Youth and Community Leadership MA

Course Content

• Course Details

  This community and youth MA course has been designed to contribute towards achieving the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goal: SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities.

  The degree in youth and community work is professionally validated by the National Youth Agency (NYA) and recognised by the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC).

  The full-time community leadership course runs over a 12 month period from early September until the end of August.  Students study 7 modules, all of which are mandatory and aimed at meeting the contemporary challenges of youth and community leadership, topics studied:

  • Investigating Contemporary Issues – theories and concepts
  • Practice Placements (400 hours – 2 placements of 200 hours each)
  • Leadership and Management – Operational and Strategic
  • Principled Youth and Community Work – theories to practice
  • Transforming Professional Practice – research skills and project development.

  The academic team have professional qualifications and extensive experience within youth and community development, social work and counselling. They maintain and continually develop their professional skills through ongoing practice, leadership and management roles in community based organisations, partnership working in the locality and ongoing research and study.

  To be eligible for the award of MA Youth and Community Leadership, youth and community work students must successfully complete all compulsory modules worth 180 credits.

  In order to gain the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) recognised professional qualification in youth and community work (Validated by the National Youth Agency) students must also pass SWKM031 and SWKM033 (2 x 200 hour placement).

  Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) in Youth and Community Leadership: To be eligible for the award of Postgraduate Diploma students must successfully complete 120 credits.

  Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) in Higher Education: To be eligible for the award of Postgraduate Certificate students must successfully complete 60 credits. Gaining this award does not qualify for a JNC recognised professional qualification in youth and community work

  List of modules:

  Please note the modules shown here relate to the academic year 22/23. The modules relating to the academic year 23/24 will be available from June 2023.

  • Stage 1
    • Principled Youth and Community Work (20 Credits)
      Module code: SWKM029

      Status: Compulsory
      This module applies the theories and models underpinning principled youth and community work to areas of contemporary practice. Students draw on relevant research and evidence-based practice to explore approaches to tackling contemporary issues, and propose and justify their own innovative responses. There is a strong focus on developing and advocating professional values.
    • Operational Leadership and Management (20 Credits)
      Module code: SWKM030

      Status: Compulsory
      This module examines the theory and practice of operational leadership and management in youth and community provision. Students consider the operational decisions needed in a range of contexts, taking into account diverse stakeholder needs, circumstances and resources. The module develops understanding of the responsibilities of the manager in relation to compliance, ethics, assessing risk and the wellbeing of staff, volunteers and those engaging with services.
    • Reflective Youth and Community Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: SWKM031

      Status: Compulsory
      This module enables students to experience working in a professional youth work setting through a 200 hour supervised placement. Students develop the ability to select and apply methods which are research/evidence based to meet the current demands of societal challenges and practice climate. The module draws on understanding of contemporary issues and develops practice methods to equip students to effectively advocate social justice of young people and their communities.
    • Investigating Contemporary Issues (20 Credits)
      Module code: SWKM032

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to critically evaluate the ethical, legal, political, economic and social factors that shape contemporary youth and community work practice. The module explores local, national and global influences, taking an evidence-based approach which develops the analytical and critical thinking skills that underpin contemporary practice.
    • Leading Youth and Community Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: SWKM033

      Status: Compulsory
      This module enables students to develop leadership and management skills through a professional 200 hour supervised placement. Students draw on critical theoretical understanding of leadership and management to analyse and develop their own practice in leading social change for young people and communities in the current professional landscape.
    • Strategic Leadership and Management (20 Credits)
      Module code: SWKM034

      Status: Compulsory
      This module examines the theory and practice of strategic leadership and management in youth and community provision and the decisions needed in a range of contexts, taking into account diverse stakeholder collaborations, contracts and commissions. The module develops understanding of strategic responsibilities in order to make decisions about resourcing provision, influencing and strategy development and monitoring and evaluating its effectiveness.
    • Transforming Professional Practice (60 Credits)
      Module code: SWKM035

      Status: Compulsory
      In this module students identify and investigate an area of current professional practice and, using methods appropriate to the topic and context, propose strategies and solutions. Students consider a range of theories and practical factors informing and influencing youth and community work in order to create an actionable plan to implement change and evaluate its effectiveness.

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• Entry Requirements

  This degree in youth work and community welcomes applicants from those with a wide variety of educational qualifications, including undergraduate degrees as well as those who can demonstrate skills and experience gained through paid or voluntary roles with individuals or communities.

  Applicants should demonstrate:

  • in their personal statement the relevant work or voluntary experience they have gained with young people or adults in a community related setting.
  • All suitable candidates will be required to attend an interview as part of the selection process.

  All offers of a place on the youth and community leadership masters programme are subject to:

  • Successful interview by the University,
  • Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) report (this does not mean an applicant must have a ‘clear’ DBS. However any DBS issues will need to be discussed prior to interview (where possible) and full enrolment on the programme and;
  • an Overseas Police check for those who have resided outside of the UK at any time in the last five years prior to the course start date. (This is in addition to completing the UK DBS unless you have not lived in the UK during the last five years).  It is recommended that you try to obtain the police check prior to coming to the UK, if you are currently living outside of the UK

  English Language Requirements

  All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements for study at postgraduate level:

  • Minimum standard – IELTS 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in each other band (or equivalent).

  For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

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• Fees and Funding

  2023/24 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted for the masters in youth and community leadership course relate to study in the Academic Year 23/24 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK – Full time: £8,010
  • UK – Part time: £890 (20 credits)
  • International – Full Time: £16,500

  2022/23 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 22/23 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK – Full time: £7,650
  • UK – Part time: £850 (20 credits)
  • International – Full Time: £15,000

  Scholarships and Bursaries

  For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.

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• FAQs

  How will I be assessed?

  On the community work course, students will be assessed using tools relevant to practice, whilst these need to meet the academic regulation of the university they are designed to mirror the written, verbal or virtual information used within youth and community leadership practice. For example  a community profile, project plan or funding application rather than an essay require students to evidence their knowledge and understanding whilst using skills relevant to current and future practice.

  What is the Research project about?

  A 60 credit module ‘Transforming Professional Practice’ gives MA students the opportunity of carrying out a research project based on either primary or secondary evidence and linked to a contemporary issue or module topic relevant to the programme.

  Who to contact for more information?

  For further information about the course please contact Victoria Boulton, the Senior Lecturer in MA Youth and Community Leadership, by email: Victoria.Boulton@northampton.ac.uk or Jodie Low, Practice Lead, at: Jodie.Low@northampton.ac.uk

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Careers and Employability

The MA Youth and Community Leadership qualification and professional youth work status (validated by NYA) enables graduates to seek employment in a range of settings across the UK and internationally. These are just some examples of organisations and services that provide opportunities for youth and community leaders:

• Charities and Community Interest Companies.
• Statutory Organisations – local authorities; police and fire service; health service.
• Schools, Colleges and Universities.
• Faith based groups.
• Uniformed services.
• Housing Associations and others.

Roles can be in geographic areas with youth people and communities or in specialist areas of support such as: care leavers; carers; LGBT+;  drug and alcohol services; domestic abuse; access to employment and training; mental health; mentoring; homelessness.