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You may enter this course after completing an undergraduate degree in a related subject, or after having spent a short or long time out of education. Many students on this MA will have part-time or full-time jobs in the field of child, youth or community services, and keep them while studying flexibly around their professional commitments. 

As a prospective student, you may have a background in one or more of the following areas, or may plan on building your career in them:

• Youth Services
• Families Services
• Childcare
• Early Years Education
• Social Care
• Community Development
• Play Work
• Civil Servants
• Third Sector Organisations
• Blue Light Services (particularly the police)
• Youth Justice
• Health Services.

If you already have at least two years’ experience in a relevant occupation, you may wish to look at the Professional Doctorate in Children’s, Young People’s and Community’s Services. 

2:2 honours degree  

• or UWTSD recognised equivalent. 

Alternative entry routes  

• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCert). This is the first part of the full Master’s degree. 

Once you have successfully completed your PGCert studies, you will be eligible to progress for the remainder of the Master’s degree. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

These are ideal routes if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;

Admissions Advice and Support  

For specific advice and support you can contact our enquiries team for more information about entry requirements. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

English language requirements  

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

Visit the International Applications section of our website to find out more about our English Language Requirements and pre-sessional English Language Courses. 

Visa and funding requirements  

If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

For courses of more than six months’ duration you will require a Student visa. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;

For full information read our visa application and guides. â¶Ä¯â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;

Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

The programme uses a range of assessment types. In some modules, you will be assessed through portfolios, blog submissions, and a conference-style presentation. In others, assessment consists of a research proposal, completed ethics form and research report.

For all types of assessment, staff will provide feedback to allow you to develop your ideas and respond to constructive advice before the final submission. 

The range of assessment types will develop your skills in academic writing, giving presentations in front of an audience, reflective practice, critical thinking and research design. 

Students may choose to purchase textbooks to support their studies. This is not required as texts are generally available in the library or online. Textbook costs range from £20 to Â£100.

There may be opportunities to attend research conference(s), where this may be appropriate for the student and related to their research interest. Costs range from £50–£500 depending on location and length of attendance.

Some modules in this course are available to study through the medium of Welsh either fully or partially. In all cases students will be able to submit written assessments through the medium of Welsh.  

If you choose to study your course either fully or partially through the medium of Welsh, you may be eligible to apply for scholarships and bursaries to support you with your studies. 

We are continuously reviewing our Welsh medium provision, the precise availability of modules will vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course offers modules available through the medium of Welsh this may vary from year to year, and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific Welsh medium modules cannot be guaranteed.  

Extracurricular Welsh Opportunities 

There are many ways to engage with Welsh culture and life at UWTSD, including joining clubs and societies for Welsh speakers and becoming a member of our vibrant Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol branch. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

Opportunities to Learn Welsh 

We also provide a variety of opportunities to learn and develop your Welsh language skills. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit our Scholarships and Bursaries section.

Discussions and feedback from organisations active in the area of children’s and young people’s services has been used in the design of the course, and will continue to inform future developments in the programme’s aims and content. This ensures that our students gain professionally relevant skills and knowledge of unambiguous value to current and future employers. 

This Master’s degree fills a gap in the provision of focused MA routes in the field of Early Years. As a graduate of the programme, you would have a distinct, sophisticated skillset that would set you apart from your peers. The advanced critical abilities and expertise gained from your studies would enhance your career progression opportunities and employability across various criteria. 

Under the Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, you would achieve the following learning outcomes:

• Spotting opportunities
• Creativity
• Ethical and sustainable thinking
• Motivation and perseverance
• Taking the initiative
• Planning and management
• Coping with uncertainty, ambiguity and risk
• Learning through experience.