limited experience. Please avail yourself of the many volunteer experiences in the local community. Prior internship experience with youth, such as completion of AHSC 436 Youth and Family Internship, is advantageous.

8.  When will notices for acceptance be sent out?

You will be notified of our decision by mid-late April.

9.  Will you have interviews?

We will be conducting telephone interviews when the admissions committee judges that an interview is required to clarify some aspects of the application.

10.  What do I include in my Statement of Purpose?

The Statement of Purpose is your opportunity to explain your reasons for coming in to the program, and how your background has prepared you for this program. It is your opportunity to communicate anything you think is important for us to know when we are considering your application.

11.  Can my reference letters come from out of country? Can they deal with work with young children?

Your reference letters can come from anywhere as long as they arrive in time to complete your file. Experience with young children is considered relevant for admission.

12. What are the job opportunities for graduates of this program?

There are a range of excellent job opportunities for graduates of this program, depending on their interests, their choice of internship and prior experience. Qualified youth workers are in high demand in the community sector as well as in youth mental health, education and child welfare. 

13. How does the Graduate Diploma in Youth Work contribute to my application to a professional order in Quebec?

Past graduates of the Youth Work program have successfully used their coursework to build towards an application by equivalency for membership in professional orders in Quebec. If you are planning on applying to a professional order after completing the Youth Work program, you are advised to contact the Order of interest directly for more information on applying by equivalency in relation to your overall individual profile (e.g., work experience, undergraduate degree, etc.), including information on any requirements for additional courses completed outside of Concordia University.