Introduction

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The undergraduate non-degree certificate in Victims and Victim Services provides a detailed, comprehensive, and advanced education in fields related to victims and victim services. The program is designed to meet the needs of students who wish to work in fields related to victim services or who are currently working in this field and would like to enrich their professional development.

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 certificate program 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 related field carry out their responsibilities.

Program Delivery

• Courses are offered on campus, online, and occasionally in remote and hybrid formats.

Declaring This Certificate

• Please contact spa.advising@ucdenver.edu.

General Requirements

Students must satisfy all requirements as outlined below and by the school offering the certificate. 

• Click here for information about Academic Policies.

Certificate Requirements

1. The undergraduate certificate in Victims and Victim Services requires 18 credit hours of coursework.

2. A maximum of 6 transfer credit may be applied to the certificate.

3. Students must receive a minimum C- grade in each undergraduate course applied to satisfy the certificate requirements.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses		6
CRJU 1000	Criminology and Criminal Justice: An Overview
CRJU 4170	Victimology
Elective Courses		12
Select courses from each of the following categories:
Victims Focus
Select three course from the Victims Focus list
Professional Setting
Select one course from the Professional Setting list
Total Hours		18

Program Electives

There are two elective categories, Victims Focus and Professional Setting. The Victims 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. 

Victims Focus

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
CRJU 3250	Violence in Society	3
CRJU 3280	Trauma Among Correctional Populations	3
CRJU 3285	Trauma in the Criminal Justice System	3
CRJU 3290	Capital Punishment	3
CRJU 3520	Juvenile Justice	3
CRJU 4140	Interpersonal Violence	3
CRJU 4150	Sex Offenders and Offenses	3
CRJU 4600	Special Topics in Criminology and Criminal Justice 1	1-6
CRJU 4840	Independent Study: CRJU 2	1-6
Students must adhere to departmental pre-requisites, if applicable. Other electives not already listed may be considered, but the student must receive approval from the academic advisor prior to enrollment.

¹

For CRJU 4600 Special Topics in Criminology and Criminal Justice to count toward an elective, it must be related to victims and victim services and be pre-approved. See your academic advisor for more information.

²

For CRJU 4840 Independent Study to count toward an elective, it must be related to victims and victim services and be pre-approved. See your academic advisor for more information.

Professional Setting

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
CRJU 4310	Leadership Roles in Criminal Justice	3
CRJU 4939	Internship 3	1-9
HDFR 4003	Leadership and Organizations	3
HDFR 4004	Family and Comm. Prog. II Grant Writing/Fundraising	3
HDFR 4090	Helping Profession Skills in HDFR	3
HDFR 4260	Family Systems and Social Justice	3
HDFR 4860	Trauma Informed Care for Diverse Populations and Co-occurring Disorders	3
PUAD 3002	Organizational and Strategic Management	3
PUAD 3110	Seminar in Nonprofit Management	3
PUAD 4002	Leading and Engaging for the Public Good	3
PUAD 4003	Strategic Communications for Public Engagement	3
PUAD 4009	Human Service Organizations	3
PUAD 4220	Human Resource and Talent Management	3
PUAD 4628	Social Problems and Policies in the Urban Environment	3
Students must adhere to departmental pre-requisites, if applicable. Other electives not already listed may be considered, but the student must receive approval from the academic advisor prior to enrollment.

³

For CRJU 4939 Internship to count toward an elective, it must be related to victims and victim services and pre-approved. See your academic advisor for more information.