Youth and Community Work

Why study with us?

Are you passionate about enabling young people to achieve their full potential? This programme provides an exciting opportunity for students to study for a professional qualification in work with young people, adults and community groups in a range of voluntary, local authority and not for profit organisations. You will develop your skills and knowledge in a supportive university community, alongside three practical placements, providing you with the perfect platform to begin a career in this field.

The University of Cumbria has a national reputation, developed over the past 25 years, for providing high quality and challenging programmes of training for Youth and Community Work. Our team of academic staff have substantial youth and community work experience and are committed to offering a positive student experience which builds on students strengths. We offer teaching and learning opportunities which pro-actively respond to student diversity, supporting all students at every stage of their learning.

What can this course lead to?

The BA (Hons) Youth and Community Work programme will provide you with a much sought after qualification which will enable you to work in a diverse range of youth and community settings, within statutory and voluntary sectors, including youth services, domestic violence charities, homeless hostels, work in the outdoors, drug and alcohol projects, prisons, young offender institutions, Young Enterprise initiatives and Connexions partnerships.

A number of our graduates now successfully lead and manage youth organisations and services across the UK. Other graduates have built their careers in training and educating future generations of Youth and Community Workers at universities across the country and at the University of Cumbria.

Resources and facilities

We have several excellent resources to help you excel in your studies. All students have access to our Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment which can provide easy online access to course information, course materials, relevant web links and an online discussion board.

We have a well-stocked library and a Learning Gateway, which offers an interactive, flexible space to study. You can also take advantage of Library and Student Services (LiSS), which provides learning resources, equipment, student advice, skills training and study space.

Have a look at our learning resources for Youth and Community Work.

Student work

Second year undergraduate students produced an information resource pack and DVD for the 'Discrimination, Oppression and Youth Work' module.

The resource aims to educate young people and communities about gender equality from a global perspective.

It offers a wide range of interactive activities, case studies, group activities and quizzes to engage groups.

Entry requirements

80 UCAS tariff points

Find out more about qualification options from the UCAS tariff table.

Please check selection criteria for any additional entry requirements.

Credit and UCAS requirements UCAS code: L530 UCAS points: 80 Selection criteria

Applicants who are unable to offer one ‘A’ level or equivalent, or provide evidence of study within the last 5-6 years, may be required to demonstrate competencies or skills via prior experiential learning and/or pre-course assessment procedures as appropriate.

Candidates should be assured that we consider all aspects of an application, not just qualifications and grades; above all we look for motivation, commitment and potential – ability to benefit from study at higher education level.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate experience of varied work activities in at least one youth and community work setting. Costs

Click to view information on your study type and home location.

Full-time students

Home

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount).

As a full-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 per annum (if you're from England) or £15,795 (if you're from Scotland). You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan (up to £5,500) and a maintenance grant (up to £3,354). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount).

As a full-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 per annum (or the equivalent in your country). For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Utilities trust

International

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year is £9,960.

Fees are billed annually and may be paid by the student or a sponsor. 75 percent of the annual tuition fees must be paid before or at registration. For students requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa, a deposit of £3,500 is expected as a minimum before a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) will be issued. For more information, visit our international student finance page.

Early payment discount

If you are paying your own fees, you may be eligible for an early payment discount of £1,000. This discount is awarded to students who pay in full before registration.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

International scholarship

If you are studying a full-time bachelor's degree (excluding teacher training and NHS-funded courses) or a top-up degree, you may be eligible for an international scholarship. The university has nine scholarships available. Find out more on our scholarships page.

Additional financial support

Our money doctors will be on hand throughout the year to help you manage your money while you’re in the UK. However, if you do happen to run into financial difficulty during your time here, you may be able to access a small emergency support fund.

Part-time students

Home

The tuition fee for students starting study in the 2013/14 academic year is £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount). This fee is billed annually. For part-time students, the annual fee is calculated based on the number of years you take to complete your course. For example, a student studying part-time for six years may expect to pay £4,125 per year.

As a part-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning over £21,000 a year (if you're from England) or £15,795 (if you're from Scotland). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Part-time students may be eligible for one of 40 NSP awards worth up to £3,000.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for students starting study in the 2013/14 academic year is £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount). This fee is billed annually. For part-time students, the annual fee is calculated based on the number of years you take to complete your course. For example, a student studying part-time for six years may expect to pay £4,125 per year.

As a part-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning over £21,000 a year. For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Part-time students may be eligible for one of 40 NSP awards worth up to £3,000.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Utilities trust

UCAS Link

Visit UCAS

Modules

For detailed summary of all course content please read our programme specification for this course (PDF).

Course summary

Building on students’ experiences of working with young people and adults in community based organisations, the BA (Hons) Youth and Community Work will expand and enhance your knowledge, understanding and skills within a positive and challenging programme of study.

The academic study of sociology, psychology, child and adolescent development law, values and ethics and interpersonal skills will be complemented by three varied and exciting practical placement opportunities in local authority, national, regional and local voluntary organisations, predominantly in Cumbria and Lancashire.

A wide range of teaching methods are employed throughout the course and includes: formal lectures, tutorials, seminar activities, workshop activities, directed study and reading, presentations, individual and group projects, research projects, problem-based learning, case study analysis, role plays and simulations, posters and exhibitions of work, debates, library and study skills exercises.

Case studies

"What I love about the course is the variety in the content. Modules vary greatly which enables me to develop and expand on my existing knowledge.

During the course I have received support from all members of the module teaching staff and the university.

I currently volunteer with a children's charity (CHICKS) in Devon, which works with disadvantaged young people from all over the UK."

Lewis Ames, Graduate
Youth and Community Work