Apply now

Enquire

Enquire Top

Fees and key information

Course type

Undergraduate

UCAS code

L531

Entry requirements

View

Apply for this course

Please select when you would like to start:

Course type Undergraduate

UCAS code L531

Entry requirements View

If you're a UK applicant wanting to study full-time starting in September, you must apply via UCAS unless otherwise specified. If you're an international applicant wanting to study full-time, you can choose to apply via UCAS or directly to the University.

If you're applying for part-time study, you should apply directly to the University. If you require a Student visa, please be aware that you will not be able to study as a part-time student at undergraduate level.

Apply direct Apply via UCAS

Why study this course?

This interdisciplinary degree will develop your skills to work with young people and practise youth work. You'll be introduced to cultural studies, criminology, sociology, youth work, childhood studies and psychology.

This course has a high student satisfaction rate and leads to range of employment opportunities. According to the latest Graduate Outcome Survey, 87.5% of Youth Studies graduates have a meaningful job or have carried on studying.

CEOs and experienced youth practitioners are regularly invited to speak exclusively to our students. These industry experts provide an exciting insight into youth work practice and key issues affecting young people and their communities. They also offer job and placement opportunities for Youth Studies students.

The transition into adulthood is often viewed as challenging and complex, but it’s also a time of fresh opportunities and new discoveries. Young people are represented in a number of social concerns, ranging from unemployment to social relationships and youth protests. At the same time, young people have a pulsating presence in the media and in creative arts.

You’ll explore the phenomenon of youth culture, gaining an understanding of youth in a social, cultural and political context. On top of this, you’ll examine local, national and global issues, plus developments that shape young people’s lives and life experiences.

This Youth Studies BSc will help you develop practical and transferable skills such as computing, video production, plus quantitative and qualitative analysis. These skills will be beneficial to your employment, further education or research.

Our lecturers are qualified and experienced practitioners in youth-centred research. On this course, you’ll also be able to take part in debates with expert external speakers.

The modules are designed to represent different aspects of youth culture and current social issues impacting young people. These include subjects relating and prompting analysis of youth, resistance and social control, as well as exploring and critiquing the notion of self, identity and gender. You can choose to study modules that focus on areas of interest to you.

You’ll be able to examine trending social topics, including the relationship between the media and young people’s cultural experiences and expressions, anti-social behaviour and criminal activity, plus mental health in young people.

In your second year, you'll also have the opportunity to choose our Principles and Practice of Youth Work module, which is co-created by our own Youth Studies students. This module encourages you to think critically about issues affecting young people in contemporary contexts, and introduces applied principles and practice of youth work, as well as theoretical tools for understanding young people.

"Society throws many obstacles and challenges at our young people, many of these you may already have experienced or observed. You may also have read about the 'challenges' and recognised how some of the narrative about young people are incorrect. This is your opportunity to delve deeper into the frameworks, theories and methods of working with young people. Everyone has something worthwhile to contribute, to share your ideas and opinions, and to challenge and critically discuss the impact on young people." Aine Woods, Senior Lecturer in Youth Studies

First in London for student satisfaction

Our childhood and youth studies courses are ranked first in London for overall student satisfaction in the Complete University Guide 2025

Develop a wide range of useful skills

This course will help you develop practical and transferable skills such as computing, video production, plus quantitative and qualitative analysis

Learn from industry professionals

Our lecturers are qualified and experienced practitioners in youth-centred research, and you’ll also be able to take part in debates with expert external speakers

Course details

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you must have at least:

three A-levels with minimum grades BBC, or a minimum of 112 UCAS points from an equivalent level 3 qualification
English Language GCSE at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent, eg Key Skills Level 2 in Communications or Functional Skills Level 2)

We welcome applications from mature candidates without formal qualifications who have relevant experience and can show an ability to study at this level.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course at London Met. Find out more about applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).

English language requirements

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa (previously Tier 4) you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our standard requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

There are no exams on this course. You'll be assessed through presentations, practical reports, reflective accounts, case studies, essays, podcasts and web-based presentations.

Graduates have a wide choice of careers within a rapidly expanding array of commercial, public and voluntary sector bodies; fields of particular relevance include social research, community work, counselling, teaching, youth justice, trainee probation, housing, health, education, welfare rights and drugs services. Previous graduates are now in roles as student support mentors and family case workers for schools, and as caseworkers for housing services for young people.

Continuing your studies with us

London Met has a wide range of exciting industry-linked postgraduate courses available on a full-time and part-time basis in youth work, diplomacy, international relations and sociology. The following courses would be ideal for progression to postgraduate study:

If you've already studied your undergraduate degree with us, as a graduate of London Met, you'll be entitled to a 20% discount on any further study with us.

If you study your undergraduate degree with us, as a graduate of London Met, you'll be entitled to a 20% discount on a postgraduate course if you continue your studies with us.
* exclusions apply

This degree is suitable for individuals interested in:

understanding the diverse lives of young people and their transition into adulthood
gaining knowledge of youth work practice and the key issues affecting young people and their communities
understanding the significance of equality, as well as anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice
working with young people and developing youth and community projects, as well as setting up an organisation or foundation

Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips or professional body fees.

Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.

You can follow Youth Studies and Youth Work at London Met on Twitter to stay up to date with everything that's happening in our community.

Discover Uni – key statistics about this course

Discover Uni is an official source of information about university and college courses across the UK. The widget below draws data from the corresponding course on the Discover Uni website, which is compiled from national surveys and data collected from universities and colleges. If a course is taught both full-time and part-time, information for each mode of study will be displayed here.

How to apply

When to apply

The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) accepts applications for full-time courses starting in September from one year before the start of the course. Our UCAS institution code is L68.

If you will be applying direct to the University you are advised to apply as early as possible as we will only be able to consider your application if there are places available on the course.

To find out when teaching for this degree will begin, as well as welcome week and any induction activities, view our academic term dates.

Meet the team

1/2

Dr Julius Elster

Course leader

Áine Woods

Senior lecturer

News and success stories

Diversity and difference in everyday life

Dr Julius Elster discusses his research into the experiences of young people in Tottenham, finding ‘super-diversity’ to be integral to the area’s cultural identity.

Providing a safe space within trauma-informed work with young people

A discussion event will provide an opportunity to hear those working on the ground about providing a safe space for young people to process their experiences and develop resilience.

Connecting through care

A new podcast from Youth Studies student Sancia Williams offers a platform for care leavers to challenge stereotypes and share their stories.

Meet the Youth Studies student out to make a difference

“Before joining London Met, I didn’t realise you could be paid to do something you love,” says Youth Studies student, Hassan Saeed.

Stacey Anderson, a third year Youth Work student, was awarded the President's Trophy of Excellence by Springfields Youth Club in recognition of her dedication to the work she undertook while on placement.

Stacey wins President’s Trophy of Excellence

Stacey Anderson was awarded the President's Trophy of Excellence by Springfield Youth Club in recognition of her dedication to the work she undertook while on placement.

London Met students give back to the community

Four London Met students currently volunteer for Family Mosaic, a housing association providing affordable homes throughout London.

Research finds student homelessness is a hidden problem across the capital

London Met expert aims to raise awareness of plight of students who find themselves without accommodation.

Children posing in KORI for Africa community charity t-shirts

Youth and social care degree students help to fund education for Abuko's young people

Students from Youth Work, Youth Studies and other social care courses have organised a campaign with KORI, a community charity, to fund education for young people living The Gambia.

Youth StudiesBSc (Hons)

Enquire

Fees and key information

Youth Studies - BSc (Hons)