Youth Work and Social Education with Foundation Year (ETS Endorsed)
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
UCAS Code: YWSF | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
UCAS Code: YWSF | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
Entry requirements
UCAS Tariff
The programme requirements are 42 points and above, however entry to the programme is based on individual merit.
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
The Youth Work and Social Education with Foundation Year (BA) degree is a perfect start for those looking to make a real difference in the lives of young people. This foundation year is designed to build your confidence and skills, preparing you for the rest of the degree, which is ETS endorsed and gives you a professional qualification in youth work. The course addresses the serious challenges young people face today, from trauma and adverse childhood experiences to issues like substance misuse and County Lines. You’ll explore these topics through a social science lens, building skills to support young people through complex situations in a positive way.
Youth work is often called the "best-kept secret" because of its powerful impact. Unlike many other professions, youth work focuses on building strong, positive relationships, with the goal of empowering young people to develop resilience and resourcefulness. The programme centres on this relationship-building as a way to create lasting change, and teaches students how to support youth through a range of issues. With a blend of theory, policy, and practice, students learn how these foundations intersect in the real world, ensuring they are equipped not only as knowledgeable academics but also as skilled practitioners who can work effectively with young people.
Students will be immersed in youth mentoring and advocacy, learning how to help young people reach their potential while addressing essential issues such as health and well-being and children’s rights. Through structured placements and fieldwork, they gain hands-on experience that is invaluable in the workplace, enhancing both their understanding of youth work and their employability in youth and community roles. This practical experience is vital preparation for future community work, where graduates will be able to contribute positively to social justice and community development in a range of environments, from schools and youth centres to social services.
This course offers comprehensive youth and community worker training, which is essential for a career supporting children, teenagers, and their communities. With its deep emphasis on education and social inclusion, the programme ensures that students graduate with a balanced understanding of the needs of young people from diverse backgrounds. They leave prepared for meaningful careers, whether in direct youth support roles or in broader community-focused positions. Many professions view the youth work degree as a highly desirable qualification because of the expertise it imparts and its unique focus on the challenges facing today’s youth.
Graduates are ready to work in dynamic roles that demand empathy, resilience, and a commitment to positive change. For anyone who wants to create an impact, this degree offers the tools to become an influential and compassionate youth worker, capable of leading in the field of youth work and social education.
Modules
In the foundation year, you’ll build essential academic and personal skills to help you thrive at university and beyond. You’ll be introduced to the basics of youth work practice and the role of a youth worker, learning how to approach your studies confidently while beginning to understand what it means to work with young people.
An introduction to Youth Work Practice (60 Credits)
Academic Survival Skills (30 Credits)
An introduction to University Life (30 Credits)
Your second year develops a deeper understanding of adolescence and introduces core professional practice principles for working with young people. You’ll learn valuable skills in counselling, mindfulness, and advocacy and explore key issues around rights, empowerment, and participation to prepare you for youth work roles that support positive change.
Professional Practice: Principles and Contexts of Work with Young People (20 credits)
Understanding Adolescence (20 credits)
Counselling Skills, Mindfulness and Therapeutic Practice (20 credits)
Young People and Society 1: Advocacy, Empowerment, Participation and Rights (20 credits)
Youth Work Practice 1: preparing the workforce (20 credits)
Academic Study Skills for Students (20 credits)
In the third year, you’ll study social research methods and strengthen your skills in leadership and management, all while expanding your practical experience through advanced youth work practice. You’ll also explore current issues such as mental health, well-being, and adverse childhood experiences, learning to support young people in a variety of complex situations.
Social Research for Professional Practice (20 credits)
Supervision, Leadership and Management for Professionals (20 credits)
No one is too small to make a difference: Working with young people to create a climate of change (20 credits)
Young People and Society 2: Mental Health, Well-being and Adverse Childhood Experiences (20 credits)
Youth Work Practice 2: Developing Practice (40 credits)
Your final year focuses on advanced topics in youth work, including trauma, exploitation, and resilience. You’ll also undertake a dissertation, researching a youth work topic of your choice, which allows you to deepen your knowledge and gain expertise in an area that interests you. By the end of the course, you’ll be well-prepared for a rewarding career in youth and community work
Youth Work Practice 3: Leading and Managing (20 credits)
Young People in Focus (20 credits)
Young People and Society 3: Trauma, Exploitation and Toxic Childhood (20 credits)
Young People's Well-being and Resilience (20 credits)
Dissertation (40 Credits)
Assessment methods
Assessments are designed to reflect the requirements of the field of work with young people and develop wide-ranging employability skills in students. There are no exams.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
Carmarthen Campus
Childhood, Youth and Education Studies
What students say
How do students rate their degree experience?
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Social work
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
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Social work
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
We're short of social workers - so if you want a degree that is in demand, then this could be the one for you! There's a shortage of social workers all over the UK, and graduates can specialise in specific fields such as mental health or children's social work. If you decide social work is not for you, then social work graduates also often go into management, education, youth and community work and even nursing. Starting salaries for this degree can reflect the high proportion of graduates who choose a social work career - social work graduates get paid, on average, more than graduates overall, but not all options pay as well as social work. This is also an unusual subject in that London isn't one of the more common places to find jobs - so if you want to get a job near to your home or your university this might be worth thinking about.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Social work
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£20k
£22k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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