Transcript Welcome to Penn State Altoona

Welcome to Penn
State Altoona
An Introduction to
The Criminal Justice Program
Part One
For More Information
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This presentation and other important
information about the program can be
found at:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/sak229
You should also check the program’s
official web site at:
http://www.altoona.psu.edu/cj
Criminal Justice Faculty
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Michael Arter, Ph.D.
Vidisha Barua, LLM, Ph.D.
L. Edward Day, Ph.D.
Mary Ann Probst, Esquire, CJ Program Cordiantor
Robert Worley, Ph.D.
Scott Kelly, Ph.D. student, Lead Advisor and Part-Time
Lecturer
All CJ faculty advise CJ students. You have already been
assigned an advisor to assist you, but you may ask any
one of us for guidance.
The Field of Criminal Justice
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Exploding with opportunity
Some positions require only 60 hours of
higher education, BUT…
Employers will hire the best qualified
applicants
Criminal Justice
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Criminal justice majors have many choices
in their future….including but not limited
to law enforcement and corrections.
What Kinds of Jobs?
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Lawyer
Mediator
Arbitrator
Child Advocate
Criminalist
Forensic Specialist
Researcher
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DEA Agent
Cargo Theft Agent
FBI
Highway Patrol
Postal Inspector
Private Investigator
Some of these careers will
require specialized
additional education.
What Else?
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Anything!
A liberal arts education teaches you to
think, analyze and communicate .
These skills can be transferred to any
career.
What you do with your time in
the CJ program determines
the opportunities you will have
available later.
Where do I begin?
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Commit to your educational process!
Immerse yourself in the educational
process
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Set goals and work toward them
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Make a plan – your advisor will help
Advisors
Advisors support students in their
endeavors, provide information, and
encourage students to make their own
decisions
Students have an obligation to
communicate with their advisors.
Effective advising requires
communication and complete
information
Special Needs
If you are a special needs student….it is
your choice whether to disclose that
information
Accommodation letters are provided by the
Health & Wellness Center
You are responsible for provided this
information to your instructors
Tell or Don’t tell….
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Choosing not to disclose special needs
information means that your advisor and
professors will not be able to provide
additional academic support
Disclosure at the end of a semester is not
retroactive
Self-Advising
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Self-Advising – some students believe that
they can navigate the academic system on
their own, and don’t need advising
Roommate/Friend Advising – some
students rely on their roommates or
friends for academic advising
Self-Advising
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While students make their own academic
decisions…we strongly recommend that
students discuss those decisions with their
advisor.
Working with your advisor consistently
helps eliminate last semester panic and
delayed graduation
Self-Advising
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Remember to refer to the CJ web sites for
information on the program, program
forms, etc.
Have your degree audit reviewed by the
Program Coordinator before your final
semester.
Reality Check
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Penn State Altoona does NOT guarantee
that every student will get through a
rigorous academic program
Success is up to each individual student
Your progress in your academic program
depends on you!
Reality Check
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A Bachelor’s Degree requires a total of
128 credits of required and elective
courses.
This means that you need to complete
an average of 32 credits each year, or
16 credits every semester to graduate
in four years.
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PLAN AHEAD!
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Reality Check
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Entry into the Criminal Justice associate
degree program does NOT guarantee
entry into a bachelor’s degree program.
If you are enrolled in the associate degree
program, you must apply for entry into
the Bachelor’s program.
Reality Check
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Community Service and Internships are an
integral part of this CJ Program.
You will participate in both during the
process of attaining your CJ degree.
Both are opportunities to network and
expand your professional horizons.
Why do I have to take all those other
courses?
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University life is intended to assist you
in realizing your full potential
While you are here, you will amass a
body of knowledge about your field,
and you will learn a great deal about
yourself
Courses are designed to broaden your
world and your future opportunities
For example….
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Writing/Speaking classes allow you to
improve written and oral communication
skills
Employers demand effective oral and
written communication skills in people
they hire
Ok..but why Math?
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Quantification improves your critical thinking
skills and analytical skills.
Understanding statistical analyses is a critical
skill for making informed policy decisions.
The best preparation for STAT 200 is either
MATH 017 or MATH 021, but you may need to
start at a more fundamental level, depending
upon your math placement score.
But Health and Activity
Classes?
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Health and Physical Activity Classes
improve your health and fitness, and
provide opportunities for lifelong
recreation
They also help you develop a healthier
lifestyle NOW rather than later when
the damage has been done
Natural Science?
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In Natural Science classes, you learn a
different way of looking at the world -- the
scientific method -- which sharpens logic
and reasoning abilities
Overall….
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Whether two year or four year, AS, BS or
BA….a degree program needs to fit you,
challenge you and ignite excitement
about your chosen field