Header - Criminal Justice Certificate Program - Requirements for Certification

Introduction

The Criminal Justice Certificate Program (CJCP) is a specific sequence of courses and field work for students wanting to learn about the dynamics of America's criminal and juvenile justice systems. In consultation with a program advisor, CJCP students select courses from nine academic departments to gain a broad understanding of the philosophy, theories, and operation of the adult and juvenile justice systems. Classes may be chosen in any sequence but classes in Group I, II, and III are prerequisites to Group VII, Field Work. Courses are derived from the departments of Sociology, Political Science, Social Work, Psychology, Statistics, Counseling Psychology, Communication Arts, Women's Studies, and Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education.

CJCP studies focus on the causes of crime and delinquency, examine fundamental concepts underlying the practice of justice, and analyze the impact of crime on our society. The inner workings of criminal justice agencies are reviewed and options for controlling crime are surveyed. Students are challenged to consider new ways of preventing and handling crime.

Studies are completed in tandem with a chosen major. Upon completion of all requirements and graduation, students are awarded an inscribed Certificate in Criminal Justice for personal use.

Eligibility

The CJCP is open to UW - Madison freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who have an interest in criminal or juvenile justice and are able to complete required courses in a timely manner.

Legal Studies,Sociology, Social Work, Social Welfare, Political Science, and Psychology majors combine especially well with the CJCP.

Other individuals who will find the CJCP valuable include Education, Communicative Disorders, and Rehabilitation Psychology majors planning to work with an offender or delinquent population in the future; Business students aspiring to management positions in criminal justice agencies; Pre-Law students intending to specialize in criminal law once in law school; and Journalism majors anticipating criminal matters to be of importance in future writing assignments. The Certificate also offers a meaningful background for students intending to pursue work in the federal justice system, regardless of their academic major.

Those interested in careers in law enforcement, corrections, juvenile justice, or with the courts will find the CJCP curriculum invaluable to their future endeavors.

Enrollment

Students must see an advisor in Room 8139, Social Sciences Building, in order to enroll in the Program.

Students are encouraged to enroll in the program early in their academic career. Early enrollment allows time to take the sequence of classes required for the Certificate and also plan for the Summer Criminal Justice internship. A copy of a campus transcript, is required. Enrollment will allow you to obtain authorization for Group 1, 2, and 3 classes, and you will receive the program's e-mail messages and announcements and learn of criminal justice classes, speakers, workshops, and events of interest.

Requirements

To earn a CJCP Certificate, a student must complete all requirements for a Bachelor's degree, requirements of their declared major(s), and graduate from UW - Madison. In addition, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 as governed by University regulations, take all required courses for a letter grade versus pass-fail, and receive a grade of C or better in all CJCP Certificate courses.

Completion of one course from each of the following groups is also required. It is not necessary to take classes in any particular sequence. However, Group I, II, and III are prerequisites to the Group VII Field Work. After you have signed up for the Program, a CJCP Advisor can help you with authorization to these 3 classes.

Group I - Criminal Justice System

Legal Studies/Sociology 131 Criminal Justice in America, 3-4 credits (E)

Group II - Theories of Crime and Deviant Behavior

Sociology 441 Criminology, 3-4
Psychology 311 Topics: Inside the Criminal Mind

Psychology 411 Topics:Juvenile Delinquency (Psych Majors only)

Group III - Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Social Work 453 Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, 3

Group IV - Law and Justice Processes

Political Science 411/412 Constitutional Law, 8 (Must take both classes)
Political Science 417 American Judicial System, 4
Political Science 452 Criminal Law and Justice, 4
Political Science 471 Civil Liberties in the United States, 4
Political Science 695 Proseminar: Topics in Political Science/ Riveting Issues in Criminal Law and Justice and Limits of the Law
Psychology 411 Topics in Psych: Social Science and Law (Psych Majors Only)
Psychology 509 Abnormal Psychology, 3
Psychology 532 Psychology and Law
Sociology/Social Work 445 Corrections and the Control of Crime, 3
Sociology 641 Sociology and Law, 3
Women's Studies 320 Special Topics: Female Sexuality and the Law, 3
Legal Studies/Women's Studies 422 Women and the Law, 3

Group V - Statistical Methods

Political Science 551 Quantitative Analysis of Political Data, 4
Psychology 210 Psychometric Methods, 3
Sociology 358-359 Design and Analysis of Social Research, 7
Sociology 360 Statistics for Sociologists, 4
Statistics 301 Introduction to Statistical Methods, 3

Group VI - Interviewing and Communications

Counseling Psych &Special Ed 650 Theory and Practice of Interviewing, 3
Social Work 441: Practice II: Generalist Practice with Individuals, Families & Groups (Social Work Majors only)

Group VII - Field Work

See Prerequisites for each course below

*Legal Studies/Sociology 694 & Social Work 663 Criminal Justice Field Observation, 3

*Political Science 427 Legislative Internship, 4

*Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education 630 Internship in Rehabilitation or Special Education , 3-6 (You must take at least 3 credits for CJCP) This courses Does Not Count for College of Letters and Science Credit

http://www.soemadison.wisc.edu/rpse/syllabi/default.asp

*Social Work 400/401 Field Practice and Integrative Seminar I & II , 2-6
(*For Social Work majors only)

*Child and Family Studies 601,
1-8 (3 credits required for CJCP)
(*Child and Family Studies Majors only)

* Must be a Criminal/Juvenile Justice oriented internship; student must see the Criminal Justice advisor prior to registering for the course. Space may be limited.

More About Field Work and Prerequisites

An integral part of the CJCP curriculum is an intensive field internship usually completed the summer between the junior and senior year.

Most students select Sociology 694/Social Work 663 Field Observation in Criminal Justice and are placed in a criminal or juvenile justice agency for 300 hours (30 hours per week for 10 weeks) over the summer semester. Internships take place in Wisconsin police departments, public defenders' and district attorneys' offices, secure facilities, various rehabilitation programs serving juveniles and correctional clients, and in federal offices. The CJCP staff assist students in obtaining an appropriate internship position. Internships are unpaid.

Sociology 694 & Social Work 663 also requires students to return to campus to attend seminars where experiences are discussed, assignments are shared, and issues from the field are explored. Past students have viewed the internship course as opening up new dimensions and understanding of criminal and juvenile justice and as the cornerstone of their education.

Eligibility for Sociology 694 & Social Work 663 requires Senior standing, enrollment in the CJCP and demonstration of progress toward completion of the CJCP Certificate. This means the student has received a grade of C or better in all CJCP Certificate courses taken, and is not on probation. Also, the student must be completing the course work on a schedule which will allow him/her to graduate with the CJCP Certificate. Course prerequisites include at least one course in each of Groups I, II, and III.

Political Science 427 Legislative Internship offers practical experience in a legislative office and an opportunity to participate in public policy making. In addition to 8-10 hours per week of legislative work, students attend regular class sessions and engage in traditional course work. Eligibility for Political Science 427 includes a minimum GPA of 3.0 and at least one advanced course in Political Science in the field of American Political Institutions. Recommended courses include; Political Science 405 State Government and Public Policy, 420 Administrative Law, 424 American Parties and Politics, 444 Administration of Public Policy, and 445 Politics of Poverty and Social Welfare. An exception to the upper level course policy is Political Science 205 Introduction to State Government. Seniors will be given priority. Political science students apply for Political Science 427 through the political science undergraduate advisor. Other majors must apply through a Criminal Justice advisor. In order to obtain credit for the CJCP, a short descriptive paper must be submitted to the CJCP office indicating who the student was placed with and the content of the criminal justice related experience . Political Science 427 is offered during the Fall and Spring semesters.

The School of Social Work offers Social Work 400/401 Field Practice and Integrative Seminar, an internship offered Fall and Spring semesters. This two semester course requires a minimum of 16 hours per week in the field and includes a weekly seminar. Students enrolled in Social Work 400 & 401 to satisfy Group VII of the CJCP are often placed in the Criminal Justice Field Unit and intern in agencies with a social work and criminal justice mission such as; Dane County Public Defender, Dane County Juvenile Shelter, Oakhill Correctional Institute, and Dane County Juvenile Group Homes. One must be a Social Work major and have Senior standing in order to be eligible for this internship.

Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education 630 is an internship offered through the School of Education within the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education. The course provides an experience in a rehabilitation-oriented agency or program under the supervision of a rehabilitation professional. It is designed to give students an introduction to professional practice in rehabilitation and to develop skills through supervised clinical activities. Integrative seminars are typically held on campus once a week. The total number of hours in placement determine the number of credits awarded. Criminal justice students must take it for at least 3 credits and will be placed in programs providing rehabilitation, education, or vocational services to a criminal or delinquent population. Examples of these are Dane County Juvenile Shelter, Juvenile Detention, Oakhill Prison, and Mendota Mental Health Institute.

Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education 630 is offered Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. Please note however, credits earned from this course do not count toward graduation in the College of Letters and Science. School of Education majors see Dr. Norman Berven in the Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education to seek a placement. Letters and Science students apply through a Criminal Justice advisor.

An internship through Child and Family Studies 601 is offered for 1 to 8 credits, which can be carried out in any number of settings, including in a criminal or juvenile justice agency. Child and Family Studies provides an opportunity to relate the family setting to involvement in the Criminal Justice setting and evaluate the unique needs of this population. Students must be enrolled in the School of Human Ecology.

Program Benefits

Involvement in the CJCP provides a solid educational foundation in criminal justice. It introduces students to basic concepts about our justice system and the individuals it serves. It encourages exploration of critical issues facing the system today and fosters investigation into realistic solutions.

Completion of the CJCP Certificate does not guarantee entrance into law school, graduate school, or access to a job. The knowledge gained, however, may make you more competitive whether you enter the job market or undertake a program of higher learning.

Although the CJCP is not a professional training program, CJCP Certificate recipients have moved into positions of authority in both the criminal and juvenile justice systems. CJCP graduates have secured jobs in police departments, district attorneys' offices, public defenders' offices, juvenile group homes, adult halfway houses, public schools, and prisons. They have been involved in restitution programs, deferred prosecution alternatives, victim-witness projects, and home detention/electronic monitoring experiments. The options are numerous and interesting. Many CJCP students pursue a degree in law or attend graduate school in a related field.

Criminal and Juvenile Justice Student Association

The Association provides opportunities for students to share similar interests. Each year the CJJSA hosts a variety of professionals from the community to discuss issues related to the Justice field, professional development, careers, and current events. Members are welcome to take advantage of these and other opportunities for learning and professional preparation.

Assistance

Program advisors like to meet with students enrolled in the CJCP at least once a year. This allows for a record check to make sure participants are progressing at a pace which ensures graduation with a CJCP Certificate, and makes sure you are getting the assistance you need related to classes, volunteer work and careers.

Suggested Electives

Since the required courses provide students with a very basic education in criminal justice, we highly recommend augmenting studies by taking a selection of the following courses. Many of the courses may be taken as a freshmen or sophomore, and help prepare students for Criminal Justice studies. Students are urged to choose their electives from a variety of disciplines and to take at least one course about minority issues.

Administration/Social Policy Development Emphasis

Political Science 421 Administrative Law
Political Science 443 Introduction to Public Administration
Political Science 530 Ethics and Values in Policy Making
Social Work 206 Introduction to Social Policy
Economics 441 Analytical Public Finance
Economics 448 Human Resources and Economic Growth
Political Science 405 State Government and Public Policy
Political Science 443 Introduction to Public Administration
Political Science 444 Administration of Public Policy
Political Science 445 Politics of Poverty and Social Welfare
Political Science 530 Ethics and Values in Policy Making
Sociology 623 Gender, Society, and Politics
Sociology 625 Social Change
Sociology 626 Social Movements
Sociology 642 Social Control
Social Work 206 Introduction to Social Policy
Social Work 420 Poverty and Social Welfare
Social Work 575 Community Development in Social Welfare

Family and Child Emphasis

Afro-American Studies 521 The Afro-American Family
History 140 History of the Family in the United States
Philosophy 547 The Child in the Moral Order
Psychology 513 Attention and Learning in Children
Psychology 560 Child Psychology
Sociology 640 Sociology of the Family
Social Work 430 The Family and Social Welfare
Social Work 452 Child Welfare
Social Work 623 Social Work with the Family
Social Work 642 Social Work and Adolescents
Social Work 646 Child Abuse and Neglect

Historical and Philosophical Emphasis

History 390 History of Wisconsin
Philosophy 547 The Child in the Moral Order
Philosophy 559 Philosophy of Law
Sociology 646 Race and Ethnic Relations
Women's Studies 323 Gender, Race and Class: Women in United States History

Minority Emphasis

Afro-American Studies 101 Afro-America: An Introductory Survey
Afro-American Studies 151 Introduction to Contemporary Afro-American Society
Afro-American Studies 155 They: Race in American Literature
Afro-American Studies 231 Introduction to Afro-American History
Afro-American Studies 233 History of Racial Protest Movements in America
Afro-American Studies 260 Latin America: An Introduction
Afro-American Studies 261 Economic of Black America
Afro-American Studies 271 Introduction to Afro-American Politics
Afro-American Studies 297 African and African-American Linkages: An Introduction
Afro-American Studies 323 Gender, Race, and Class: Women in U.S. History
Afro-American Studies 342 Cultures of Afro-America (Cross-listed Anthropology 342)
Afro-American Studies 366 Artistic/Cultural Images of Black Women
Afro-American Studies 430 History of Afro-Americans in the Upper Mid-West
Afro-American Studies 441 Afro-American Personality
Afro-American Studies 442 Discrimination and Prejudice in American Society
Afro-American Studies 460 Race, Gender and Ethnicity: Inequality in the United States Labor Market (Cross-listed Economics 460)
Afro-American Studies 461 Race, Class and Social Conflict
Afro-American Studies 475 Race, Socio-Economic Status, and Intellectual Development
Afro-American Studies 521 The Afro-American Family (Cross-listed Social Work 521)
Afro-American Studies 565 The Education of Black Americans
Afro-American Studies 573 Strategies of Involvement and Studying Ethnic Communities
Afro-American Studies 577 Black in Cities
Anthropology 353 Indians of the Western Great Lakes
Anthropology 360 Women, Work, and Social Change
Sociology 134 Problems of American Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Sociology 578 Rural Minority Groups and Poverty in the United States
Sociology 646 Race and Ethnic Relations
Women's Studies 104 Race and Ethnicity Relations
Social Work 640 Social Work with Ethnic and Racial Groups
Social Work 658 American Indian Affairs

Political/Governmental Emphasis

Afro-American Studies 271 Introduction to Afro-American Politics
Political Science 102 American National, State, and Local Government
Political Science 104 Introduction to American National Government
Political Science 182 Introduction to American Politics
Political Science 205 Introduction to State Government
Political Science 217 Law, Politics, and Society
Political Science 404 American National Government
Political Science 405 State Government and Public Policy
Political Science 426 Legislative Process
Political Science 469 Women and Politics
Political Science 475 Policy Making in the American States
Political Science 530 Ethics and Values in Policy Making
Sociology 623 Gender, Society, and Politics

Social Emphasis

Psychology 409 Psychology of Motivation
Psychology 475 Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Intellectual Development
Psychology 507 Psychology of Personality
Psychology 510 The Psychology of Individual Differences
Psychology 511 Behavior Pathology: Neuroses
Psychology 512 Behavior Pathology: Psychoses
Psychology 537 Social Behavior Dynamics (Cross-listed Sociology 537)
Psychology 562 Social and Personality Development
Sociology 125 Contemporary American Society
Sociology 130 Social Problems
Sociology 138 The Sociology of Gender
Sociology 140 Introduction to Rural Sociology
Sociology 525 Sociology of Mental Health and Mental Disorders
Sociology 619 Rural Sociology Trends and Issues
Sociology 623 Gender, Society, and Politics
Sociology 625 Social Change
Sociology 642 Social Control
Sociology 648 Sociology of Education
Social Work 206 Introduction to Social Policy
Social Work 420 Poverty and Social Welfare
Social Work 457 Human Behavior and the Environment
Social Work 622 Social Work with the Person
Social Work 624 Social Work with the Small Group
Social Work 625 Social Work with the Neighborhood
Social Work 626 Social Work with the Community

Women's Studies Emphasis

Afro-American Studies 323 Gender, Race and Class: Women in US History (Cross-listed Women's Studies 323)
Afro-American Studies 366 Artistic/Cultural Images of Black Women
Anthropology 360 Women, Work, and Social Change
Political Science 469 Women and Politics
Psychology 522 Psychology of Women (Cross-listed Women's Studies 522)
Women's Studies 104 Race and Ethnicity in the Lives of US Women
Women's Studies 323 Gender, Race and Class: Women in US History

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