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Certificate in Community Engagement

The certificate in Community Engagement provides a theoretical understanding of community engagement and an opportunity to explore the practical application of current best practices of community engagement. The certificate has been designed to develop skills, knowledge, and understanding of actively engaging communities in order to secure resources, provide human and social services, and/or evoke change. The certificate in Community Engagement is open to all students within all Colleges, regardless of major, as well as those from the community wishing to begin their academic journey.

 

Today’s professionals working in the nonprofit sector, acting as change agents or who are leaders of their communities, are faced with greater competition for resources within an increasingly interconnected community. This requires developing the ability to systematically design and implement processes to actively engage their communities in order to meet the needs of their stakeholders and achieve organizational objectives. This certificate emphasizes the practical applications and theoretical underpinnings of community engagement. These skills are helpful to those working in a variety of settings including nonprofits, human services agencies, educational institutions, and/or government programs.

Students completing this certificate will meet the following goals in the 3 core courses:

Goal A: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the practical application of community engagement.

Goal B: The student will understand the theory related to community engagement.

Goal C: The student will learn to develop an effective community engagement plan.                           

Goal D: Students will analyze ethical considerations of community engagement.

Goal E: Students will demonstrate professional oral and communication skills. 

Goal F: Students will demonstrate competency in writing and formatting papers in a professional style.

Community Engagement consists of 15 undergraduate credits. Nine (9) credits make up the core of the certificate program, and students may choose six (6) credits from a menu of approved electives.

Note: Students will be held to all course prerequisites.

Curriculum

Core Requirements (9 credits)

SOC 303Contemporary Social Problems

3
SOC 312Community Health & Social Issues

3
SOC 314Community Organizing & Advocacy

3

Electives (6 credits)

SOC 301Urban Sociology

3
SOC 302Marriage and the Family

3
SOC 303Contemporary Social Problems

3
SOC 304Ethnic Groups and Minorities

3
SOC 309Poverty and Welfare

3
SOC 318Social Change

3
SOC 320Society and Technology

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

3
SOC 350Sociology of Disaster

3
SOC 351Disaster and the Media

3
SOC 352Special Topics: Crisis Communications

3
SOC 353Environmental Sociology

3
SOC 404Special Topics: Human Trafficking

3
SOC 405Social Deviance

3
SOC 425Child Abuse: Recognition and Investigation

3
SOC 459Special Topics: Sociological Perspectives of Delinquency

3
SOC 464Special Topics: Working in the Helping Professions

3
SOC 468Special Topics: Case Management

3
PSY 301Social Psychology

3
PSY 309Interpersonal Communication Skills

3
PSY 310Community Psychology

3
PSY 315Group Dynamics

3
PSY 364Disability Issues

3
PSY 412Crisis Intervention

3
PSY 453Families and Crisis

3
PSY 468Psychology of Gambling

3
PSY 483Addictive Behavior

3
ORG 302/PSY 461Psychology of Leadership

3
ORG 477/PSY 477Introduction to Conflict Management

3
ORG 478/PSY 478Mediation Skills

3
CRJ 206Corrections and Rehabilitation

3
CRJ 301Juvenile Justice

3
CRJ 305Women and Crime

3
CRJ 309Correctional Rehabilitation: Problems/Alternatives

3
CRJ 322Criminal Profiling

3
CRJ 341Community Corrections

3
CRJ 461Organized Crime

3
CRJ 466Topics in CRJ: Psychology Of Criminal Conduct

3
CRJ 469Domestic Violence

3
CRJ 472Terrorism

3
CRJ 473Hostage Takers

3
CRJ 474Victims of Crime

3
CRJ 475Community Policing

3
CRJ 476Topics in CRJ: Elder Abuse

3
ETN 335Italian American Heritage and Culture: A Local Perspective

3
ETN 336Irish American Heritage and Culture: A Local Perspective

3
ETN 337African American Heritage and Culture: A Local Perspective

3
ETN 338The Black Woman

3
ETN 340Hispanic Culture and Enrichment

3
ETN 341Native Americans

3
POL 326Public Policy and Social Issues

3
POL 340Criminal Justice Policy

3
POL 360Education Policy

3
POL 370Energy and Environmental Policy

3
POL 380Health Care Policy

3
NFP 301Intro to Nonprofit Agencies

3
NFP 302Management of the Nonprofit Organization

3
NFP 303Foundations of Fiscal Management for Nonprofit

3
NFP 304Advocacy and Public Policy

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

3
Total Credits for Certificate: 15