Applied Correctional Practice, Graduate Certificate

IMPORTANT: UHD is no longer accepting applicants for this program

The UHD Department of Criminal Justice and Social Work partnered with professionals in both criminal justice and social work to develop an integrated graduate-level certificate that not only provides knowledge regarding evidence-based practices, but also the necessary skills to interact with various justice-involved populations. The graduate certificate in Applied Correctional Practice provides a unique approach to acquiring knowledge in a hands-on framework that easily transfers to the professional work arena.

Houston-area agencies that serve justice-involved and at-risk populations seek to hire individuals with the skills and knowledge to reduce recidivism and enhance public safety. The combination of criminal justice knowledge of evidence-based practices and social work skills for working with clients will be valuable to many agencies serving these populations. While not an exhaustive list, examples include federal, state, and city parole and probation agencies (adult and juvenile); pretrial agencies; state and federal correctional facilities; city and county jails; federal, state, and local court systems (including drug courts and mental health courts); community-based nonprofit agencies serving offenders, ex-offenders, or reentrants; faith-based agencies; and primary health and behavioral health care providers serving low-income people, including ex-offenders.

Certificate Program Outcomes

Graduates who earn a Graduate Certificate in Applied Correctional Practice will be able to:

1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge for working in a correctional setting.
2. Assess and apply evidence- based theory and practices as they relate to recidivism.
3. Demonstrate skills that are necessary to deliver effective services to justice-involved populations.
4. Demonstrate effective interventions with specialized populations (e.g. women, mentally ill, LGBTQ, adolescents/ elderly, families).

Admissions

Admissions Criteria                        

1. Completed undergraduate degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; applicants with an undergraduate GPA less than 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission
2. Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, social work, or related discipline from an accredited university
3. Personal statement outlining experience and interest in the program (limit statement to 1,000 words)
4. Applicants whose baccalaureate degree was conferred by a university whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency with a minimum composite score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam as well as a minimal score of 50 on each of the subscales.

Questions about Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Applied Correctional Practice should be sent to the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies.

Admissions Materials

1. Completed application at www.applytexas.org.
2. Paid application fee.
3. All official college transcripts (applicants seeking admission to this pro­gram must hold a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, social work, or related discipline from an accredited university) submitted to Graduate Admissions​ at gradadmissions@uhd.edu​.
4. Personal statement outlining experience and interest in the program (limit statement to 1,000 words)
5. TOEFFL scores for applicants whose baccalaureate degree was conferred by a university whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency with a minimum composite score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam as well as a minimal score of 50 on each of the subscales.

Admissions Process

Applications are only accepted for fall admission for the ACPC program. Students are admitted based upon their previous academic achievement and personal statement.  Final admission decisions and made by the Program Director and are sent via email.

Admissions Appeals

Applicants wishing to appeal an admission decision must complete the Graduate CPS Graduate Program Admissions Appeal Form .