Program Overview

The Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies

The Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies offers various programs, including the Honours Thesis in Childhood and Youth Studies.

Honours Thesis

The Honours Thesis is an opportunity for students to research a topic of their choice and complete 1.5 credits in the research project pathway. This is an excellent opportunity for those who are interested in researching a topic in the field of Childhood and Youth Studies that they wish to explore further.

Requirements

To be eligible for the Honours Thesis, students must have:

• Completed CHST 3101
• Fourth-year standing in Child Studies with a Major CGPA of 10.0 or higher
• Permission from the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies

Research Areas

Some examples of topics that students have researched in the past include:

• Mental illness in youth
• Addressing the needs of various socioeconomic statuses and parenting
• Sports-related anxiety in adolescent girls
• Mental health education in Ontario
• The link between exercise and long-term memory in children

Student Testimonials

Several students have shared their experiences with the Honours Thesis:

• Emily Frendo-Cumbo explored mental health education in Ontario elementary schools and gained valuable experience with qualitative research.
• Sarah Tunstall researched topics related to her life, such as the experiences of young mothers and low-income challenges, and grew academically, professionally, and personally.
• Gabriella Adibe wrote about the impacts of exercise on elementary school-aged children and developed research, writing, and analytic thinking skills.
• Cassidy Knopp explored how youth and young adults with Borderline Personality Disorder navigate the medical community and improved her data analyzing and communication skills.

Program Details

The Honours Thesis is a research project pathway that allows students to delve deeper into a research interest and gain valuable experience. Students attend a research seminar, outline a thesis topic, and develop a methodological framework to gather and analyze data. They then work with a thesis supervisor to complete the project. The program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore a topic of their choice and develop their research skills.