Certificate in Child Advocacy Studies (CAST)

Purpose

This certificate was developed to assist students interested in pursuing a profession in which they will come in contact with children: case workers, teachers, nurses and other medical personnel, law enforcement officers, mental health professionals, day care providers, and clergy, among others. The certificate is designed to help these professionals learn to recognize the symptoms and the effects of child maltreatment, practice interviewing techniques, and identify intervention strategies. This certificate is open to all students, regardless of major. Students already enrolled in a degree granting program should seek guidance from their Academic Advisor or Certificate Coordinator to see how these credits correlate with their chosen major.

Note: Students are held to all prerequisite requirements; some students may require more than 5 courses to complete this certificate.

Curriculum

Core Requirements (9 credits)

SOC 425	Child Abuse: Recognition and Investigation	3
SOC 426	Responding and Investigation: Child Maltreatment	3
SOC 427	Responding to the Survivors of Child Abuse and Survivor Responses	3

Electives (6 credits)

Two electives are also required to earn the Child Advocacy Certificate. Approved courses are listed below. Students may be able to substitute courses from their degree program, depending on their major. Please check with the Certificate Coordinator.

Select two courses from the following:

Behavioral Science

SOC 302	Marriage and the Family	3
SOC 303	Contemporary Social Problems	3
SOC 323/LES 323/PSY 323	Law & Practice in Human Services	3
SOC 404	Human Trafficking	3
SOC 405	Social Deviance	3
SOC 464	Working in the Helping Professions	3
SOC 468	Case Management	3
SOC 469	Step-Parenting & Blended Families	3
SOC 490	Internship in Behavioral Science (Behavioral Science majors)	3

Criminal Justice

CRJ 318	Criminal Investigation	3
CRJ 469	Domestic Violence	3
CRJ 474	Victims of Crime	3
CRJ 490	Internship in Criminal Justice	3

Psychology

PSY 215	The Family: Effect on Development	3
PSY 323/LES 323/SOC 323	Law & Practice in Human Services	3
PSY 330	Infant and Toddler Development	3
PSY 331	Middle Childhood Development	3
PSY 332	Adolescent Development	3
PSY 333	Psychology of the Exceptional Child	3
PSY 336	Child Development	3
PSY 375	Forensic Psychology	3
PSY 412	Crisis Intervention	3
PSY 481	Domestic Violence	3
PSY 472	Bullying	3
PSY 490	Internship in Behavioral Science (Psychology Majors)	3

Legal Studies

LES 323/PSY 323/SOC 323	Law & Practice in Human Services	3
LES 306	Family Law	3

Total credits for the CAST: 15