MA Childhood, Youth and Family Studies: Youth Work Pathway

This course is aimed specifically for those wanting to work with young people in a variety of settings giving you the skills and knowledge to pursue or develop your career in youth work. It runs alongside our MA Childhood Youth and Family Studies

The broad level of understanding provided by this course allows you to build your knowledge of the theories that underpin youth work across the range of youth services both in statutory and voluntary settings. You explore the cultural and social constructions of childhood youth and families including the impact such constructions have on young people’s everyday lives.

This Youth Work Pathway is validated by the University and the National Youth Agency providing you with a professional qualification in youth work. This means you need to be in a paid or voluntary placement while studying the course completing 400 practice hours across nine months if studying full-time or two years if studying part-time. You need to have a named placement supervisor at the practice setting who will oversee your work and sign off your practice at the end when you submit your Professional Practice Portfolio. If you are not currently in practice we can support you to find a placement but this must be confirmed along with a DBS check before the start of the course.

Why choose this course?

• Explore the theory practice research and policy that underpins youth and family services
• Build your evidence-based knowledge and skills and learn to apply them to the changing contexts of young people in a globalised world
• Develop your understanding of children’s rights; the ideologies of welfare; the responsibilities for welfare; and their practical application
• Challenge yourself by undertaking an independent research project in a subject area of interest
• Learn from research-active academics who publish frequently including books and articles in world-leading academic journals and also feature regularly in local and national media