The professional youth work certificate program addresses the growing need for educated professionals to work with youth in structured organizations. There are approximately 3,800 local, state, and national organizations in the United States that focus on the development of youth, some of which are "prevention" oriented while others utilize "intervention" strategies. Eleven of the major national youth organizations serve some 25 million youth, provide full-time employment for over 30,000 staff members, and offer more than 3,000 job openings annually.
The certificate program includes academic and experiential learning and draws upon educational pedagogy, sociology, and psychology to prepare students to address complex problems in youth, family, and community services. More specifically, the program, which is interdisciplinary and applied in nature, provides a foundation in (a) individual and family development and functioning in the community and societal context; (b) contemporary issues facing youth, families, and communities; and (c) policies and programs designed to prevent or alleviate concerns related to youth development and family issues. Students also acquire, in conjunction with the school's general education requirements and leadership development opportunities, critical intervention skills in interpersonal communication, program planning, leadership, social policy, applied research and evaluation, and community-based education.
The certificate program is intended to expand career options for students, whatever their academic majors may be. Employment opportunities include human services; community development; youth programs in public, private, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations; and teaching opportunities in a variety of environmental education/science centers and nonschool settings.
The certificate is administered through the Program in Science Learning in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. For further information, contact Rebecca Jordan, 104 Waller Hall, 848-932-9164 (rcjordan@rci.rutgers.edu).
Required Courses (13-15 credits)
01:355:201 Research
in the Discipline (3) or equivalent (such as 01:355:302 Scientific and
Technical Writing or 01:355:303 Writing for Business and the
Professions)
11:300:101 Introduction to Professional Youth Work (1) or 05:300:200 Exploring Teaching as a Profession (3)
11:300:336 Administration and Management of Youth Agencies (3)
11:300:306 Educational Psychology: Principles of Classroom Learning (3)
11:300:438 Practicum in Professional Youth Work (3)
Suggested Electives** (6 credits)
01:830:271 (Prerequisite: 01:830:101) Psychology of the Family (3)
01:830:333 (Prerequisite: 01:830:101) Adolescent Development (3)
01:920:108 Minority Groups in American Society (3)
01:920:218 Sociology of Education (3)
01:920:272 Sociology of the Family (3)
11:300:416 Environmental Education in the School Curriculum (3)
11:374:201 Research Methods in Human Ecology (3)
11:709:224 Individual, Marriage, and the Family (3)
11:709:226 Nutrition for the Developing Child (3)
11:709:323 Nutrition for the Child in Family and Community (3)
