BA (Hons) Applied Community and Youth Work
When can you start this course? | UCAS code | Fees | Course length | Entry requirements
Why choose this course?
- Our course is approved by the National Youth Agency, so you'll gain a recognised professional qualification. It's an exciting programme of study tackling today's major social problems.
- The National Youth Agency has awarded this course in their highest awarding category which reflects the excellent teaching you'll receive on the course.
- With relevant work experience you can get on to the course without formal qualifications.
- The agency recently visited us and praised us on the quality of the course and our staff.
- They said that the feedback from past and present students about the support they'd received was the warmest they'd ever seen- so you can be confident that we'll do our best for you too.
About the course
Youth and community work is changing as the pressures faced by young people and their communities are becoming more severe and more complicated. Youth and community workers deal with the problems of homelessness, poverty, drug misuse, crime and abuse.
We've designed a course which equips you to meet these challenges. You'll have the opportunity to develop the understanding, skills and practical experience you need to work positively with others. You'll look at the destructive effect of inequalities and how you can positively respond to the challenge of equal opportunities.
Some people who join this course don't have formal qualifications and often doubt their ability to study, but they do have a good track record of working with young people and adults in the community. If this sounds like you, you can be sure that this course will build on the strengths you bring: your experience, your commitment and your willingness to learn.
Find out more about what subjects and modules you'll be studying...Your career
There is a national shortage of qualified community and youth workers. Here are just some of the areas you could work in when you've completed the course:
- Youth and community centres
- Hostels for homeless young people and adults
- Work with excluded pupils
- Projects based on youth arts, youth offending, drug and alcohol misuse, asylum seeking and health education.
If you're already employed in community and youth work, you can use this setting for most of your assessed placements.
What our students say
"The course has been brilliant. It wasn't easy to start with. I never did all that well at school and it took me a while to get the hang of writing essays. I'd worked for the youth service part time and never thought of it as full time job. It was just something I liked doing. Now I'm a qualified worker. I knew I'd learn about the youth work but didn't realise how much I'd learn about me."
How you'll learn
Different people learn best in different ways and so the course adopts a variety of methods to enable your learning. Throughout the course, but in the first year in particular, learning is based upon your personal and professional experience. Reflecting on your own and others' experience, discussion, reading and placement practice gives you the raw materials with which to analyse and improve your work. The following are some of the means by which the course helps you learn:
- lectures
- small and large group discussions
- workshops
- student presentations
- tutorials
- placements and placement supervision.
- study support groups
- learning partners
- self-assessments
- formal written assignments and their research
In addition to the core tutor team, there are also visiting speakers from the field and supervisors who work with you during your fieldwork placements. One of the most valuable resources for your learning is the members of your student group and students at other levels of the course. Learning takes place both formally in timetabled sessions and informally wherever course members meet.
How you're assessed
There are no examinations. Assessment takes place through placement practice and written assignments. Assessment varies according to what is being assessed. For example, you may be asked to do all or any of the following:
- assess your own strengths and weakness
- evaluate your learning during the placement
- design, deliver and evaluate a social education package with young people
- analyse your professional practice in the placement
- make a presentation to your student group and evaluate the process
- write and evaluate a funding application
- reflect on different approaches to counselling and their relevance to the worker.
Assessments are phased over the academic year and support for your written work is offered in the module sessions and in tutorials. Managing your time and energy and using the available support are some of the most important ingredients in successfully completing assessments.
Work placements
There are three placements, one in each stage. Placements provide one of the most significant parts of the course, both in terms of the credits gained and the learning involved for each student. Students identify their professional and personal needs and are matched to placements accordingly, or where appropriate, may use their current employment. Students speak highly of their experiences on placement, often finding employment as a result of their work.
Anything else?
There's a national shortfall of qualified community and youth workers. Current social policies have recognised the need for work with youth people and with communities to tackle a range of social problems. We recruit a wide range of experienced, interesting, committed people, many of whom had never expected to study at university but who prove to themselves that they can. We offer advisory interviews if you wish to discuss your application and/or meet current students.
Start dates
If you're from the UK or EU you can apply to study this course in:
- September 2010 (part time only, if available)
- September 2011
See a list of courses we are still taking applications for in September 2010.
If you're from a country outside the EU you can apply to study this course full time in:
- September 2010
- September 2011
UCAS code
L530
Fees *
UK/EU students
- Full time: £3,290 (each year)
International students
- Full time: £8,500 (each year)
*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2010 and August 2011. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year and there may be extra costs eg for exams, trips or special modules.
Course length
Full time: Degree - 3 years.
Part time: Degree - 4 - 5 years. Study routes are negotiated to fit in with your work and personal needs.
Entry requirements
Some people who join this course don't have formal qualifications and often doubt their ability ...
