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Program Description
The Intercollege minor in Child Maltreatment and Advocacy Studies is designed for students who wish to supplement their academic majors with studies in child protection and well-being. The minor provides students with a broad and interdisciplinary introduction to child maltreatment and serves to establish foundational knowledge of the history and etiology of child maltreatment, the structure and administration of child protective service systems, and the identification, investigation, treatment, and prevention of child maltreatment. Students completing this minor will have an understanding of the issues surrounding child maltreatment and advocacy and will be better prepared for professions across a variety of settings that serve children. To meet a diverse range of student interests, four core courses (12 credits) establish foundational knowledge in child maltreatment and advocacy and two elective courses (6 credits) offer opportunities for students to select course options aligned with their professional goals. A capstone course involving field work, research, or other relevant work is required.
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The CMAS minor is an interdisciplinary minor designed to allow students majoring in any discipline (ie: BBH, CN ED, CRIM, ED PSY, HDFS NURSING, PSYCH, RHS, and SOC) to enhance their knowledge/professional skills to work in any profession that serves and protects children.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHILD MALTREATMENT AND ADVOCACY STUDIES MINOR
Program Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Requirements for the Minor | 18 |
For the minor in Child Maltreatment and Advocacy Studies a minimum of 18 credits are required.
Requirements for the Minor
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10. In addition, at least six credits of the minor must be unique from the prescribed courses required by a student's major(s).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| CMAS 258 | 3 | |
| CMAS 465 | Child Maltreatment: Prevention and Treatment | 3 |
| CMAS 466 | Systems and Community Responses | 3 |
| CMAS 493 | Child Maltreatment and Advocacy Studies: Capstone Experience | 3 |
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas | ||
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 6 credits of the following: | 6 | |
Introduction to Health and Human Sexuality  | ||
| Human Sexuality as a Health Concern | ||
| Foundations of Addictions Counseling | ||
| Counseling and Teaching Youth at Risk | ||
| Criminology | ||
| Victimization | ||
| Sexual and Domestic Violence | ||
| The Juvenile Justice System | ||
| Individual Differences and Education | ||
| Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies | ||
| Infant and Child Development | ||
| Adolescent Development | ||
| Developmental Problems in Childhood and Adolescence | ||
| Family Participation and Involvement in Child Services | ||
| Development and Administration of Human Services Programs | ||
NURS 111 | ||
| Introduction to the Fundamentals of Nursing | ||
| Violence and the Impact on Society | ||
| Introduction to Forensic Nursing | ||
| Introduction to the Psychology of Gender | ||
| Introduction to Well-being and Positive Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Self and Social Judgment | ||
| Humanistic, Existential, and Religious Approaches to Psychology | ||
| Child Psychopathology | ||
| Introduction to Rehabilitation and Human Services | ||
| Introduction to Counseling as a Profession | ||
| Case Management and Communication Skills | ||
| Community Mental Health Practice and Services | ||
| Children and Families in Rehabilitation Settings and Human Services | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Family in Cross-Cultural Perspective | ||
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Cheri McConnell
Education Coordinator, Child Maltreatment Solutions Network
202F Henderson Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-2193
cln3@psu.edu
Scranton
Janet Melnick
Associate Teaching Professor
111B Dawson Building
Dunmore, PA 18512
570-963-2674
jam81@psu.edu
Career Paths
The minor in Child Maltreatment and Advocacy Studies provides broad, foundational knowledge on the protection of children that is applicable to multiple educational and career pathways. Students receive both academic knowledge and real-world internship experiences that offer them a chance to explore potential career interests working with children or adolescents. With this minor, students set themselves up for career and educational success with specific, marketable skills in the detection, treatment, and prevention of child maltreatment.
Careers
The broad overview of child protection and advocacy including detection, treatment, and prevention of child maltreatment that you will receive gives you a better understanding to work in professions involving children to include, but not limited to: counseling, law enforcement, health, research, social work, education, forensic sciences, child welfare, and law.
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
Child protection and advocacy studies are relevant to masters and doctoral graduate programs across many academic disciplines, including Clinical Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, Social Work, Sociology, Nursing, Pediatrics, Criminology, Forensic Psychology, and Education, among others.
Contact
University Park
CHILD MALTREATMENT SOLUTIONS NETWORK
202 Henderson Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-2193
cln3@psu.edu
Scranton
111B Dawson Building
Dunmore, PA 18512
570-963-2674
jam81@psu.edu