Doctor of Psychology, Criminology and Justice Studies Specialization

Summary:

Pursue your Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), Criminology and Justice Studies Specialization degree online from University of the Rockies.

Program Emphasis:

Be a practitioner and a scholar with advanced courses and seminars in the arena of law enforcement and corrections. Earn expertise in cutting-edge theories of criminal behavior, and find real-world solutions. Explore how institutions process criminals through the correctional system, and learn to ensure due process. Distinguish between crimes and locate them within social and economic contexts. Discover proven methods to rehabilitate people, empowering them to return as productive members of society.

The Doctoral curriculum can open doors to a career in the criminal justice system, in designing and steering public policy, and in scholarly research at the highest level. You can make a difference.

Degree Completion Requirements:

To fulfill the requirements for the Doctor of Psychology, Criminology and Justice Studies Specialization, you must successfully complete the following:

  • Program coursework of 62-68 credits
  • Attend in-residence weekends in Colorado Springs (Friday midday to Sunday midday - dates TBD) for courses ORG 7272, ORG 7101, ORG 8580. Please refer to these Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about this in-residence requirement.
  • A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00
  • 180 hours of practicum
  • Defense of the dissertation
  • Submission of the Petition to Graduate form and applicable fees

Program Outline:

Take advantage of the flexibility of course offerings:

  • Online courses are offered in an accelerated six-week format and can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week
  • Online courses are taken one at a time
  • Courses are listed in the proposed sequence. Your Academic Advisor will help with scheduling your courses.

Courses:

Courses

ORG 5001 Survey of Psychology I (3 credits)*

This course is a survey course developed to assist students with degrees in areas other than psychology to become prepared for graduate study in psychology. Survey I covers an introduction to research, basic psychotherapeutic concepts, cognitive development, sexual development and issues, child issues, family therapy and other therapies, learning and memory and ethics. This course is the first of two survey courses in this preparation process.

ORG 5002 Survey of Psychology II (3 credits)*

This course is the second of two survey courses. This course covers a brief history of psychology, psychoanalytic theories of personality as well as other personality theories, human motives and social motives, psychological therapies and questions about psychotherapy, intelligence measurement, personality traits and their measurement, social relation in groups, stress, health and illness and mind, self and well being. Prerequisite: ORG 5001.

ORG 7509 History & Systems of Psychology (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the theoretical systems, methods of inquiry, and terminologies associated with the history of psychology. The course is grounded in a broad historical understanding that builds a framework for understanding the contemporary field of psychology. The focus is on the major systems of Associationism, Structuralism, Functionalism, Behaviorism, Gestalt, Psychodynamic, and Existential/Humanistic.

ORG 7510 Biological Bases of Behavior (3 credits)

This course is designed to provide the student with a foundation of human physiology including the nervous, hormonal, reproductive, and sensory systems, and the attendant functions of digestion, sleep, learning and memory, emotion and other human biological functions. The course provides an essential knowledge base for most other offerings in the field of psychology.

ORG 7600 Family Systems (3 credits)

This course is an introduction to the systems approach to intervention with families. It includes a historical perspective on family theory development. The focus is on obtaining knowledge and theory about the nuclear family in traditional and alternative forms. Normal family patterns of interaction, family life cycle, family of origin, family subsystems, and societal influence are explored. Contemporary issues and outcome research literature are reviewed. This course serves as a knowledge base for further study of assessment, treatment, and intervention with families.

ORG 7210 Adult Psychopathology & Treatment I (3 credits)

This course focuses on the etiology and diagnosis of adult psychopathological disorders. Students develop skills in case conceptualization and addressing adult disorders, and differential diagnosis. Benefits and limitations of the diagnostic process are reviewed.

ORG 7260 Adult Psychopathology & Treatment II (3 credits)

This course examines the methods and techniques employed to assist adult clients in the change process with specific reference to problem diagnosis, case conceptualization, and construction of a systematic treatment plan, emerging treatment revision, assessment of outcome, termination, and ethical issues in the treatment process. While placing treatment within a theoretical context, the real emphasis in this course is on treatment techniques aimed at symptom and problem reduction. Prerequisite: ORG 7210 or equivalent.

ORG 7272 Group Process & Group Leadership in Organizations (3 credits)+

This course provides an overview of group theory, processes and dynamics in organizations. It will also examine effective behaviors and characteristics of facilitating/leading groups in an organizational setting. Students will be afforded the opportunity to participate in group simulations both as participant and facilitator. Students will receive evaluation and feedback on their group facilitation skills. A strong emphasis is placed on ethical standards and behavior in groups along with legal issues. The impact on groups of factors such as diversity, culture, distance, and others are explored.

ORG 7300 Advanced Seminar: Statistics & Psychometrics in Organizations (3 credits)

This course involves the advanced study of the theory and practice of psychological measurement. Students review the principles of statistical inference (univariate inferential statistics for comparisons of sample means and correlation, hypothesis testing, and statistical tests appropriate to one-way research designs) and psychological measurement (levels of measurement, research variables, validity and reliability of instruments and measurement procedures) as a basis for exploring the proper use of tests and measurements in psychological research. The course familiarizes the prospective professional psychologist with types of psychometric instruments commonly used in organizational psychology practice: intellectual, aptitude, and achievement tests; interest inventories; personality tests; and social measures. Students explore published research based on psychometric instruments and other measurement methodologies, and learn to critique and evaluate the published research.

ORG 7400 Research Design & Methods - Quantitative (3 credits)

This course extends a student's knowledge of the principles and procedures involved in complex behavioral sciences research. The goal is to provide the student with an educational experience that allows him or her to become an informed consumer of scholarly psychological research. The course also prepares the student to conduct advanced research. Topics include philosophy of science, advanced research methods, and analysis of variance. Prerequisite: ORG 7300.

ORG 7410 Research Design & Methods - Qualitative (3 credits)

Readings and exercises in this course emphasize design, analysis, and research concepts most appropriate to investigating intangibles and common data in psychological modeling. Techniques of methodological design related to observational, evaluative, systemic, psycho-historical, phenomenological, heuristic, mythic, and case methods are emphasized. Other course topics include data collection, reliability, validity, data summary and analysis, data reporting, influences on response rate, techniques of survey sampling (mail, questionnaire, and telephone surveys), and semi-structured interview schedules. Research issues of protection of human subjects, privacy, and confidentiality are also addressed. Students are supervised and share experiences gained while preparing to develop, administer, and analyze qualitative research projects. Emphasis is placed on the role that qualitative methodologies play in the world of research. Prerequisite: ORG 7400 or equivalent.

ORG 7101 Assessment of Personality for Organizational Leadership (3 credits)+

This course involves the study of the theory and practice of objective personality assessment and its application to executive coaching and organizational leadership. The course focuses on how objective personality assessment is used to provide insights into readiness for leadership and management roles. Primary emphasis is on those published instruments and inventories commonly used in executive coaching, organizational leadership assessment and organizational development, including instruments such as: FIRO-B, Social Style Profile, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, CPI 260, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode, Campbell Leadership Index, Workplace Big Five, Change Style Indicator, Campbell Organizational Survey, and Conflicts Dynamics Profile. (All of the above will not necessarily be included in each session of the course; instructors will select representative examples from classes of instruments.)

ORG 8571 Contemporary Criminological Theory (3 credits)

This course involves a critical analysis of contemporary criminological theories and current applications or revisions of traditional theories. Students will explore topics ranging from restorative justice and gender-driven theories to critical criminology and environmental criminology. The relative benefits and drawbacks of each topic will be examined, as well as the status of current research relating to them.

ORG 8573 Types & Characteristics of Crime (3 credits)

The purpose of this course is to review the classification of different crime types, and to assess the distribution of each type across an array of socio-demographic variables, including class, race/ethnicity, gender, age, and locale. Students will learn about the various causes of the different types of crimes, and the specific ways the justice system should respond to different types of offenders.

ORG 8575 Advanced Analysis of Criminal Justice Processes (3 credits)

This course examines the processing of offenders through the criminal justice system, from arrest to corrections. Issues of due process will be analyzed and critiqued, with particular emphasis placed on judicial system parameters. Recognition of the need for the three components of the justice system to process cases efficiently will lead the student to an understanding of how systems theory is integrated into an overall analysis of the justice system.

ORG 8577 Juvenile Justice (3 credits)

This course focuses on the juvenile justice system, while highlighting differences between the juvenile and the adult criminal justice system. The course will not only cover traditional topics such as juvenile delinquency and the processing of juvenile offenders, but also current concerns about juvenile behavior, such as rates of youth violence and gang participation. The legal and philosophical bases for the separate system for juveniles will also be analyzed and debated.

ORG 8580 Mental Health & Crime (3 credits)+

The relationship between crime, mental health, and mental illness are covered in this course, with a focus on analyzing specific treatment and rehabilitation practices used with various types of offenders in diverse settings. Emphasis will be placed on changes in the mental health system that generated an increase in the presence of mentally ill offenders in the criminal justice system. Additionally, focus will be placed on issues such as the accurate assessment of mental illness, problems with certain therapy methods, difficulties in treating dangerous offenders, drawbacks of utilizing personnel with limited training, and other impediments and limitations to effective treatment of offenders.

ORG 8582 Drugs, Addiction, & Crime (3 credits)

This course explores the relationships among criminality, drug use, and addiction by examining the evolution of drug policies from the following perspectives: enforcement, prosecution, and sentencing of drug users and addicts. The impact of drug laws on criminal justice processing will also be examined. Students will gain an understanding of drug use and will explore theoretical orientations that help to explain why people use drugs and how such use leads to criminal behavior. Further, the ways in which drug use and drug policies have an impact on the juvenile justice and criminal justice systems will be covered. An integral part of this course will be based on current events, policies on drug treatment, and enforcement of drug laws.

ORG 8586 Evaluating Criminal Justice Interventions (3 credits)

This course focuses on methods used to examine the effectiveness of programs developed to treat offenders, support victims, as well those concerning crime prevention schemes. Prior evaluation models will be reviewed and problems and appropriate methods in assessing effective models of intervention will be discussed. Evaluation concerns will not only include program effectiveness, but also issues of ethics and legal requirements. Students will become familiar with how to address the need to design and evaluate programs according to such concerns. They will also have an opportunity to use prediction techniques and operational research methods to measure the effectiveness and performance of criminal justice programs.

ORG 8966-8970 Organizational Practicum I-V (6 credits)

Students obtain direct organizational experience during one or more organizational consulting opportunities. Each student has a University of the Rockies practicum supervisor as well as an on-site supervisor. Students have the opportunity to serve in a variety of roles related to their chosen specialization. They also have the opportunity to work with a variety of leadership styles and organizational cultures as part of their practicum experience. Students locate practicum sites based on their particular interests with the support of the School of Organizational Leadership faculty and Dean. Students must complete each term or practicum before registering for the subsequent term. Full requirements and other information can be found in the Practicum Handbook.

ORG 8990 Dissertation (5 credits)++

Students writing a dissertation must complete a total of 5 credits by registering for five consecutive terms of dissertation credit, one credit per term. Students may not register for dissertation credit until they have completed all other course work including their practicum. Dissertations are written per the policies, practices and procedures in the Dissertation Handbook.


Total credits 62-68


* Students entering the program without a Bachelor's or Master's degree in psychology or a related field are required to successfully complete ORG 5001 Survey of Psychology I (3 credits) and ORG 5002 Survey of Psychology II (3 credits) as part of the program. These two courses are designed to prepare students for the remainder of the program.

++ The successful oral defense of the Dissertation is required for graduation with a PsyD from University of the Rockies. The purpose of the Dissertation is to ensure that the student has mastered the ability to pursue a systematic investigation, which examines significant issues or problems in applied psychology. The Dissertation requirement is also designed to contribute to the student's knowledge, skills, and research expertise in psychology. Students choose a topic that addresses carefully chosen research questions that the student then investigates with quantitative or qualitative research, with a meta-analysis, or with a program design or program evaluation with human, as opposed to animal subjects. Time lines for completion of the Dissertation as well as a detailed explanation of each step and requirements in the process are described in the University of the Rockies Dissertation Handbook.

+ Contains a weekend in-residence requirement in Colorado Springs (Friday midday to Sunday midday). Dates will be published in advance. Travel and related expenses are your responsibility.