There are over 73 million people under the age of 24 living in the United States who face multiple inherited crises with defiance and creativity. In the US, there are approximately 2.5 million youth workers and counting. This continued growth confirms the urgent need for credentialed, professional development opportunities for those who are partnering with young people to co-create a better future. The BA in Youth Studies degree program helps fill this critical need by ensuring that staff have the skills, knowledge, competencies, and commitments to ally with young people. The degree provides the concrete skill development needed to work with this age group while infusing an approach rooted in critical youth studies and a commitment to a social justice orientation.

The degree offers multiple paths towards successful completion of the program such as Credit for Prior Learning, which acknowledges a candidate's experience in the world of work. The program also offers multiple opportunities to acquire and stack credentials in the field through agencies such as the Department of Youth and Community Development, the Administration for Children's Services, and the New York State Network for Youth Success.

Mode of Learning

The BA in Youth Studies offers students the flexibility of completing their degree while working full-time, part-time, or at a distance, while offering genuine connection to professors and colleagues,all from the comfort of your own home! Meeting the needs of today’s student, each course has a mix of asynchronous and synchronous components. In a 15 week course, students will meet 6-7 times in a synchronous (live virtual meeting) from 6:15-9:15 pm EST via zoom. All other weeks, coursework is to be completed independently.

The Youth Studies program is excited to introduce a new online asynchronous pathway, providing students with the opportunity to attain their degree entirely online, starting with incoming students in the Fall 2024 semester. Furthermore, we are committed to maintaining our online synchronous option, catering to students who prefer real-time virtual classroom interactions with their professors and peers.

Career/Educational Prospects

Research Labs

For students interested in learning how to do intergenerational critical participatory action research, we have opportunities to develop skills by becoming a co-researcher in one of our Socially Engaged Participatory Research Labs!

Articulation Agreements

Articulation agreements are formal agreements between CUNY School of Professional Studies, (CUNY SPS) and two-year colleges and universities, allowing students to transfer the maximum number of credits with ease to our BA in Youth Studies program from institutions with which we have an established transfer process in place.

• Borough of Manhattan Community College - AA in Children and Youth Studies (PDF)

Scholarship Opportunities

• Education Incentive Program (EIP)
• CUNY SPS General Scholarship
• DYCD Scholars

Tips and Tricks for Youth Studies Students