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Social Science, Community Development and Youth Work

Entry requirements


A level

C,C

You should have one year's full-time (or two years' part-time) work experience (paid or voluntary) in a related field. In some cases it may be possible to admit applicants on the basis of practical experience alone, provided that evidence of this experience is presented at interview.

Pass with 45 Level 3 credits including a number of distinctions/merits in subject specific modules. You should also have one year's full-time (or two years' part-time) work experience (paid or voluntary) in a related field. In some cases it may be possible to admit applicants on the basis of practical experience alone, provided that evidence of this experience is presented at interview.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MPP

You should have one year's full-time (or two years' part-time) work experience (paid or voluntary) in a related field. In some cases it may be possible to admit applicants on the basis of practical experience alone, provided that evidence of this experience is presented at interview.

Scottish Higher

C,C,C,C,C

You should have one year's full-time (or two years' part-time) work experience (paid or voluntary) in a related field. In some cases it may be possible to admit applicants on the basis of practical experience alone, provided that evidence of this experience is presented at interview.

T Level

Pass (C and above)


Each application will be considered on its individual merits. Where the T Level subject area does not directly match the degree programme being applied for, the personal statement and reference will be particularly important in demonstrating interest, enthusiasm and suitability for the subject. You should have one year's full-time (or two years' part-time) work experience (paid or voluntary) in a related field. In some cases it may be possible to admit applicants on the basis of practical experience alone, provided that evidence of this experience is presented at interview.

UCAS Tariff

64-105

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About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

Youth and community work

Community work

This programme is ideal if you have some experience of community and youth work. Challenging, dynamic and interactive, it presents opportunities for critical reflection and exploration of recent developments in the field.

- The BA Social Science, Community Development and Youth Work enables students to examine practice with young people and communities through the lens of the main social science perspectives.

- Combining academic study in the social sciences with fieldwork placements in community development and youth work, the programme will enable you to develop as a youth and community development worker equipped for the particular contexts and challenges of the twenty-first century.

- The programme is underpinned by a commitment to social justice and equalities and provides opportunities to specialise in areas such as youth offending, community arts, faith-based practice, conflict transformation, international development and community enterprise.

**Why study BA Social Science, Community Development & Youth Work at Goldsmiths**
- You'll undertake placements in several community and youth work settings, and will gain invaluable experience that will enhance your employability.

- The degree can lead to careers in the broad community development, community and youth work field in statutory, voluntary and independent sectors.

- Our lecturers have extensive experience in the community and youth work sector, and work closely with you to maximise your potential.

- You'll learn how to analyse relevant theoretical concepts and social policies, and how to link them to practical situations and your personal practice.

- You'll attend a three-day residential module in the January of the first year, where you'll get to know other students and staff, while participating in programmed activities.

- Teaching methods encourage maximum student participation, and include lectures, seminars, group and individual tutorials, group work training meetings, workshops, and practical exercises.

**Our graduates**
Former students have gone on to work as community development workers, substance misuse workers, and youth workers in a range of settings, including schools and youth offending teams.

The degree is professionally recognised by the National Youth Agency (NYA) and endorsed by the Endorsement and Quality Standards Board for Community Development Learning.

Modules

Residential
The residential at the beginning of the second term in the first year provides the opportunity for you get to know other students and staff, while participating in student-programmed activities. The module takes place at a residential centre and there is no extra cost.

Year 1 (credit level 4)
In your first year you will study the following compulsory modules:
Introduction to Community Development & Youth Work
Introduction to Applied Research Methods I
Fieldwork Practice I
Race, Racism and Professional Practice
Introduction to Group Work
Introduction to Applied Social Science
Identity, Agency & Environment 2

Year 2 (credit level 5)
In the second year, you take the following compulsory modules:
Group Work in Theory
Group Work in Practice
Fieldwork Practice 2
Theory, Policy and Politics
Applied Research Methods 2
Community Development and Youth Work in Context

You then choose one module from the following list of options:
Arts in the Community
Global Youth Work and International Development
Youth Justice
Religion, Belief and Spirituality in Professional Practice
The Goldsmiths Elective

Year 3 (credit level 6)
In the third year you take the following compulsory modules:
Fieldwork Practice 3
Social Justice in Community Development and Youth Work
Management and Leadership
Critical Engagement with Social Policy
Dissertation

You then choose one option from the following list:
Faith-based youth work
Conflict Transformation
Enterprise in Communities

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Assessment methods

You’ll be assessed through a combination of coursework, assignment, presentation, dissertation, self-reflection reports and portfolio.

The Uni


Course location:

Goldsmiths, University of London

Department:

Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

93%
Youth and community work
93%
Community work

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Social work

Teaching and learning

81%
Staff make the subject interesting
85%
Staff are good at explaining things
85%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
93%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

77%
Library resources
89%
IT resources
100%
Course specific equipment and facilities
41%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

99%
UK students
1%
International students
13%
Male students
87%
Female students
88%
2:1 or above
24%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
D

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

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.

£20,000
med
Average annual salary
94%
low
Employed or in further education
84%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

63%
Welfare professionals
30%
Welfare and housing associate professionals
4%
Childcare and related personal services

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.

£31k

£31k

£28k

£28k

£29k

£29k

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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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here