Foundation Degree in Working with Young People

Course information:
Foundation Degree in Working with Young People

Course summary:
Is face-to-face work with young people an important part of your current employment? If so, and you want to improve your qualifications and career prospects, then this could well be the right course for you.
Have you been working with young people for at least a year? Are you keen to share your thinking and experiences and relate them to underlying principles and theory?
Are you looking to progress your career and possibly gain a professional qualification? This course will enable you to progress to the final year of a BA(Hons) to gain a recognised professional qualification.
You will explore ways to improve your work with young people. You must be committed to social justice and be able to demonstrate your understanding of equal opportunities. You must also be able to demonstrate that you are capable of a level of basic study skills.

Course content:

Level 1

• The social context of working with young people
• Practice studies
• Individual context for working with young people
• Research Skills 1
• Work-based module

Level 2

• The policy context of working with young people
• The organisational context for working with young people
• Practice studies
• Group work with young people
• Research Skills 2
• Work-based module

Your modules include practical projects in your own workplace. You will complete one such project in each of the two years of the programme.
All modules will draw on what you have learnt from life experiences and how they have shaped your attitudes and values.

Course structure:
This is a two-year part-time programme for those who work with young people. It's designed to fit alongside your usual paid work, which means that you can still earn even as you learn. Some of the modules involve you completing projects where you usually work.
You can expect a variety of teaching methods including lecturing, small group work, one-to-ones and tutorials and self-directed learning.

Assessment procedure:
Assessment is through essays, group and individual presentations, and the creation of resources.
Taught modules are worth 20 credits each, apart from the research skills modules which are worth 10 credits each. The work-based modules are worth 30 credits each.

Entry requirements:
You must have one year's experience of working with young people. You are expected to be in paid employment in a position that involves substantial work with young peolple.
You must demonstrate a level of study skills such as previous study at A-Levels, Access route or evidence of equivalent abilities in a personal or employment setting.
You need to be aware of equality issues.
You will need to be supported by you employer for your study time and work-based modules.

Qualifications achieved:
Foundation Degree in Working with Young People

Progression opportunities:
With a Foundation Degree you will have wider opportunities in a variety of work with young people. You can develop your career in areas such as youth support, youth offending, health education, mentoring and general youth work.
If you wish you can move on to further courses. For example, just one more year of study at the University of Sunderland could lead to a professionally qualifying BA(Hons) in Community and Youth Studies. Other programmes on offer include Careers Guidance and Applied Professional Practice.

Free study and financial support:
For more information about student loans and grants visit Student Finance England or download our Money Matters for Higher Education 2009/10 booklet.