作为跨学科计划的一部分，CSI计划将独特的重点放在识别经常被忽视的儿童能力上，对现有的童年理解进行建设性的质询，并探索加拿大和国际上儿童和童年状态的变化所带来的影响。我们对儿童时期的社会机构（家庭，学校，法律制度，教育制度等）持批判性看法。学生将参加各种课程，这些课程将提供加深他们对该领域知识的机会，并将获得批判性思维，社会和历史分析方面的技能，并了解孩子如何经历童年。有关儿童权利和儿童代理的问题是我们课程的主要特色。
The Childhood and Youth Studies (CYS) department focuses on often-overlooked child competencies, with questions about our understandings of childhood, and an exploration of the changing status of children and childhood in Canada and internationally. We take a critical view of the social institutions around childhood, such as the home, schools, and the legal system. Issues of children as advocates, children’s rights and children’s agency feature prominently in our courses. Students will deepen their knowledge in the subject area and will gain skills in critical thinking and social and historical analysis, as well as understanding how childhood is experienced by children.Courses and topics in the CYS department are focused in two core areas: rights and advocacy, and law and policy. Students can draw from either or both areas to extend their knowledge..