Undergraduate Certificate in Victims and Victim Services

The Undergraduate Certificate in Victims and Victim Services applies a multi-faceted approach to higher education that enhances analytical thinking and inclusive, relevant approaches to learning and the development of professional skills; and focuses on specific, yet comprehensive, substantive areas of law enforcement that students can apply to their current or future careers in the field.

Students completing the certificate program will have the knowledge and skills to evaluate, manage and respond to a variety of situations and issues that professionals in fields related to victims and victim services face. Specifically, they will possess technical, analytic, substantive and ethical proficiencies that will facilitate their professional interactions and development. They will understand the different environments and contexts in which victim advocates and other professionals in this field, and related ones, carry out their responsibilities.

Program requirements

• The Undergraduate Certificate in Victims and Victim Services requires 18 credit hours of coursework.
• No more than 6 credit hours of transfer coursework may apply to the certificate.
• Students must receive a minimum C grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy the certificate.

Required courses

Students must complete all of the required courses below, totaling 12 credit hours. All course descriptions can be found in the Undergraduate Academic Catalog.

• CRJU 1000 – Criminology and Criminal Justice: An Overview (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 2041 – Criminological Theory (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4170 – Victimology (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 3285 – Trauma in the Criminal Justice System (3 credit hours)

Elective courses

In addition to the required courses listed above, students must complete 6 credit hours of elective courses. There are two elective categories: "Violence Focus" and "Professional Setting." The Violence Focus elective allows students to learn about an area of violence in a more in-depth capacity. The Professional Setting elective allows students to hone skills related to service delivery.

Violence Focus: students must complete one course (3 credits) from the list below.

• CRJU 3250 – Violence in Society (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 3280 – Trauma Among Correctional Populations (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4140 – Domestic Violence and Crime (3 credit hours)
• ETST 2115 – Genocide in the 21st Century: Darfur and Beyond (3 credit hours)
• PSCI 4807 – Political Violence (3 credit hours)
• SOCY 4460 – Hate Groups and Group Violence (3 credit hours)

Professional Setting: students must also complete one course (3 credits) from the list below.

• CRJU 4939 – Internship (3 credit hours)
• HDFR 4090 – Helping Profession Skills in HDFR (3 credit hours)
• PUAD 4009 – Human Service Organizations (3 credit hours)
• PMUS 3110 – Social and Political Implications of American Music (3 credit hours)

Other electives not already listed may be considered but the student must receive approval from the academic advisor prior to enrollment.