Gertrud Lenzer
Founding Director of the Children and Youth Studies Program
In 1991 Brooklyn College became the founding institution of the interdisciplinary field of Children and Youth Studies (formerly Children’s Studies). To develop the field more widely in the United States, Dr. Gertrud Lenzer, the program director, also established the American Sociological Association Section on the Sociology of Children. Hailed as “pioneering” by The New York Times, the Brooklyn College program has been emulated at many universities and colleges both here and abroad since its inception. Brooklyn College and The City University of New York have been the source of significant academic and scholarly programmatic innovations in higher education through this interdepartmental program, which brings together knowledge about children and youth from infancy through the age of legal majority as seen from the perspectives of the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, medicine, and the law. A minor in Children’s Studies was established in 1994 for all liberal arts majors. In 2001, a 30-credit interdisciplinary children’s studies concentration for majors in early childhood education teacher and childhood education teacher programs was introduced in cooperation with the Brooklyn College School of Education. In addition, Children’s Studies is available to students in the CUNY Baccalaureate Program as a major or minor. As of Fall 2009, students can now take the new 30-credit Bachelor of Arts in Children and Youth Studies and proudly pronounce themselves Children and Youth Studies majors! In the Fall of 2011 the name of the program at Brooklyn College officially changed from Children's Studies to Children and Youth Studies!
Please note, information regarding the Children's Studies Center for Research, Policy and Public Service can be found on separate pages within this site.
RECENT NEWS AND EVENTS
- Are you receiving our monthly e-newsletter through Constant Contact?!? If not, please send your correct email address to childrensstudies@brooklyn.cuny.edu. The monthly e-newsletter includes information on the CHYST Program, job/internship opportunities, and much more!
- We have made changes to our Summer Schedule of Children and Youth Studies courses! Please note that we will now be offering a section of CHST 3510: Children and Disability in Summer Session 2.
- The Children and Youth Studies Program is now on Facebook! We will be using this page to inform our students of events on campus, program changes, job/internship opportunities, Children First Club updates, and more! Visit us at www.facebook.com/ChildrenandYouthStudies
- As part of our Children and Youth Studies Road to Success Campaign, we are now accepting applications for the Judge Bryanne A. Hamill Outstanding Senior Award in Children and Youth Studies! The award recognizes the CHYST graduating senior in the academic year 2011-2012 who best exemplifies the spirit of scholarship and community commitment that the study of children and youth values. The award will be given at our Commencement Celebration on Thursday, May 31, 2012. The winner will receive a certificate and a $250 award. For more information on what materials to submit view the pdf application. Applications are due by 6p.m. on April 18th in Room 1304 James Hall.
- The Children First Club recently released their first official newsletter! Please view the December 2011 issue of the Children First Club Newsletter!
- The Children's Studies Program has officially become the Children and Youth Studies Program!
- Please view our Programs/Requirements page to see the changes we have made to the Major, Concentration, and Minor. We have also created a new minor, Pre-Professional Explorations: Focus on Children in Social Services and the Law!
- View our latest publication, New Horizons III: The Future of Children, Youth, and the Public Good, which details the news, events, and activities of the Children and Youth Studies Program (formerly Children's Studies) and the Children's Studies Center from 2009-2010. This edition also features the students from our first graduating class of Children's Studies majors!
- Since the introduction of the Children and Youth Studies Major in the Fall of 2010 over 250 students have declared Children and Youth Studies as their major!
QUICK LINKS
- Career Prospects with Children and Youth Studies
- Children and Youth Studies Programs/Requirements
- Children's Studies Center for Research, Policy and Public Service
- Our News Releases
- Children and Youth Studies Fall 2011 Schedule of Classes (pdf)
- Fourth Child Policy Forum of New York: Speeches, photos, bios & more
- Jobs, Internships, and Study Abroad Opportunities
- New Horizons: The Future of Children, Youth, and the Public Good (2010)
- New Horizons: The Future of Children, Youth, and the Public Good (2009)
- New Horizons (2008)
- Children’s Studies “Study with the Best” featured on CUNY TV
VIEW CHILDREN AND YOUTH STUDIES BROCHURES
- Children and Youth Studies Major
- Children and Youth Studies Concentration
- Children and Youth Studies Minor
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