The minor in Victims and Victim Services provides a detailed, comprehensive, and advanced education in fields related to victims and victim services. This program is designed for students who are employed or plan to work in a field related to victim services.

The program 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 victims and victim services that students can apply to their current or future careers in the field.

Students completing the Victims and Victim Services minor 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 and other related fields carry out their responsibilities.

Program requirements

• The Minor 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 3285 - Trauma in the Criminal Justice System (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4170 - Victimology (3 credit hours)

Elective courses

There are two elective categories, Victims Focus and Professional Setting. The Violence Focus elective allows the student to learn about an area of violence in a more in-depth capacity. The Professional Setting elective allows the student to hone skills related to service delivery.

Students must complete one course (3 credits) from the Victims Focus list below:

• CRJU 3250 - Violence in Society (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 3280 - Trauma Among Correctional Populations (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 3290 - Capital Punishment (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4140 - Domestic Violence and Crime (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4150 - Sex Offenders and Sex Offenses (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4600 - Special Topics in Criminology and Criminal Justice (Fatal Violence Against Indigenous Women) (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4600 - Special Topics in Public Service (Juvenile Violence) (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4600 - Special Topics in Criminology and Criminal Justice (Human Trafficking) (3 credit hours)
• HDFR 1080 - Lifespan Issues in Family Violence (3 credit hours)
• HIST 4308 - Crime, Policing, and Justice in American History
• PSCI 4807 - Political Violence (3 credit hours)
• PSYC 3611 - Psychology of Women (3 credit hours)
• SOCY 4460 - Hate Groups and Group Violence (3 credit hours)
• SOCY 4780 - Violence in Relationships

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

• CRJU 4310 - Leadership Roles in Criminal Justice (3 credit hours)
• CRJU 4939 - Internship (3 credit hours)
• HDFR 4003 - Leadership and Organizations (3 credit hours)
• HDFR 4004 - Family and Comm. Prog. II Grant Writing (3 credit hours)
• HDFR 4090 - Helping Profession Skills in HDFR (3 credit hours)
• HDFR 4260 - Family Systems and Social Justice (3 credit hours)
• HDFR 4860 - Trauma Informed Care for Diverse Populations and Co-occurring Disorders
• PUAD 3002 - Program Design, Evaluation, and Decision-Making
• PUAD 3110 - Seminar in Nonprofit Management (3 credit hours)
• PUAD 4002 - Leading for the Public Good (3 credit hours)
• PUAD 4009 - Human Service Organizations (3 credit hours)