What is the Program on Domestic Violence (PDV)?
The PDV represents all the academic programs offered by the Center. PDV students may earn a Master of Public Administration or a Master of Criminal Justice degree with a specialization in Domestic Violence Organizational Management and Policy Development. Two stand alone graduate level academic certificates are also available, one in Domestic Violence Studies and the other in Interpersonal Violence and Health Care. The course curriculum for all the academic programs combine online learning with intensive periods of study on the University of Colorado Denver campus.
What is a cohort?
Students are accepted into the Program on Domestic Violence (PDV) once each year as a cohort, a group that takes courses in tandem and participates in organized events and activities featuring local practitioners and national experts. Cohort sessions, also known as intensives, explore practical applications to classroom knowledge and build a personal and professional network for students to rely on throughout their degree program and their careers.
What is an intensive?
Students in the PDV learn together during weeklong periods of intensive study in Denver. Typically one half of a course from a previous intensive is finished during an intensive and the first half of another is started. Guest lecturers, multi-media presentations, and small group exercises are often incorporated during the intensives.
What are the admission requirements?
Students must complete the standard application for the School of Public Affairs, available online, an essay on their experience with domestic violence issues, and an interview with the Director of the Center on Domestic Violence.
What are the degree requirements?
The Program on Domestic Violence is offered as a concentration within two degree programs offered by the School of Public Affairs: the Masters of Public Administration and the Masters of Criminal Justice. Twelve of the 36 credit hours in each degree program are the Domestic Violence Core Courses: Women and Violence: A Sociological Perspective, Psychology of Domestic Violence, Battered Women and the Legal System, and Social Justice, Advocacy, and Social Change.
How long does it take to complete the program?
It takes two years to complete the domestic violence coursework for both the concentration or the certificate programs. Fulfilling the master level degree requirements could take longer.
Do I need to live in Denver?
No, but students must be in Denver twice per year to attend the weeklong intensives in which the domestic violence courses are taught. Other classes can be taken online to fulfill degree requirements of the MPA or the MCJ.
Can I work full-time and enroll in the program?
Yes, although you should allow time in your schedule for attending the intensives twice per year.
How much is tuition?
Tuition rates are given each year in early June. The tuition rates can be found at the Admission's website.
How much are online classes?
If you are an in-state student, the rate is the in-state tuition plus a $100 online fee. If you are an out-of-state student, and you are in the Online MPA program, click here for out of state tuition rates.