Over the past 20 years, the number of youth development programs throughout the country has grown exponentially. This is a result of initiatives led by advocates, policymakers, social service providers, and social science researches to focus greater attention on the needs of individuals ages 12 to 24. Youth development principles and practices are now acknowledged in afterschool settings, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems as essential programmatic elements that support young people to thrive.

The MA in Youth Studies degree, the first program of its kind in New York, equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to design, run, research, and work in youth settings.  The program provides a sound theoretical grounding and highly applicable skills to its students by integrating crucial areas of study, such as adolescent psychology; legal construction of adolescence; social work; cross-cultural studies; representation of youth in pop culture; and health and sexuality issues. Additionally, the program applies a participatory approach through which students are taught to incorporate young people in shaping the programs, institutions, and policies that impact their lives. This MA promotes youth development principles and practices with a strong emphasis on and commitment to social justice and equity. 

As a student in this program, you will also:

• Examine how age, gender, gender identity, sexuality, race, class, immigration status, (dis)ability, and region impact youth development
• Analyze current youth policies, opportunities, and best practices related to the field
• Apply principles and practices in program management, facilitation, and evaluation
• Engage multiple stakeholders and partners in order to ensure the positive development of youth, staff, and communities

We offer classes from 6:15pm-9:15pm. Classes are once a week for 3 hours. For cohorts entering in the fall we add morning sections and classes go from 9:00-12:00. Please call Academic Director at 212 652-2862 if you have any questions about the class schedule.

We invite you to learn more about the program, its students, and its faculty by watching this video:

Career Prospects

Graduates of the MA in Youth Studies are better prepared to design and offer programs that exemplify best practices in youth work, to engage in meaningful research with youth, and to develop policy that caters to the needs of youth, communities, and families in the public education, juvenile justice, social welfare, and medical systems. Graduates of the program will also be able to teach in Youth Studies at the undergraduate level.

Scholarship Opportunities

• ACS scholarship
• CUNY SPS Scholarships
• DYCD Scholars
• UNH Emily Menlo Marks Scholarship
• Mayor's Graduate Scholarship Program

Meet our Faculty​

• Elizabeth Bishop, PhD
• Limarys Caraballo, PhD
• Adrienne Evans, PhD
• Leslee Grey, PhD
• Whitney Hollins, PhD
• Lance Ozier, EdD
• Jen Siaca Curry, EdD
• Julie Stein Brockway, LCSW
• Sarah Zeller-Berkman, PhD

Research Agenda

The CUNY SPS Youth Studies Program has an active research agenda, Intergenerational Change Initiative. With support from the Mayor's Young Men's Initiative and the Ford Foundation, we have launched a youth participatory action research project aimed at involving young people in shaping the policies and institutions that impact their lives. We currently have a project in partnership with the Administration For Children's Services (ACS) and the Department of Education (DOE) to collect data from youth around the city about their experiences with those city agencies. As a collective we are exploring the implications of our findings on policies and practice and collaborating with city agency partners to use youth-generated research to inform their work.

Admissions Criteria

Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Applicants are required to write a personal statement, upload a resume, and provide two letters of recommendation. An individual interview may be necessary.

Application Deadlines

Applications for Spring 2020 are due by December 16, 2019