Community Youth Work PgDip/MSc

Program Overview

The Community Youth Work PgDip/MSc program at Ulster University equips students with the professional qualifications and critical understanding to become qualified Community Youth Workers. Through a combination of theoretical and practical modules, students develop reflective, analytical, and problem-solving skills essential for working with vulnerable young people and communities. The program emphasizes creating an engaging, challenging, and supportive learning environment, preparing graduates for careers in the statutory, community, and voluntary sectors.

Program Outline

Community Youth Work PgDip/MSc at Ulster University - Part-time Postgraduate Study

Degree Overview:

• Overall aim: To produce qualified Community Youth Workers who can undertake key roles to the required professional standard.
• Vision: A shared society where young people are equal partners.
• Outcomes: Successful completion of the PgDip program equips graduates with the professional qualifications and a critical understanding of a complex body of knowledge.
They will also develop reflective, analytical, and problem-solving skills suitable for various employment opportunities in the profession. The ability to evaluate evidence, arguments, and assumptions, to reach sound judgments and communicate effectively are also key learning outcomes. Completion of the PgDip enables graduates to pursue the MSc program by dissertation.

Outline:

• Assessed Practice: Develops vocational skills in the work setting and tests out theoretical principles in practice through two placements with distinct assessment focuses.
• The Pedagogy and Practice of Community Youth Work: Critically engages with the pedagogical models that underpin a community youth work approach, including understanding philosophical traditions, educational systems, human development models, and effective individual and group work practices.

Year Two:

• Power, Inequality and Anti-Oppressive Practice: Equips students to work with vulnerable young people and communities through a social and educational vision of justice and equality, addressing power imbalances, inequality, and discrimination.
• Ethical Leadership, Management and Supervision: Explores the essential nature of leadership and management, leadership-management relationships, and supervision skills for developing people and practice.
• Critical Thinking and Professional Development: Enables critical reflection on practice as a tool for professional development and the sharing of best practices in youth work settings.

Year Three:

• Dissertation (Community Youth Work): Culminating experience of the MSc program, involving sustained independent research on the practice, knowledge and understanding in a specific youth work context, with a focus on improving the participant's critical reflection, personal and professional understanding, and practice excellence.

Assessment:

• Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module.
• Types of assessment include examinations, coursework, and dissertations.
• Assessment is designed to measure student achievement of module learning outcomes and may be individually assessed or issued to the group as a whole, with encouragement to utilize feedback for personal development.
• Coursework can take various forms, including essays, reports, seminar papers, tests, presentations, dissertations, design artefacts, portfolios, journals, and group work.

Teaching:

• The program emphasizes creating a learning environment that is:
• Engaging:
Facilitates active participation and collaborative learning.
• Challenging: Encourages critical thinking and reflection.
• Supportive: Provides appropriate guidance and feedback to foster student growth.
• Teaching staff includes qualified professionals with relevant expertise and experience in the field of youth work.
• Teaching methods may vary depending on specific modules and may include:
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Tutorials
• Workshops
• Group discussions
• Field trips
• Work-based learning
• Online learning

Careers:

• Career options: Graduates can pursue careers across the statutory, community, and voluntary sectors.
• Key duties for professional youth workers:
• Managing and developing a range of services
• Developing staff and facilities
• Working with other agencies to develop services across the community
• Leading project development and implementation
• Management responsibility for staff
• Qualifying as a Community Youth Worker: Graduates will be qualified Community Youth Workers equipped to undertake key roles to the required standard.

Other:

• Attendance: One day per week, currently Tuesday, at the Magee campus.
• Start date: September 2024
• Professional recognition: Recognized by the North/South Education and Training Standards Committee for Youth Work (NSETS) (JNC Recognized).

The price of your overall programme will be determined by the number of credit points that you initiate in the relevant academic year. For modules commenced in the academic year 2024/25, the following fees apply: Fees Credit Points NI/ROI/GB Cost International Cost Credit Points 5 NI/ROI/GB Cost £194.45 International Cost £474.70 Credit Points 10 NI/ROI/GB Cost £388.90 International Cost £949.40 Credit Points 15 NI/ROI/GB Cost £583.35 International Cost £1,424.10 Credit Points 20 NI/ROI/GB Cost £777.80 International Cost £1,898.80 Credit Points 30 NI/ROI/GB Cost £1,166.70 International Cost £2,848.20 Credit Points 60 NI/ROI/GB Cost £2,333.40 International Cost £5,696.40 Credit Points 120 NI/ROI/GB Cost £4,666.80 International Cost £11,392.80 Credit Points 180 NI/ROI/GB Cost £7000.20 International Cost £17,089.20 NB: A standard full-time PGCert is equivalent to 60 credit points per year. A standard full-time PGDip is equivalent to 120 credit points per year. More information can be found in the Visas and Immigration section. Where the postgraduate course selected offers multiple awards (e.g. PG Cert, PG Dip, Masters), please note that the price displayed is for the complete Masters programme. Postgraduate certificates and diplomas are charged at a pro-rata basis. Additional mandatory costs It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees. Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses. Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.