School of Human Behavior

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Division Chair

Faculty

Bridges, Dara, Magee, B. Pounds, J. Pounds, Roberts

The courses in this division are designed for (1) those who desire training for a variety of vocations in human relations and (2) those who seek a background study of the cultural milieu, social relationships, and individual psychology of human behavior in preparation for other professions. This division presents both a practical and a scientific analysis of human behavior in social life.

There are three major programs in the human behavior division: criminal justice, psychology, and social work. Students enrolled in the various programs in this division will be expected to take an exit examination in their major subject area during their last semester before graduation.

Criminal Justice

The Criminal Justice program leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice provides a foundational education and understanding of the criminal justice discipline involving police, courts, and corrections. The program is designed to equip the student with critical and analytical skills in the promotion of justice, public safety, and crime prevention. It also offers broad perspectives on law, law enforcement, the judicial system, and correctional programs. The Criminal Justice degree will provide students with quality, high level instruction that will prepare the graduate for a wide array of employment opportunities at local, state, or federal governmental levels with specialization in law enforcement, public safety, homeland security, or in emergency response.

Psychology

The psychology program is designed to give students a strong foundation in understanding human behavior and mental processes in a liberal arts education with the primary focus of developing skills, knowledge, and abilities to pursue service to God and others. Students completing the requirements for a major in psychology will have instruction in the physiological functioning of the brain and its effects on the individual, research methodology, human development, history of psychology and major theories, and mental health illnesses and treatment. In addition, students will be exposed to basic skills and techniques in counseling and have opportunities for implementing these skills in a clinical setting. Students completing the major requirements in psychology will have an excellent knowledge base for application to graduate studies in the fields of psychology and counseling.

Social Work Program Mission and Goals

The mission of the Louisiana College Social Work Program is to prepare students to function competently and effectively in a rapidly changing world through an academically challenging social work education within a nurturing Christian environment that offers an integration of faith and learning. The program expands the College mission in advancing students toward continued learning in all aspects of life with specialized emphasis on the professional application of generalist social work practice which includes its history and purposes. The Social Work Program prepares social work graduates who are rooted in the liberal arts, the Christian and Baptist perspectives, and the NASW Code of Ethics. Through course work emphasizing the core social work values and ethics, critical thinking, and supervised opportunities, students are encouraged to become facilitators of progressive change within diverse populations. Our immediate region allows for multiple opportunities for service within the homeless, veterans, mentally ill, impoverished and rural communities and includes work with agencies, organizations, groups, families, and individuals both locally and globally through integration of social work knowledge, values, skills and Christian faith.

1. Prepare students through content and practice behaviors emphasized in the social work curriculum for entry level generalist social work practice as competent social workers with client systems of various sizes and types including but not limited to the homeless, veterans, those with mental illness, the impoverished and rural residents.
2. Train students who are knowledgeable and understanding of diversity issues at the local, regional, national, and global levels including how each grow, change and function together within the context of the environment.
3. Prepare students for programs of graduate study in social work and develop career-long learners that will critically think about the populations they serve and the issues of the time.
4. Prepare students to practice ethically in a rapidly changing world and to integrate their faith and learning that is developed through understanding of a Christian worldview.

Admissions to the Social Work Program

Students wishing to enter the social work program must meet the following criteria:

1. Successfully complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of college courses. These courses must include but are not limited to the following courses: BI 101 , BI 102 ; EN 101 , EN 102 ; HI 101 , HI 102 ; PS 232 ; PY 220 ; SW 101 . Adherence to the social work degree plan makes it possible for the student to complete these courses by the end of the first semester of the sophomore year.
2. Earn a cumulative G.P.A of 2.5 by the time of application and maintain that 2.5 G.P.A. for graduation while earning no grade less than C in all social work requirements.
3. Submit a completed program application form to the director of the social work program when the two requirements stated above have been met.
4. Have an admission interview with the Social Work Program’s Admission Committee (comprised of social work faculty and professional social workers from the community).
5. Agree, in writing, to abide by the values and ethics reflected in the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers and Christian principles and values.

Degrees

The division offers the following degrees:

Programs

• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
• Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
• Bachelor of Social Work

• Criminal Justice Minor
• Psychology Minor
• Social Work Minor

Courses

• CJ 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice
• CJ 201 Criminal Law
• CJ 202 Correctional Systems and Institutions
• CJ 223 Social Problems
• CJ 301 Civil Law
• CJ 302 Diversity in Criminal Justice
• CJ 303 Police-Community Relations
• CJ 310 Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice
• CJ 311 Homeland Security
• CJ 315 Juvenile Delinquency
• CJ 330 Criminal Investigation
• CJ 338 Seminar in Criminology
• CJ 400 Special Topics in Criminal Justice
• CJ 401 Victimology
• CJ 403 Administration/Organization of Criminal Justice Agencies
• CJ 404 Ethics in Criminal Justice
• CJ 405 Field Placement
• CJ 449 Directed Study in Criminal Justice

• PY 220 Introduction to Psychology
• PY 223 Social Problems
• PY 230 Developmental Psychology
• PY 320 Psychology of Religion
• PY 344 Learning and Cognition
• PY 345 Psychology of Personal Relationships
• PY 347 Tests and Measurements
• PY 348 Physiological Psychology
• PY 349 Theories of Personality
• PY 359 Applied Statistics for the Social Sciences
• PY 370 Interpersonal Relationship Skills
• PY 400 Special Topics in Psychology
• PY 409 Experimental Psychology: Methods of Research
• PY 410 The Meaning of Marriage
• PY 411 History of Modern Psychology
• PY 413 Abnormal Psychology
• PY 414 Helping Skills
• PY 416 Industrial and Organizational Psychology
• PY 417 Independent Reading and Research in Psychology
• PY 422 Introduction to Research and Writing for Psychology
• PY 433 Death and Dying, Grief and Loss
• PY 499 Psychology Practicum

• SW 101 Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare
• SW 223 Social Problems
• SW 249 Interviewing Skills
• SW 250 Social Work Practice I
• SW 251 Social Work Practice II
• SW 326 Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect
• SW 347 Human Behavior and the Social Environment I
• SW 348 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II
• SW 350 Social Research Methods
• SW 359 Applied Statistics for the Social Sciences
• SW 380 Social Work Practice III, Organizations and Communities
• SW 400 Special Topics in Social Work
• SW 429 Social Welfare Policy and Analysis
• SW 433 Death and Dying, Grief and Loss
• SW 436 Field Practicum
• SW 438 Field Seminar
• SW 449 Directed Study in Social Work
• SW 450 Social Work Ethics

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