Specialization in Childhood and Youth
Online format | Starts in March 2026
Duration: 1 year
Preparatory cycle: February 25th 2026
Start of course: March 2th 2026
Total number of credits and hours: 22 credits – 1056 lecture hours
La Specialization It is a joint academic proposal from the University of Manizales, Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) and the CINDE, through its Center for Advanced Studies in Childhood and Youth (CEANJ).
It has an official title with qualified registration No. 019264 of September 24, 2025, issued by the Ministry of National Education of Colombia.
GENERAL COORDINATION
Sara Victoria Alvarado (UManizales and CINDE/CEANJ) and Pablo Vommaro (CLACSO)
La Specialization in Childhood and Youth Developed by the University of Manizales, CLACSO, and CINDE-CEANJ, this online postgraduate program aims to deepen knowledge in the social sciences and humanities. Its purpose is to strengthen the training of professionals capable of analyzing, intervening in, and generating knowledge about the diverse and complex realities faced by children and youth in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The program is based on a theoretical-critical, interdisciplinary, and situated perspective that recognizes children and young people as subjects of rights and social actors with agency. In this vein, it promotes an understanding of their experiences, practices, and modes of participation in contexts marked by inequalities, cultural transformations, and contemporary political challenges.
The plural form of the denomination -Childhood and Youth- It expresses a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the recognition of multiple life experiences and trajectories, moving beyond homogeneous or adult-centric perspectives. The program integrates training, research, and social intervention, providing conceptual and methodological tools to influence public policies, educational processes, and community practices related to these social groups.
According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED-F 2013 AC), the Specialization in Childhood and Youth falls under Broad Field 03: Social Sciences, Journalism and Information, Specific Field 031: Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Detailed Field 0314: Sociology, Anthropology and Cultural Studies. This field encompasses human rights studies, political practices, and sociocultural analysis, essential foundations for a critical understanding of childhood and youth and for the development of relevant theoretical and practical responses in these areas.
The Specialization in Childhood and Youth constitutes a relevant academic and social response to current challenges, committed to the production of critical knowledge, the strengthening of the social fabric and the construction of justice and citizenship from the voices and experiences of children and youth.
The primary objective of the Specialization in Childhood and Youth is to develop theoretical and methodological skills and knowledge to achieve a critical approach to addressing childhood and youth with a view to a concrete impact on public policies and on working with these social groups.
This training program is designed to introduce students to the knowledge and systematization of information regarding the situation of children and youth, work experiences, social organizations, and public policies in Latin America and the Caribbean. In this sense, it also aims to advance the consolidation of international networks of researchers, social actors, public policy leaders, and representatives of social organizations focused on children and youth in the region, and to promote the circulation of theoretical knowledge, the exchange of situated experiences, and the sharing of artistic productions and communicative pieces about and from the perspective of children and youth in the region.
The Specialization is aimed at university graduates; postgraduate students; teachers; activists and members of trade union organizations, social movements and political parties; public officials; press workers; members and managers of non-governmental organizations and professionals interested in deepening and updating their knowledge about childhood and youth.
A university degree/undergraduate degree or equivalent is required.
- Julian Loaiza
- Germán Guarín
- Pablo Vommaro
- Alejandra Barcala
- Daniel Llanos Erazo
- Susana Sosenski
- Mariana Rey Galindo
- Alberto Minujin
- Karina Bidaseca
- Indira Granda
- Martha Martinez
- Karina Benavides
- José Machain
- Keyla Rosa Estevez
- Rosana Mendoza
- Melina Vasquez
- Silvia HS Borelli
- María Isabel Dominguez
- Mariana Chaves
- Juan Romero
- Myriam Southwell
- Rose de Melo Rocha
- Olivia Cristina Pérez
- René Unda
- Jose Antonio Perez
- Diego Beretta
- María Claudia S Paiva
- Sara Victoria Alvarado
- oscar armando
- Jhoana Alexandra Patiño
- Juan Carlos Amador
- Carolina Hernández
- Susy Hinestroza
- Alexandra Aguelo
- Lina Marcela Cardona
- Jorge Wilson Gomez
- Wanda Perozzo
- Mariana Liguori
- Laura Alvarado
- Leidy Johana Marin
La Specialization in Childhood and Youth It lasts for 12 months and requires the approval of the following for accreditation:
- 8 mandatory modules
- 2 elective modules
- 2 academic mobility credits
- Final Integrative Project (TIF)
The Specialization accredits 1056 hours/teacher of work and is certified by UManizales, CLACSO and CINDE-CEANJ, with the approval of the Ministry of National Education of Colombia.
Students will have the support of academic tutors who will accompany them through the different curricular areas and guide them in the completion of final projects.
Also, in February 2026 a preparatory cycle with one day dedicated to induction in the use of the CLACSO virtual platform and another dedicated to an inaugural class led by the program coordinator.
- The situation of children and youth in Latin America: conflicts, paradoxes and strengths
- Latin American Critical Thought: Emerging Epistemologies and Methods for Researching Childhoods and Youths
- Childhood and Youth Studies: Epistemic and Methodological Shifts. A First Shift: Political Ontological Hermeneutics
- Children and adolescents: valid interlocutors in today's society?
- Approaches to the analysis of inequalities from an intersectional perspective
- Generations, genders, and persistent forms of production and reproduction of inequalities
- Urban/rural spaces and inequalities in childhood and youth
- Children and young people: Subjects of rights
- Children and youth citizenship in contexts of rights violations
- Social construction of childhood in Latin America and the Caribbean
- Inequalities, violence, and processes of political socialization in settings such as the family and the school
- Introduction to the study of youth
- Experiences related to social exclusion and inclusion, their political participation and their role as active subjects in social and cultural movements
- Support and monitoring of students regarding the guidelines and development of the Final Integrative Work of the Specialization in its preliminary version.
- Decolonial Studies: Afrofeminism and Intersectionality in Childhood and Youth Studies
- Social construction of children: from victimization to generative narratives of early childhood, children, and their relational agents
- Pedagogies of memory for the symbolic reparation of children
- Childhoods and Youth: Violence, Conflicts, Memories and Peacebuilding Processes
- Childhoods and Youth: Social Inequalities and Generational Approach
- Childhood in times of pandemic and human rights: inequalities and violence towards children
- Childhood in the context of migration, inequality and conflict
- Violence and necropolitics
- Broadening the perspective on childhood, focusing on its resilience and re-existence in contexts of vulnerability, with an emphasis on the effects of the pandemic and post-pandemic
- In-depth study of youth, with a detailed analysis of public policies and their impact on youth life, as well as the ways in which young people shape their political and cultural identities
- Cross-cutting support and review of the Specialization's Final Integrative Project. This promotes research within the specialization, leading to the development of Final Integrative Projects (TIF), fostering theoretical and practical training that integrates empirical research on the program's topics.
Mobility credits aim to enrich training through activities outside the specialization. Two credits must be earned in this modality.
They can be obtained by taking postgraduate seminars, completing MOOCs at the University of Manizales, presenting papers at academic events, or publishing articles or book chapters.
All activities must be carried out during the academic year and will be evaluated by the tutor and approved according to the criteria of the University of Manizales.
Important: Registration for these activities, as well as any associated costs (tuition, travel, materials, etc.), are the responsibility of each student.
1. Apply for the specialization by accessing the online application system. There you will need to complete your personal information and upload:
- National Identity Document (both sides)
- Undergraduate degree certificate (for those who studied in Colombia) or apostilled degree certificate* (for those who studied in another country). *If you are unable to complete the apostille process during the registration period, you may still upload your degree certificate and complete the process during the course. However, please note that you will not be able to receive your specialist degree until you submit your duly apostilled undergraduate degree certificate.
- Health insurance affiliation certificate (only for residents of Colombia)
2- Once you complete your application form, you will need to wait for technical approval. This process usually takes 15 days.
3- If your application was accepted, you will receive an email with the steps to follow to pay your tuition and formally complete your registration.
4- Finally, in February you will receive the access credentials to the CLACSO Virtual platform where the preparatory cycle and the course will be held starting in March 2026.
| General registration (from 19/12/25 to 05/02/26) |
Registration without discount (from 06/02/26 to 01/03/26) |
3 installments | |
| General rate | $4.000 | $4.000 | - |
| Link with CLACSO Member Center, UManizales and CINDE/CEANJ | USD 460 (1) | $570 | USD 750 (3 x USD 250) |
| No link | USD 660 (2) | $960 | USD 1.290 (3 x USD 430) |
• General registration (from 19/12/25 to 05/02/26)
General rate: $4.000
Link with CLACSO Member Center, UManizales and CINDE/CEANJ: USD 460
No link: $660
• Registration without discount (from 06/02/26 to 01/03/26)
General rate: $4.000
Link with CLACSO Member Center, UManizales and CINDE/CEANJ: USD 570
No link: $960
• 3 installments
General rate: -
Link with CLACSO Member Center, UManizales and CINDE/CEANJ: USD 750 (3 x USD 250)
No link: USD 1.290 (3 x USD 430)
(2) Value with a 90% scholarship, granted as support for the academic training of people linked to CLACSO Member Centers, University of Manizales, CINDE/ CEANJ within the framework of this agreement.
(3) Value with 85% scholarship, granted as support for academic training for people who do not have a direct link with CLACSO Member centers, University of Manizales, CINDE/ CEANJ within the framework of this agreement.
The Specialization is aimed at university graduates; postgraduate students; teachers; activists and members of trade union organizations, social movements and political parties; public officials; press workers; members and managers of non-governmental organizations and professionals interested in deepening and updating their knowledge on the subject.
A university degree/undergraduate degree or equivalent is required.
1. Apply for the specialization by accessing the online application system. There you will need to complete your personal information and upload:
- National Identity Document (both sides)
- Undergraduate degree certificate (for those who studied in Colombia) or apostilled degree certificate* (for those who studied in another country)
*If you are unable to complete the apostille process during the registration period, you can still upload your degree and complete the process during the course. However, please note that you will not be able to receive your specialist degree until you submit your undergraduate degree with the apostille.
- Health insurance affiliation certificate (only for residents of Colombia)
2. Once you submit your application form, you will need to wait for technical approval. This process usually takes 15 days.
3. If your application was accepted, you will receive an email with the steps to follow to pay your tuition and formally complete your registration.
4. Finally, in December you will receive the access credentials to the CLACSO Virtual platform where the preparatory cycle and the course will be held starting in March 2026.
Classes will be held between March and December 2026.
All students will receive the necessary instructions to access classes, bibliography, and discussion forums through the platform CLACSO Virtual.
Accessing and navigating the Virtual Learning Environment is very simple and user-friendly. In any case, a technical and academic support team will always be available to you.
The specialization combines asynchronous (pre-recorded) classes with synchronous sessions. The course is primarily delivered asynchronously, allowing each student to organize their study time according to their availability. At the beginning of each module, the coordinator will provide the schedule of synchronous sessions. Participation in these live sessions is highly recommended, although it is not a requirement for passing the course.
Mobility credits aim to enrich training through activities outside the specialization. Two credits must be earned in this modality.
They can be obtained by taking postgraduate seminars, completing MOOCs at the University of Manizales, presenting papers at academic events, or publishing articles or book chapters.
All activities must be carried out during the academic year and will be evaluated by the tutor and approved according to the criteria of the University of Manizales.
Important: Registration for these activities, as well as any associated costs (tuition, travel, materials, etc.), are the responsibility of each student.
You must pass 8 mandatory modules, two elective modules, 2 academic mobility credits and the Final Integrative Work (TIF).
All training courses must be completed and passed - without exception - in order to receive the specialist title.
Yes, the Specialist degree will be awarded by the University of Manizales in partnership with CLACSO and CEANJ. It is an official degree with accredited registration issued by the Colombian Ministry of National Education.
The graduation fee is approximately USD 20 (price to be reconfirmed upon completion of the process). Shipping the diploma in physical format (optional) will incur an additional fee, which will be communicated in due course.
Yes, it is possible to legalize or validate a specialization outside of Colombia (the country where the degree is registered). The legalization process is personal and must be carried out independently by each individual according to the requirements of their country of residence.
| General registration (from 19/12/25 to 05/02/26) |
Registration without discount (from 06/02/26 to 01/03/26) |
3 installments | |
| General rate | $4.000 | $4.000 | - |
| Link with CLACSO Member Center, UManizales and CINDE/CEANJ | USD 460 (1) | $570 | USD 750 (3 x USD 250) |
| No link | USD 660 (2) | $960 | USD 1.290 (3 x USD 430) |
• General registration (from 19/12/25 to 05/02/26)
General rate: $4.000
Link with CLACSO Member Center, UManizales and CINDE/CEANJ: USD 460
No link: $660
• Registration without discount (from 06/02/26 to 01/03/26)
General rate: $4.000
Link with CLACSO Member Center, UManizales and CINDE/CEANJ: USD 570
No link: $960
• 3 installments
General rate: -
Link with CLACSO Member Center, UManizales and CINDE/CEANJ: USD 750 (3 x USD 250)
No link: USD 1.290 (3 x USD 430)
(2) Value with a 90% scholarship, granted as support for the academic training of people linked to CLACSO Member Centers, University of Manizales, CINDE/ CEANJ within the framework of this agreement.
(3) Value with 85% scholarship, granted as support for academic training for people who do not have a direct link with CLACSO Member centers, University of Manizales, CINDE/ CEANJ within the framework of this agreement.
For any other questions, please contact us at [email protected]
Or send a WhatsApp message to + 5491138801388
For group and institutional discounts, please contact us. [email protected]
