ROLE MODEL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
The course of study in the Role Model Program is drawn from the disciplines of criminology, sociology,
psychology, education, social work, and humanities, and is structured to
give students a unique blend of academic work and practical experience
as volunteers in community programs. This strategy does more than provide
students with practical experience--it gives youth management agencies in our communities additional human
resources and the opportunity to observe and recruit exceptionally prepared
professionals to staff their facilities. Field experiences emphasizes interaction,
communication, and mentorship with today's juveniles.
Many criminology and criminal justice majors find the Role Model Program
appealing because they are already required to take many of the Role Model
courses to complete their course of study for their major. Enrolling in
the Role Model Program provides students with an opportunity to complete an Internship and receive a
Juvenile Justice Certificate that acknowledges they have an extensive
knowledge about juvenile justice and today's youth. This Certificate
and knowledge is extremely helpful when searching for employment within the
Criminal Justice system.
If you are interested in becoming a Role Model Student and
receiving a Juvenile Justice Certificate, please review the required courses
below and fill out the application
to be admitted into the Role Model Program.
Required
Courses
In the Role Model Program, there are 6 required core
courses that each student must complete to qualify for an internship and
ultimately, a Juvenile Justice Certificate. Role Model
students are required to successfully complete each course with a grade of C or
better. The following core courses may be taken in any order and are offered
each semester:
CCJ
4938-15 Multicultural Perspectives on Adolescence & Development
This course is designed to increase the student’s knowledge and
understanding of adolescent behaviors, values and learning. Students study social
issues involving youth within a multicultural context.
Also from a multicultural perspective, students study the impact of
culture on adolescent behavior, issues regarding minorities within the juvenile
justice system, and how youth service providers can better meet the needs of
youth. This course includes a 20 hour
community service component.
CCJ
4938-10 Youth Management, Community Organizations & Advocacy
This course is intended to provide students with practical skills
related to working with delinquent children and youth, addressing issues related
to one on one interaction, programming, and policy development and implementation.
The course is an introduction to the identification,
prevention, and solution of individual, family, and community problems,
while managing and setting policies for youth service agencies. Advocacy
skills, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution techniques are studied. Students
have the opportunity to explore issues related to working in an inter-agency
environment. This
course includes a 20 hour community service component.
CCJ
4664 Minorities, Crime & Social Policy
The
primary purpose and focus of this course is to explore the
different viewpoints and positions about the current
influence of racial and ethnic bias on the treatment of ethnic
minority subgroups within America’s criminal justice system.
Additionally, this course examines the relationship between stereotypical
images of color and the realities of crime and punishment.
This course includes a 20 hour community
service component.
CCJ 4520 Juvenile Justice
This
course offers an extensive, systematic, and interdisciplinary examination of
juvenile justice administration in the United States. The origin of juvenile court is discussed as well as the
philosophies underlying the ‘socialized’ and ‘constitutional’
approaches to the administration of justice for juveniles.
Students are introduced to the competing perspectives on the
definition, prediction and explanation of delinquent behavior; the
organization and operating processes of juvenile justice administration in the
United States; and the critical philosophical, theoretical, legal and social
issues confronting the administration of juvenile justice in the United
States today.
This course includes a 20 hour community
service component.
CCJ 4938-14 Social Problems of Youth
This course is designed to address the wide array of social
problems which plague our today's youth. The
issues are explored from an academic as well as practical viewpoint.
Different theoretical perspectives on social problems are also examined
as students critically analyze and offer solutions for shaping a better future
for youth. This course includes a 20 hour community
service component.
CCJ
4700 Introduction to Research Methods
This course is designed to provide an introduction to
social science research methods as applied to Criminology and Criminal
Justice. Students are introduced
to the research process, as well as a variety of
different data collection techniques used in criminological
research. Students
critically examine current research in the field
as well as develop their own research ideas.
Recommended
Elective Courses
Listed below are courses that may be helpful to you in your
quest to understand today's youth. These courses are to be used as supplements
to the 6 core courses that are required for the Program. The elective
courses may not replace any of the required core courses.
CCJ
4663-85 Female Crime & Delinquency
The purpose of this course is to provide students with a
thorough understanding of the role of female offenders and
officers in the Justice System. The
course provides a historical framework
of events shaping the concerns of female offending
and victimization. The
course also provides a theoretical overview of
dominant criminological frameworks as they apply to female
players in the system. Both
adult and juvenile areas are explored. This
course challenges participants to critically analyze the
differences and discrepancies between the
“male” system and the
“female” system.
CCJ
4610 Criminal Delinquent Behavior
This course introduces students to ‘integrated
systems’ and familiarize them
with structures and processes of
the human genetic and central nervous
systems. Also included in the
course are discussions
of recent genetic, biochemical, and
neuropsychological research and major scientific, political, and
legal issues confronting the administration of both criminal and
juvenile justice.
CCJ 4610 Criminal
and Delinquent Behavior
An examination of patterns of criminal and delinquent behaviors in
the light of theories and classification concepts.
AFA 3101 Theory
and Dynamics of Racism and Oppression
A conceptual,
institutional, and historical analysis of the operation and inner logic of
racism and oppression.
EEC 4301 Foundations
of Early Childhood Education
Introductory course to early childhood
education primary education provides a background of early childhood education
theory and research to be used for determining education practices.
CLP 3305 Clinical
and Counseling Psychology
A survey of the theory, research, and treatment procedures in the clinical
process.
PAD 3003 Public
Administration in American Society
A general introductory course in public
administration. Management of large-scale government bureaucracies
including organization, career systems, and financing. The role of
bureaucracies in modern society in the formulation and implementation of
public policy.
SOW 4622 Social
Work with Black Families
Theories and research relevant to examining
selected forces that impact on African-American family structures and
functions. Major consideration is given to misconceptions, misplaced
emphasis, and myths about the African-American family in contemporary America
and to appropriate models and strategies for intervention.
SOW 3203 Introduction
to Social Work and Social Welfare
This course surveys the philosophy,
history, and services of social welfare as well as the values, methods, and
practice settings of the profession of social work
EED 4011 Introduction
to the Socially and Emotionally Disturbed
Designed to introduce students to the
history and evolving trends in providing services for emotionally handicapped
children and youths, to investigate theories of causality, and to analyze
various approaches for improving academic and social behavior.