Youth & Social Innovation: B.S.Ed. - Bachelor of Science in Education

Admission Requirements

The YSI Major can be completed in your third and fourth years, even if you have not taken any YSI courses in your first or second year. However, we encourage you to enroll in at least one YSI course to help you determine if the YSI Major is the right one for you. Here are the courses we recommend and a short description of each:

• EDHS 1120 So You Want to Change the World: Foundations of Community Engagement - Interact with youth in our community and discover how to engage with youth and their broader communities. EDHS 1120 meets a YSI Major core requirement.
• EDLF 2050 What the Innovators Do: Strategies to Transform the Lives of Youth - “Meet” innovators and investigate the process by which educators, entrepreneurs, and policymakers design innovations to combat inequalities in education. EDLF 2050 meets a YSI Major core requirement.
• EDLF 3170 Introduction to Adolescence - Gain a working knowledge of adolescent development, foundational to the YSI Major. EDLF 3170 or EDLF 3150 meets a YSI Major core requirement.
• EDLF 3150 Introduction to Child Growth and Development - Gain a working knowledge of child development, foundational to the YSI Major. EDLF 3170 or EDLF 3150 meets a YSI Major core requirement.
• EDLF 3000 Research Design for Social Innovation with Youth - Are you past the exploratory stage and eager to select the YSI Major? This introductory course on research design will provide you with conceptual knowledge that will help you get the most out of your future YSI coursework. EDLF 3000 meets a YSI Major core requirement.

Current UVA undergraduates interested in this major must apply to transfer to the School of Education and Human Development from the College of Arts and Sciences. Transfer students from other institutions should refer to the transfer student admission process to determine course requirements needed for your transfer application. This program does not accept applications from current high school students. For high school students interested in pursuing this major, application is first made for regular admission to UVA through the College of Arts and Sciences. Once at UVA, Students can then apply for transfer into this program in their 1st or 2nd year of study.
 
Explore our Undergraduate Admission page to explore the application process specific to your background.

Opportunities to Work with Youth

We recommend students applying to the Youth and Social Innovation have experience working with youth. Here are a few suggested ways to engage with youth in your community:

• Volunteer through Madison House – check out the Madison House website to learn more about their Education Network and Youth Mentoring Opportunities, including but not limited to: Cavs in the Classroom, Latinx and Migrant Aid, Tutoring, Big Siblings, and Athletics (including coaching).
• Work as an America Reads tutor – If you receive federal work study, apply to work as an America Reads tutor through the School of Education and Human Development. America Reads tutors work in local schools and on grounds with the McGuffey Reading Center's community programs. Hiring occurs through the first few weeks of the fall and spring semesters. Interested UVA students can apply through Handshake. 
• Young Women Leaders Program – Apply to be a Big Sister with the Young Women Leaders Program, a community-based mentoring program that pairs UVA undergraduates with girls in local middle schools.
• Men's Leadership Project – Apply to be a Big Brother with the Men’s Leadership Project, a community-based mentoring program that pairs UVA undergraduates with boys in local middle schools.
• Work in a summer program – Day camps and overnight camps provide great opportunities to spend extended time with young people. You might also consider more teaching-focused programs like Breakthrough Collaborative, which hires teaching fellows to work to close the opportunity gap for middle school students at a range of sites across the country.
• Work as a substitute teacher – either here in Charlottesville or in your hometown. This allows you to work in a range of school contexts and with students of different ages, which may help you determine where you would ultimately like to teach.
  • To become a substitute in Albemarle County Schools, you need to have a high school diploma.
  • To become a substitute in Charlottesville City Schools, you need to have 60 college-level credit hours.
  • Requirements in other school divisions will vary.
• Work as a tutor, babysitter, or nanny – Although these experiences may be less formal, they’ll give you invaluable experience as you explore your career goals.