Youth & Social Innovation (BSEd)

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Bachelor of Science in Education - Youth & Social Innovation (120 credits)

Youth and Social Innovation (YSI) is an undergraduate major for students interested in working with and/or on behalf of youth in a variety of settings.

Through the YSI program, we aim to facilitate meaningful educational experiences that prepare students to be thoughtful practitioners, researchers, advocates, change makers, social innovators, and decision-makers in the youth sector. The YSI program supports students in understanding and critically analyzing youth issues through basic and applied research, policy analysis, and program and system innovations. Students work collaboratively, engage with youth, and critically reflect on positionality and assumptions.

Residency Requirement (60 credits)

A recipient of a B.S.Ed. degree from the School of Education and Human Development must complete at least 60 of the 120 credits required for graduation at the University of Virginia.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement

Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.0 on all courses attempted at the University.

General Education Requirements

Competency Requirements (12 credits)

First Writing Requirement, 3 credits
Second Writing Requirement, 3 credits
Cultural Literacy, 3 credits
Data Literacy/Statistics, 3 credits

*Refer to the General Education Requirements section of the Record for specific course options.

Area Requirements (24 credits)

Mathematics and Natural Science, 9 credits
Humanities, 6 credits
Social Sciences, 9 credits

*Refer to the General Education Requirements section of the Record for specific course options.

Major Requirements

Major Core (24 credits)

EDHS 1120 - So You Want to Change the World: Foundations of Community Engagement Credits: 3
EDHS 2840 - Intro to Youth and Social Innovation Credits: 3
EDLF 3000 - Research Design for Social Innovation with Youth Credits: 3
EDLF 3150 - Introduction to Child Growth and Development OR EDLF 3170 - Introduction to Adolescence Credits: 3 OR EDLF 5010 - Child Learning and Development Credits: 3 OR EDLF 5011 - Adolescent Learning and Development Credits: 3
- PSYC 2700 - Introduction to Child Psychology Credits: 3 OR PSYC 3480 - Adolescence: Theory and Development Credits: 3 can satisfy requirement if taken before admission to the School of Education and Human Development
- Course used to satisfy Major Core requirement cannot be used to satisfy Applied Child & Youth Development concentration or applied to YSI electives if not pursuing a concentration
  - Only one child development course (PSYC 2700, EDLF 3150, EDLF 5010) can count toward the 36 YSI Major credits
  - Only one adolescent development course (PSYC 3480, EDLF 3170, EDLF 5011) can count toward the 36 YSI Major credits
EDLF 3200 - Examining the Effectiveness of Social Innovation Credits: 3
EDLF 4080 - U.S. Education Policy Credits: 3
EDLF 4000 - Dream it, Design it, Do it: Youth and Social Innovation Capstone Credits: 3 (taken directly before EDHS 4400, offered fall semester)
EDHS 4400 - Youth and Social Innovation Capstone II Credits: 3 (taken directly after EDLF 4000, offered spring semester)

YSI Concentration (choose 1 concentration and complete at least 4 courses: minimum of 12 credits)

Select one concentration below, completing at least 4 courses (12 credits) from that concentration’s course list. Students that do not wish to complete a concentration must select 4 courses (12 credits) from any of the concentrations.

Applied Child & Youth Development Concentration

To complete a concentration in Applied Child & Youth Development, students must complete all other requirements for the Youth & Social Innovation major and select one course from each of the following four categories for a total of 12 credits.

Developmental Science - (select 1 course, whichever course was not taken for the major core)
EDLF 3150 - Introduction to Child Growth and Development Credits: 3
EDLF 3170 - Introduction to Adolescence Credits: 3
Cognition & Context (select 1 course)
EDLF 3160 - Introduction to Educational Psychology Credits: 3
EDLF 5040 - Education and Neuroscience Credits: 3
EDLF 5260 - Cognitive Psychology and Education Credits: 3
Socioemotional Development & Context (select 1 course)
EDHS 2895 - Mental Health and Schools Credits: 3
Development in Society (select 1 course)
EDIS 3060 - Poverty and the Young Child: Understanding Impacts in the US Credits: 3
EDLF 3460 - Race and Identity in Youth Development Credits: 3
EDLF 3610 - Immigrant Youth and Families Credits: 3

Education, Culture, & Society Concentration

To complete a concentration in Education, Culture, & Society, students must complete all other requirements for the Youth & Social Innovation major and complete any 4 of the following courses:

EDIS 2020 - Disability in the Media Credits: 3
EDLF 3010 - US Society and Education Credits: 3
EDLF 3220 - What is Education For? Credits: 3
EDLF 3240 - Education in Multicultural Societies Credits: 3
EDLF 3470 - Hip-Hop, History, and Education Credits: 3
EDLF 3490 - Education, Power and US Democracy Credits: 3
EDLF 3491 - Inequality in US Social Policy Credits: 3
EDLF 3492 - Political Dialogue Credits: 3
EDLF 4082 - The Politics of Public Education Credits: 3
EDLF 4605 - Anthropology of Education Credits: 3
EDLF 4606 - Schools & Society: Culture, Politics, & Globalization of Western Education Credits: 3
EDLF 4610 - Civil Rights Movement and Education Credits: 3
EDLF 5711 - Globalization, Childhood, & Culture Credits: 3

Policy & Data Analysis

To complete a concentration in Policy & Data Analysis, students must complete all other requirements for the Youth & Social Innovation major and complete:

Foundational Courses (both courses required)
- EDLF 3XXX - Quantitative Tools for Research & Decision-Making I (coming spring 2025)
- EDLF 3XXX - Quantitative Tools for Research & Decision-Making II (coming spring 2025)
Policy Electives (select at least 1 course)
EDLF 4082 - The Politics of Public Education Credits: 3
EDLF 4110 - Numbers Are People: The Ethics of Data-driven Decision-making in Education Credits: 3
Additional Electives (select 1 course, courses not used for Policy Electives requirement may also be used)
EDLF 2050 - What the Innovators Do: Strategies to Transform the Lives of Youth Credits: 3
EDLF 3491 - Inequality in US Social Policy Credits: 3
EDLF 5310 - Data Management for Social Science Research Credits: 3

Program Design

To complete a concentration in Program Design, students must complete all other requirements for the Youth & Social Innovation major and complete at least 1 Design course and additional Design or Other Elective courses to total 4:

Design Courses (select at least 1 course)
EDHS 3070 - Introduction to Design & Thinking Credits: 3
EDHS 3080 - Design Innovations for Informal Learning Credits: 3
EDIS 3452 - Designing Games for Learning Credits: 3
Program Design Electives (select 1 or more courses, courses not used for Design Courses requirement may be used)
EDHS 2895 - Mental Health and Schools Credits: 3
EDHS 3060 - Building Resilience in Youth Credits: 3
EDLF 2050 - What the Innovators Do: Strategies to Transform the Lives of Youth Credits: 3

Youth Mental Health

To complete a concentration in Youth Mental Health, students must complete all other requirements for the Youth & Social Innovation major and complete any 4 of the following courses:

EDHS 2860 - Fundamentals of Child Protection in Emergencies Credits: 3
EDHS 2895 - Mental Health and Schools Credits: 3
EDHS 3055 - Development and Prevention of Youth Violence Credits: 3
EDHS 3060 - Building Resilience in Youth Credits: 3
EDHS 3110 - Understanding Autism Credits: 3
EDHS 3120 - Abnormal Psychology Credits: 3
EDHS 3130 - Blood, Sweat and Tears: Exploring Psychological Impacts of Traumatic Events Credits: 3
EDHS 3850 - Introduction to Counseling Credits: 3
EDIS 2600 - Introduction to Applied Behavioral Analysis Credits: 3

YSI Practice (0 credits required, though credited options may be used. If using credited options, a minimum of 3 credits is required)

Option 1: Direct Work with Youth, Academic Service-learning Program

EDHS 2891 - Mentorship Skills with Adolescent Girls Credits: 4 (Fall) AND EDHS 2900 - Practice in Community and Youth Engagement Credits: 1 (Spring)
EDHS 2889 - Fostering Leadership in Teenage Boys Credits: 3 (Fall) AND EDHS 2900 - Practice in Community and Youth Engagement Credits: 1 (Spring)

Option 2: Research Assistantship (135 hours total: credit, paid, or structured volunteer)

EDHS/EDLF/EDIS 4995 - Directed Research Credits: 1 to 6

Option 3: Internship (135 hours total: credit, paid, or structured volunteer)

Youth & Social Innovation Major GPA

Minimum 2.0 required.

The major GPA is calculated using all GPA-eligible courses used to satisfy major required courses, major electives and YSI capstone.

General Electives

Choose courses from across the University to reach 120 credits.