Bachelor of Youth Work

VU course code:ABYW |CRICOS:074356D |Level of study:Undergraduate

Duration

3 years

Delivery mode

In person, Online Real Time

Fees

Tuition: per semester AU$14,300

Location

Footscray Park, Online Real Time

Next start date

24 February 2025

Overview

Make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged young people with VU’s Bachelor of Youth Work.

In our youth work degree, you'll learn to help young people develop through activities that are enjoyable, challenging and educational.

You'll graduate with:

a solid professional foundation for working with young people
specialist knowledge to support disadvantaged groups
clarity on the services available to teenagers and young adults
practical management skills
leadership skills.

Our Youth Work degree is the largest in Australia, and is delivered by experts in the field. You'll receive expert guidance from specialist youth sociologists and experienced workers from:

disability
legal care
community development
social work
other relevant areas.

In addition, you'll undertake substantial professional work placements, and graduate well prepared for a rewarding career.

Industry participants with a Diploma can choose to upgrade to a Bachelor of Youth Work degree while working in industry, with our National Youth Work Bachelor of Youth Work online.

: On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Critically review their knowledge and practice of youth work and its role in empowering young people;

Analyse, implement and evaluate the role and significance of youth work in diverse social, political and economic contexts;

Articulate their knowledge and skills in diverse contexts regarding youth work and community development policy, practice and management;

Contextualise generic knowledge and skills that enable professional effectiveness in youth work and broader community settings;

Demonstrate broad and in-depth knowledge and skills for working with young people in community settings;

Clearly articulate the social and political dimensions of disadvantage, in particular how it relates to young people;

Develop, implement and evaluate a range of leadership functions and skills in a variety of youth and community settings.
: VU is delivering the National Youth Work's online Bachelor of Youth Work as an upgrade course for sector professionals.

Our course lets industry professionals upgrade their Diploma of Youth Work or Diploma of Community Services to a bachelor degree, while working in the sector. Placement requirements may be undertaken in your current workplace, so you can complete these without taking leave.

You need to hold a Diploma of Youth Work (or equivalent) and have industry experience to enrol in our national program.

You'll study the same units as our Bachelor degree through a blend of:

intensive face-to-face delivery

online modules

virtual classrooms.

Course credits are available for your qualifications and youth-work experience, letting you complete the qualification sooner.

Hear what some of our students have thought of the program .

Designed for industry professionals

Our national Bachelor of Youth Work course-delivery has been designed for professionals to complete while working full time in the industry.

It includes the delivery of 14 units to ‘top-up’ the knowledge of industry students: see the second and third year of the 'course structure & units' below.

Locations

The course is offered online.

Contact VU's Youth Work teaching staff

To contact our Youth Work lecturers for more information, or to express interest in joining the course, email [email protected] .
: During your degree, you’ll receive practical experience in various areas of youth work, through industry-based learning and professional development .

You'll complete 200 hours of fieldwork placement throughout the academic year, at times that suit your host's needs and your availability.

Students have been placed in:

alternative education (working with young people whose learning styles do not fit within mainstream schools)

local government

youth services

not-for-profit agencies that support young people who are homeless or recent immigrants, or have mental-health or alcohol and drug issues

diversion programs

recreation and outdoor adventure programs.

These placements give you hands-on experience helping young people to learn about themselves, others and society generally.
: As part of Victoria University, Victoria University Polytechnic believes in inclusivity, diversity and opportunity. Studying with us means you’ll be learning in an environment that values community empowerment.

Victoria University received the highest rating of five stars for cultural diversity by the Good Universities Guide. Our students feel fortunate to learn in a setting that has such a rich representation of cultures.

VU also works to address refugee issues, tackle diversity and social inclusion issues and improve the health and social wellbeing of the region. We are proud of our cultural diversity initiatives and projects with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and Indigenous communities .
: Achieve your full potential with The Learning Hub, which help you develop your confidence, academic ability, and study skills.

Benefit from in-person mentoring and study sessions, along with a range of digital learning modules that you can access anytime.

Get help from our online, 24/7 support service to polish your assignments before you submit, and receive guidance on writing, referencing, maths and more.

Read more about The Learning Hub

Entry requirements

Applicants for this course will need to meet the entry criteria outlined below. If you don’t meet the entry criteria, you may be able to gain entry by first completing a related course or unit(s). We call this a ‘pathway’.

If you've completed a qualification where English was the primary language of instruction, you may be eligible for an exemption of English-language requirements.

In some cases, there may be additional entry requirements.

Learn more about entry requirements for international students.

Entry criteria

Credit & Entry pathways into this course

If you don’t meet the entry requirements for this course, there may be an alternative study ‘pathway’ to achieving your goal. In some cases, you may receive credit for your previous study or work experience, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.

You’ll find information about any pathways to higher qualifications that may be available to you after completing this course under the ‘careers’ section of this page.

Find out more about pathways at VU.

: If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course.

Certificate IV in Youth Work

Guaranteed entry only

Diploma of Community Services

96 credit points

Foundations at VU

Guaranteed entry only

International Foundations at VU

Guaranteed entry only
: If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course. In some cases, you may receive credit for your previous study, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.

Diploma of Sport

SEDA Group, Australia | Guaranteed entry only
: If you have completed study with another university or institution you may be eligible to receive credit for skills and past study .

Use our credit calculator to find out what credit you may be eligible for based on your previous studies.

Note that if your previous study can’t be found through the credit calculator, you may still be eligible for credit.

Units can be credited if they are part of the course structure for the course you are applying for. Please note that credits relating to prior VU subjects are automatically granted and no further action is required.

calculate your credit

Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses , and our commitment to admissions transparency . Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.

Course structure

To attain the Bachelor of Youth Work students are required to complete:

288 credit points of Core studies including 24 credit points of Capstone studies.

Units

Fees & scholarships

As an international student at Victoria University, you will be required to pay your tuition fees up front each semester.

There may be additional materials fees throughout your studies, depending on your chosen course, as well as an administrative fee as part of your course.

Victoria University is proud to support our international scholarship recipients and sponsored students.