Child & Adolescent Studies
Master's
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
Gain the skills and tools to stand up for children. Build a brighter and healthier future for the next generation. Become the kind of advocate they need most.
Classes begin Fall 2026.
Study Child & Adolescent Studies at Winona State
Children and teens today face big challenges. Think mental health and family struggles and the pressures of technology, food insecurity, and social change.
The field of Child & Adolescent Studies is all about understanding those challenges. It’s also about finding ways to help youth survive and thrive.
In this fully online program, you’ll explore a variety of topics like:
- how poverty affects learning
- how trauma and resilience impact youth development
- how social media is changing the way young people grow up
More importantly, you’ll learn how to take that knowledge and turn it into action. Whether that means shaping policy, working directly with families, or designing programs that give children and teens a brighter future.
Earning a master’s degree opens doors for the children and families you’ll serve. It also opens doors for you.
Graduates from this program may have access to higher-paying jobs, leadership roles, and stronger professional networks compared to those with only a bachelor’s degree.
If you want to help others and to have a career that’s both meaningful and exciting, this program may be the perfect fit. You’ll join a community of people who care deeply about children and adolescents.
You’ll also graduate ready to take on impactful roles that make a difference every day.
Whether you choose to work in schools, hospitals, non-profit organizations, or government agencies, your work will matter. You can take pride in the positive change you help create.
This program is offered through the Child, Adolescent, & Advocacy Studies Department.
What You’ll Learn as a Child & Adolescent Studies Student
As a student in Child & Adolescent Studies, you’ll examine the systems influencing childhood, like family, school, and government. Then you’ll evaluate how these systems can help or hinder healthy development.
You’ll also learn how to:
- apply practical strategies for addressing youth behavioral challenges. You’ll be prepared to lead interventions that support their growth and well-being.
- analyze the effects of poverty, technology, and other societal challenges on children and adolescents. You’ll practice developing action plans to help impacted communities.
- recognize and respond to child maltreatment. You’ll use proven advocacy models and intervention strategies.
- evaluate and improve systems that serve youth, including education, juvenile justice, health care, and beyond.
This program’s curriculum is flexible, allowing you to dive into special topics about children and adolescents that interest you most.
Program Highlights
Coursework is delivered entirely online, making this degree perfect for anyone who wants to fit their education into their personal and professional lives.
And with asynchronous classes, you can complete your assignments anytime, anywhere. This means you can easily fit this in alongside your career without delaying graduation.
As a Child & Adolescent Studies student, you’ll take one focused, 5-week course at a time. We offer 3 courses each semester.
This accelerated class structure can help you stay engaged and manage your workload effectively.
You can finish this degree in just 4 semesters with the full-time track.
Or choose our part-time option to complete the program in 7 semesters.
Whichever timeline you choose, you’ll learn the same curriculum—but you get to complete this degree on your terms.
Hear from Your Instructors
Careers & Outcomes
The Child & Adolescent Studies master’s degree is a versatile add-on to any career path.
This program gives you both the practical tools and the deeper advocacy mindset to create lasting change in the lives of children and adolescents.
for Preschool & Childcare Center Directors
for Special Education Teachers
for Social & Community Service Managers
Learn more about what careers are possible with this graduate degree and where you can go after graduation:
This program does not meet F-1 visa requirements for international students.
However, more than 90% of Winona State’s majors and programs meet F-1 visa criteria.
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