Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Studies

Introduction to Child Development

Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

Foundational study of child development — covering physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development from infancy through childhood, with attention to developmental theories and milestones.

Adolescent Psychology

Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

Study of adolescent development — covering physical changes, identity formation, peer relationships, risk-taking behaviour, and the psychological challenges of adolescence in contemporary society.

Counselling Skills for Children and Youth

Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

Practical counselling skills — covering developmental counselling, active listening, crisis intervention, grief counselling, and therapeutic approaches for working with children and adolescents.

Child Rights and Protection

Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

Study of child rights frameworks — covering the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, African Charter, Kenyan Children's Act, child protection systems, safeguarding policies, and intervention s...

Youth Studies and Development

Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

Study of youth in contemporary society — covering youth culture, identity, participation, challenges facing youth in Kenya, and positive youth development approaches and programmes.

Social Policy and Legislation

Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

Study of social policy affecting children and youth — covering Kenyan legislation, policy frameworks, government programmes, and the role of state and non-state actors in child and youth welfare.

Community Development and Outreach

Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

Community-based approaches to child and youth work — covering community needs assessment, programme design, community mobilisation, stakeholder engagement, and community resource mapping.

Programme Design and Management

Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

Design and management of child and youth programmes — covering needs assessment, logical framework approach, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, and project management for child and youth interve...

Advocacy and Child Rights

Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

Advocacy strategies for child and youth rights — covering advocacy approaches, campaign design, policy engagement, media advocacy, and the role of civil society in promoting child and youth welfare.

Research Methods in Child and Youth Studies

Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

Research methodology for studying children and youth — covering qualitative and quantitative methods, ethical research with children, data collection techniques, and research design for child and y...

Entrepreneurship and Talent Development

Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore

Entrepreneurship and talent development for youth — covering youth entrepreneurship, business skills, talent identification and development, and economic empowerment strategies for young people.

Research Project in Child and Youth Studies

Year 4Semester 26 creditsCore

Independent research project on a child or youth studies topic — demonstrating mastery of research methods, data analysis, and the ability to design evidence-based interventions for children and yo...

Child Protection and Safeguarding

Focus on protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation — covering child protection frameworks, safeguarding policies, case management, legal frameworks, and intervention strategies for at-risk children.

Youth Development and Empowerment

Focus on positive youth development — covering youth psychology, talent development, entrepreneurship, life skills, youth participation, and programme design for youth empowerment.

Counselling and Guidance

Focus on counselling children and youth — covering developmental counselling, crisis intervention, grief counselling, family counselling, and guidance for children and adolescents facing challenges.

Child Rights and Advocacy

Focus on child rights advocacy — covering the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, Kenyan child protection laws, advocacy strategies, and policy engagement.

Community Development and Outreach

Focus on community-based programmes for children and youth — covering community needs assessment, programme design, community mobilisation, resource mobilisation, and monitoring and evaluation of community interventions.

Research and Policy Analysis

Focus on research and policy — covering research methods, data collection with children and youth, policy analysis, child rights monitoring, and evidence-based programme design for child and youth development.

HELB Undergraduate Loan

Tangaza University Partial Scholarships

NGO Sponsorship and Bursaries

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan

LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan

Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited university programmes.

Tangaza University Partial Scholarships

ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan

Motivated students with strong academic performance — offered on merit based on criteria set by the university, covering up to 50% of tuition for specific degree programmes.

NGO Sponsorship and Bursaries

BursaryKsh 50,000Kenyan

Students sponsored by NGOs or child-focused organisations, typically with a commitment to work in child and youth development after graduation.

Higher Education Fund (HEF)

BursaryKenyan

Kenyan undergraduate students placed by KUCCPS in public universities

County Government Bursaries

BursaryKenyan

Residents of respective counties pursuing undergraduate studies

Continuous Assessment Tests

Coursework25% of the mark

Written tests covering child development, psychology, child rights, and social policy — assessed through mid-semester and end-of-semester examinations.

Field Placement Reports

Coursework30% of the mark

Reports from field placements at children's homes, youth centres, and NGOs — documenting practical experience, case studies, and learning outcomes.

Research Assignments and Case Studies

Coursework20% of the mark

Research papers, case study analyses, programme design assignments, and community needs assessments — developing analytical and programme design skills.

Final Examinations and Research Project

Examination25% of the mark

End-of-semester written examinations and a final-year research project demonstrating mastery of research methods and evidence-based intervention design.

Commission for University Education (CUE)

Academic accreditationRequired

Statutory accreditation for all Kenyan universities offering degree programmes. The Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Studies is CUE-accredited at Tangaza University (KUCCPS programme code 1475322).

Child Protection Officer

High demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 55,000

Works with government departments, NGOs, or international agencies to protect children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation — conducting case management, investigations, and interventions for at-risk children.

Youth Development Officer

Moderate demandKsh 30,000 to Ksh 50,000

Designs and implements youth development programmes — covering talent development, entrepreneurship training, life skills, and youth empowerment initiatives in NGOs and community organisations.

Social Worker / Counsellor

High demandKsh 30,000 to Ksh 50,000

Provides counselling, guidance, and social support to children, youth, and families — working in schools, children's homes, hospitals, and community organisations.

NGO Programme Officer

Moderate demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 60,000

Manages child and youth programmes in NGOs — covering programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting, and stakeholder coordination.

Community Development Officer

Moderate demandKsh 30,000 to Ksh 45,000

Works with communities to identify needs and design interventions for children and youth — covering community mobilisation, resource mapping, and programme implementation at the community level.

Microsoft Office Suite

SoftwarePrimary

Productivity tools including Word for research reports and proposals, Excel for data management and M&E, and PowerPoint for presentations and training.

Google Workspace

SoftwarePrimary

Collaboration and productivity tools for document creation, team coordination, and communication in NGO and community work contexts.

SPSS / Statistical Analysis Software

Software

Statistical analysis software for research projects — supporting data analysis, survey processing, and reporting for child and youth studies research.

Case Management Software

Software

Digital case management tools used in child protection work — supporting case tracking, incident reporting, and beneficiary management in child protection programmes.

University Library and Online Resources

Resource

Physical and digital library resources including social science texts, child development journals, research databases, and access to online learning platforms.

Child and Youth Studies is just about working in children's homes.

Graduates work across NGOs, government departments, schools, youth centres, faith-based organisations, and international agencies — in roles spanning protection, advocacy, counselling, programme management, and policy work.

The programme is the same as Social Work.

While related, Child and Youth Studies specifically focuses on children, adolescents, and youth — covering child development, youth psychology, and child protection, while Social Work is broader, covering all populations and social issues.

There are no career opportunities in this field.

Kenya has a young population with significant youth challenges — creating demand for qualified professionals in child protection, youth development, counselling, and programme management across the public and NGO sectors.

You can only work with children after studying this.

The programme also prepares graduates to work with adolescents and youth — covering youth entrepreneurship, talent development, advocacy, and education, with career options across all age groups from children to young adults.

The programme is not academically rigorous.

The programme involves psychology, research methods, social policy analysis, legislation, and programme design — it is a rigorous academic discipline combining social science theory with practical application.