Behavioral Health and Society Certificate Requirements

The Certificate in Behavioral Health and Society is designed to help students in the social sciences and criminology to develop greater understanding of mental illness and addiction in relation to social forces. A variety of careers in the criminal justice system and related fields require working effectively with individuals who are experiencing psychological distress, poor mental health functioning, or addiction. Mental illness and illicit drugs are among the primary causes of criminal offending. The institutions of the criminal justice system are relied upon heavily to manage our society’s current opioid abuse and addiction crisis. The stress of being incarcerated, adjusting to life outside prison, witnessing violence, or coping with victimization may aggravate preexisting mental illnesses or lead to substance abuse. Suicide and drug overdose prevention, as well as other types of crisis intervention, are now major components of police work. Thus, it is vital for police officers, probation and parole agents, victim advocates, prison administrators, and others in the criminal justice system to possess a strong working knowledge of behavioral health. By completing the certificate program, students will be better prepared for careers or graduate study in fields at the intersection of sociology/criminology and behavioral health.

Certificate Requirements - 21-22 units 1
PSYCH 211INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYCH 345PSYCHOPATHOLOGY3
SAFETY 255ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS3
Select one from the systems and institutions of treatment:3
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WELFARE
COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS & TREATMENT
Select one from the lifecourse psychological development:3-4
HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT
Select one from the sociology of illness and medicine:3
CULTURE, MEDICINE AND HEALTH
SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH AND ILLNESS
SOCIOLOGY OF DISABILITY
POVERTY, HEALTH, AND CRIME
Select one from the applied courses (must be on a topic related to the certificate; requires program advisor approval; pre- or co-requisite completion of all other certificate program courses):3
APPLIED SOCIOLOGY
SEMINAR IN SOCIOLOGY
INDEPENDENT STUDY- UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Total Units21-22
1

A minimum 2.50 GPA is required.