Beth Pelz, Phd, Dean

College of Public Service

Beth Pelz, PhD, Dean

Peggy A. Engram PhD, Associate Dean

DeEadra Albert-Green, PhD – Interim Assistant Dean

Suite 400E, 1002 Commerce Street, 713-221-8194

The College of Public Service is a community-based center for higher learning dedicated to preparing students to enter and/or advance in professional careers in criminal justice, education and security management. It believes that an educated society creates thoughtful policy and humanistic practices for the betterment of its diverse constituents. The College seeks to instill analytical thinking skills that nurture in students an appreciation of the use of scientific inquiry to solve the problems of our time and encourages creativity and the development of new ideas. It embraces the professional and personal growth of its faculty, staff and students by promoting intellectual collaboration within the school, university, and community at large. The College of Public Service strives to engage in dynamic research that will improve the quality of our area schools and justice institutions and will instill scholarship, integrity, and responsibility in tomorrow’s leaders.

Programs of Study

Degree Programs

Bachelor of Arts with major in Interdisciplinary Studies (Elementary and Middle School Education)

Bachelor of Science with major in Criminal Justice

Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Degree Major in Criminal
Justice

Post-baccalaureate Teacher Certification

Master of Arts in Teaching*

Master of Science with major in Criminal Justice*

Master of Security Management for Executives*

*See Graduate Academic Programs section of this catalog.

Special note: Teacher Education Program

The University of Houston-Downtown’s teacher education program offers certification in elementary, secondary, and bilingual education. Students wishing to obtain EC-6, Bilingual (EC-6 or 4-8), and 4-8 certification will need to take courses in a variety of academic areas. Secondary certification majors may choose from the following subject areas: Mathematics, Spanish, English-Language Arts and Reading, History, Social Studies with Composite Social Studies Certification, Life Science, Physical Science, Composite Science, and Computer Science. Additional content areas (of certification) for post-baccalaureate students are also available. Formal admission to Teacher Education requires the following:

• A minimum 2.5 overall grade point average

• Completion of 30 semester credit hours (SCH) of course work

• Obtain passing scores on all three sections of the THEA exam (no exemptions)

• Be in good standing

• Completion of all developmental courses, if required

• Successful completion of ENG 1301 and 1302

• Successful completion of MATH 1301 (or above)

• Declaration of major

• Formal application to the program

Teacher education students are not permitted to self-advise or telephone register for BED, EED, or SED courses. These sections are closed to non-teacher education students. Students interested in the teacher education program should contact the College Advising Center at 713-221-8906 or visit Room 420 (Commerce Street Building).

Undergraduate Programs

General Education Requirements

All students seeking a bachelor’s degree at the University of Houston-Downtown must complete the general education requirements (see pages 27), including the common core courses, application courses, enhancement courses and the Writing Proficiency Examination. Fulfillment of general education requirements may vary depending on the degree.

Being Accepted as a Degree Major

All undergraduate students at UH-Downtown are assigned for academic advising to University College until they are accepted into one of the degree programs. Before applying for acceptance to programs in the College of Public Service, a student must:

• have fulfilled all TSI obligations for UE;

• have completed all required developmental courses;

• have completed a minimum of 30 hours toward the general education requirements; and

• be in good academic standing

After these requirements are met, the student may apply to the College of Public Service to become a major. This can be done online.

Requirements for Majors

All undergraduate degree programs in the College of Public Service require a minimum of the last 25% of the semester credit hours in residence in the last semester(s) of the student’s course of study and a minimum of 18 upper-level semester credit hours earned at this university. The College reserves the right to limit the number of directed study, internship, service learning, experience learning, and credit-by-examination credit hours that can be applied to degree requirements, especially for major requirements.

Minors

The College of Public Service offers undergraduate minors in the following area:

• Criminal Justice

• Security Management

Students seeking a minor in this area must meet the following requirements:

• The grade point average for all courses taken at UH-Downtown and applied to the minor must be at least 2.0.

• Transfer courses applied to the minor may be restricted by the individual program.

• Courses applied toward a minor must include a minimum of six hours of upper-level course work taken at UH-Downtown.

• Upper-level courses applied toward the major may not also be counted toward the fulfillment of minor requirements.

Requirements for each minor are listed with the curricula of the departments offering the minor.

Department of Criminal Justice

Clete Snell, PhD, Chair

Suite 340, 1002 Commerce Street, 713-221-8943

Faculty
Professors: / McShane, Williams
Associate Professors: / Ahmad, Belbot, Engram, Kellar,Pelz, Snell, Wang
Assistant Professors:
Instructors: / Chiotti, Emeka, Hignite, Nguyen
Berthelot, Gehring
Lecturers: / Harris, Hill, Karson

Programs of Study

Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Criminal Justice

Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

Master of Science in Criminal Justice

Mission and Objectives

The mission of the Department is to maintain high quality academic programs to meet the needs of students. In furtherance of this mission, the faculty recognize the connection between excellence in education, research, scholarship, and service with applied, theoretical, and policy relevance. This includes demonstrated competency in criminological, methodological, and administrative theory, as well as analytical and technical skills. Thus the Department strives to provide students with knowledge of mechanisms and processes of criminal justice systems that is sufficient to prepare students for professional and managerial careers in criminal justice, as well as research and advanced study.

Honor Society

Alpha Phi Sigma - National Criminal Justice Honorary

Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences

John McConnell, MA. CPS Academic Advisor 713-221-2722

Major in Criminal Justice

The BAAS in Criminal Justice provides a seamless transfer from community colleges for AAS graduates. Most AAS students are practitioners with established careers in criminal justice agencies who are seeking to advance themselves in their careers with degrees in higher education. The BAAS meets this need with minimal loss of AAS credit. The BAAS provides three areas of concentration: Law Enforcement, Public Service, and Security Management.

Degree Requirements

The BAAS Degree requires a minimum of 120 hours. At least 25% of the semester credit hours must be earned through instruction offered by UH-Downtown. At least 18 hours must reflect approved upper-level courses. The final 30 semester credit hours must be taken at UH-Downtown. The degree requires a minimum of 24 upper-level criminal justice hours earned at UH-Downtown. An overall minimum grade point average of 2.0 at UH-Downtown is required for graduation, and a minimum average of 2.0 must be maintained in the upper-level hours in the major.

Common Core Requirements – Academic Foundation (42 hours)

Community College AAS Degree credits; must meet Common Core Requirements listed in this Catalog.

Criminal Justice Core (Vocational/Technical) (18 – 21 hours)

CJ 1301 Crime, Law, and Society

CJ 2301 The Police System

CJ 2302 The Criminal Court System

CJ 2303 The Correctional System

6 hours of electives

Community College AAS Degree credits

Criminal Justice Electives (18 hours)

UH-Downtown credits

General Education Requirements (9 hours)

Specific General Education Application and Enhancement Requirements for the BAAS consist of the following UH-Downtown courses:

Writing Skills (3 hours)

ENG 3302 Business and Technical Report Writing

ENG 3308 Legal Writing

Ethics and Morality (3 hours)

CJ 3311 Ethics of Social Control

Social Science (3 hours)

CJ 3301 Criminology

Upper-level Sociology

Professional Concentration (15 hours)

UH-Downtown Credits

Law Enforcement

CJ 3304 Criminal Law

CJ 3307 Community Oriented Policing

CJ 3317 Race and Crime

CJ 4301 Police Management

SOC 3307 Sociology of Deviance

Public Service

CJ 3316 Victimology

CJ 3317 Race and Crime

CJ 4305 Correctional Counseling

CJ 4380 Field Experience in Criminal Justice

SOC 3306 Social Inequality

Security Management

CJ 3309 Security and the Law

CJ 4304 White Collar Crime

CJ 4311 Security Management

CJ 4306 Domestic Terrorism

BA 3300 Business Cornerstone

Approved Electives (18 hours)

Credits to be selected from courses taken at universities or community colleges, at any level, with the following restrictions: Developmental courses (ENG 1300, MATH 0300, MATH 1300 and RDG 1300), or their equivalent, which may not apply to graduation requirements. No more than 25% of the hours presented for graduation may be credits in business. Electives are an important part of the degree program and should be selected in consultation with an academic advisor.

Bachelor of Science

Major in Criminal Justice

Janice Ahmad, PhD, Assistant Chair, Undergraduate Programs

713-221-8943

Course work leading to this bachelor’s degree provides the student with strong communication and analytical skills. This is accomplished (1) through a comprehensive and extensive set of general education requirements; (2) through a critical and in-depth interdisciplinary analysis of the causes of crime, the definition and measurement of crime, and society’s formal and informal efforts at preventing and controlling crime; and (3) by treatment of the field of criminal justice as an applied science where the student is taught to integrate theory construction, empirical validation, and practical application.

Degree Requirements

The Criminal Justice major requires a minimum of 120 hours. At least 25% of the semester credit hours must be earned through instruction offered by UH-Downtown. Twenty-four hours of criminal justice must be at the upper level, and 24 hours must be completed as course work at UH-Downtown. The last 30 of the total hours and 18 of the upper-level hours toward the degree must be successfully completed in residence at UH-Downtown. The degree requires a minimum of 36 upper-level hours. An overall minimum grade point average of 2.0 at UH-Downtown is required for graduation, and a minimum average of 2.0 must be maintained in the upper-level hours in the major.

Common Core Requirements (42 hours)

See listing under Common Core Requirements on page 27 of this
Catalog.

General Education Requirements (9-12 hours)

Specific General Education Application and Enhancement Requirements for the Criminal Justice degree are:

Writing Skills (3 hours)

ENG 3302 Business and Technical Report Writing

ENG 3308 Legal Writing

Nonverbal Analytical Skills (3 hours)

CJ 3320 Statistics in Criminal Justice

Ethics and Morality (3 hours)

CJ 3311 Ethics of Social Control

PHIL 3301 Moral Issues, Personal and Professional

World Community (3 hours)

One course is required that addresses topics beyond American society. Consult a degree advisor for specific courses that complement this degree. Courses commonly used to fulfill this requirement in the College of Public Service include courses in geography, foreign languages and literature, and history, political science and humanities courses that focus on other cultures. This requirement may be fulfilled through elective hours or in some other course applied within the degree, including CJ 4313.

Criminal Justice Core (18 hours)

CJ 1301 Crime, Law, and Society

CJ 2301 The Police System

CJ 2302 The Criminal Court System

CJ 2303 The Correctional System

CJ 3300 Research Methods in Criminal Justice

CJ 3301 Criminology

Criminal Justice Electives (24 hours)

To be chosen from among Criminal Justice courses not applied to the Criminal Justice core. All

24 hours must be at the upper level.

Criminal Justice Writing Intensive Courses (6 hours)

Students must take two upper-division courses that include substantial written assignments. These courses, designated as “W courses” in degree programs, assure students of opportunities to use and further refine their writing skills within the context of the major field of study. The following upper-division criminal justice courses have been designated as writing intensive:

CJ 3301 Criminology

CJ 3311 Ethics of Social Control

CJ 4370 Senior Seminar in Criminal Justice

Supplemental Concentration (12 hours)

Students must select 12 hours of non-criminal justice course work of which nine hours must be 3000-4000 level courses. The courses must be approved by the criminal justice advisor in the College of Public Service.

Electives (9-15 hours)

To be selected from any department at any level, with the following restrictions: Developmental courses (ENG 1300, MATH 0300, MATH 1300 and RDG 1300), or their equivalent, which may not apply to graduation requirements. No more than 25% of the hours presented for graduation may be credits in business. Electives are an important part of the degree program and should be selected in consultation with an academic advisor. (If the world community requirement is fulfilled by any course that meets another degree requirement, the total of elective hours is 9-15.)

Minors

Minor in Criminal Justice (21 hours minimum)

CJ 1301 Crime, Law, and Society

CJ 2301 The Police System

CJ 2302 The Criminal Court System

CJ 2303 The Correctional System

CJ 3300 Research Methods in Criminal Justice

CJ 3301 Criminology

3 hours of upper-level Criminal Justice courses

Minor in Security Management (18 hours minimum)

Required Core Courses (9 hours)

BA 3300 Business Cornerstone

CJ 3309 Security and the Law

CJ 4311 Security Management

Choose from following electives (9 hours)

BA 3308 Business Ethics

CJ 4304 White Collar Crime

CJ 4306 Domestic Terrorism

ECO 3310 Current Issues in Economics

POLS 4310 International Terrorism

PSY 3301 Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Academy Credit

Students who complete the UHD Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) Basic Peace Officer’s Academy and pass the licensing exam can apply for advanced placement for CJ 2301 (Police Systems) and CJ 2302 (Criminal Courts) by paying an administrative fee of $15. Students must be enrolled at UHD in order to receive credit and may not receive credit for classes in which they are currently enrolled or for which they have already received credit. No other Criminal Justice classes may be substituted. No grade is awarded for credit obtained in this manner. No other academy credit will be accepted.

Master of Science

Major in Criminal Justice
See Graduate Academic Programs section of this catalog.

Master of Security Management for

Executives

See Graduate Academic Programs section of this catalog.

Criminal Justice Training Center

Rex White, Director, 713-221-8690

The University of Houston-Downtown has one of the largest criminal justice training centers in Texas. The mission of the Training Center is to provide quality adult education to people desiring to enter public and private sector criminal justice professions and continuing education to criminal justice practitioners. In addition, students, faculty, and staff of the division donate thousands of hours annually to activities leading to the improvement of the criminal justice professions and the community at large. The division has conducted more than 130 police academy classes, trained more than 15,000 students for the criminal justice professions, and won regional and national awards for excellence. Its location near the Harris County courthouse and criminal justice complex makes it an ideal training site.

Law Enforcement Training Program

Entry-level training for prospective police officers is provided by the Center’s Police Academy. The academy is certified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) and is approved for veterans’ benefits through the Texas Education Agency. Approximately 40-50 specialized and advanced courses are offered annually for police officers and other public sector practitioners. Basic and advanced management training courses (ranging from one to 14 weeks in length) are provided through the Police Management Institute.

Specialized Certification Courses and Seminars

Specialized training and certification opportunities are provided through unique seminars and courses. In cooperation with the International Foundation for Protection Officers, the Center co-sponsors the Certified Protection Officer Program. In cooperation with the Houston Police Department and the Houston Chapter of the American Society for Industrial Security, the Center co-hosts an annual Joint Professional Development Conference. Certification courses are available in such diverse areas as arson investigation, investigative hypnosis, emergency medical care and technician training, and management.

UH-Downtown Criminal Justice Training Center Credit

Department of Urban Education

Myrna Cohen, EdD, Chair

Suite 440, 1002 Commerce Street, 713-221-2759

Faculty
Professor:
Associate Professors: / Sikka
Bhattacharjee, Chen, Cohen, Connell, Garcia, R. Johnson, Mahoney, Mullinnix, Nath, Thielemann-Downs, Van Horn
Assistant Professors: / Beebe, Bedard, Burnett, Hardin, Hewitt, Jenkins, Mitchell, Pedrana, Sack, Witschonke
Instructors: / Albert-Green, Bundoc, Hill, Paige, Wingfield

Academic Areas: Bilingual Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Elementary Education, Secondary Education

Programs of Study

Undergraduate/Post-baccalaureate

Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

Post-baccalaureate Teacher Certification

Certification Areas

Early Childhood–Sixth Grade Elementary Generalist

Early Childhood–Sixth Grade Bilingual Generalist

Fourth–Eighth Grade Generalist

Fourth-Eighth Grade Bilingual Generalist (check with the Department of Urban Education for availability of program)

Fourth–Eighth Grade Language Arts/Social Studies Specialist (check with Department of Urban Education for availability of program)