Welcome to Penn State Altoona

Welcome to Penn Welcome to Penn State AltoonaState Altoona

An Introduction to An Introduction to The Criminal Justice ProgramThe Criminal Justice Program

Part OnePart One

For More InformationFor More Information This presentation and other This presentation and other

important information about the important information about the program can be found at:program can be found at:

http://www.personal.psu.edu/sak229

You should also check the program’s You should also check the program’s official web site at:official web site at:

http://www.altoona.psu.edu/cj

Criminal Justice FacultyCriminal Justice Faculty Michael Arter, Ph.D.Michael Arter, Ph.D. Vidisha Barua, LLM, Ph.D.Vidisha Barua, LLM, Ph.D. L. Edward Day, Ph.D.L. Edward Day, Ph.D. Mary Ann Probst, Esquire, CJ Program CordiantorMary Ann Probst, Esquire, CJ Program Cordiantor Robert Worley, Ph.D. Robert Worley, Ph.D.

Scott Kelly, Ph.D. student, Lead Advisor and Part-Scott Kelly, Ph.D. student, Lead Advisor and Part-Time LecturerTime Lecturer

All CJ faculty advise CJ students. You have already All CJ faculty advise CJ students. You have already been assigned an advisor to assist you, but you been assigned an advisor to assist you, but you may ask any one of us for guidance.may ask any one of us for guidance.

The Field of Criminal JusticeThe Field of Criminal Justice

Exploding with opportunityExploding with opportunity

Some positions require only 60 Some positions require only 60 hours of higher education, BUT…hours of higher education, BUT…

Employers Employers willwill hire the best hire the best qualified applicantsqualified applicants

Criminal JusticeCriminal Justice

Criminal justice majors have many Criminal justice majors have many choices in their future….including but choices in their future….including but not limited to law enforcement and not limited to law enforcement and corrections.corrections.

What Kinds of Jobs?What Kinds of Jobs? LawyerLawyer MediatorMediator ArbitratorArbitrator Child AdvocateChild Advocate CriminalistCriminalist Forensic SpecialistForensic Specialist ResearcherResearcher

DEA AgentDEA Agent Cargo Theft AgentCargo Theft Agent FBIFBI Highway PatrolHighway Patrol Postal InspectorPostal Inspector Private InvestigatorPrivate InvestigatorSome of these careers Some of these careers

will require specialized will require specialized additional education.additional education.

What Else?What Else? Anything! Anything!

A liberal arts education teaches you A liberal arts education teaches you to think, analyze and communicate .to think, analyze and communicate .

These skills can be transferred to any These skills can be transferred to any career.career.

What you do with your time in What you do with your time in the CJ program determines the CJ program determines the opportunities you will have the opportunities you will have available later. available later.

Where do I begin?Where do I begin? Commit to your educational process!Commit to your educational process!

Immerse yourself in the educational Immerse yourself in the educational processprocess

Set goals and work toward themSet goals and work toward them

Make a plan – your advisor will helpMake a plan – your advisor will help

AdvisorsAdvisors

Advisors support students in their Advisors support students in their endeavors, provide information, and endeavors, provide information, and encourage students to encourage students to make their own make their own decisionsdecisions

Students have an obligation to Students have an obligation to communicate with their advisors. communicate with their advisors. Effective advising requires Effective advising requires communication and complete communication and complete informationinformation

Special NeedsSpecial Needs

If you are a special needs student….it If you are a special needs student….it is is youryour choicechoice whether to disclose whether to disclose that informationthat information

Accommodation letters are provided Accommodation letters are provided by the Health & Wellness Centerby the Health & Wellness Center

You are responsible for provided this You are responsible for provided this information to your instructorsinformation to your instructors

Tell or Don’t tell….Tell or Don’t tell…. Choosing Choosing not to disclosenot to disclose special special

needs information means that your needs information means that your advisor and professors will not be advisor and professors will not be able to provide additional academic able to provide additional academic support support

Disclosure at the end of a semester Disclosure at the end of a semester is not retroactive is not retroactive

Self-AdvisingSelf-Advising

Self-Advising – some students Self-Advising – some students believe that they can navigate the believe that they can navigate the academic system on their own, and academic system on their own, and don’t need advisingdon’t need advising

Roommate/Friend Advising – some Roommate/Friend Advising – some students rely on their roommates or students rely on their roommates or friends for academic advisingfriends for academic advising

Self-AdvisingSelf-Advising While students make their own While students make their own

academic decisions…we strongly academic decisions…we strongly recommend that students discuss recommend that students discuss those decisions with their advisor. those decisions with their advisor.

Working with your advisor Working with your advisor consistently helps eliminate last consistently helps eliminate last semester panic and delayed semester panic and delayed graduation graduation

Self-AdvisingSelf-Advising Remember to refer to the CJ web Remember to refer to the CJ web

sites for information on the program, sites for information on the program, program forms, etc.program forms, etc.

Have your degree audit reviewed by Have your degree audit reviewed by the Program Coordinator before your the Program Coordinator before your final semester.final semester.

Reality CheckReality Check

Penn State Altoona does NOT Penn State Altoona does NOT guarantee that every student will get guarantee that every student will get through a rigorous academic programthrough a rigorous academic program

Success is up to each individual Success is up to each individual student student

Your progress in your academic Your progress in your academic program depends on you!program depends on you!

Reality CheckReality Check

A Bachelor’s Degree requires a A Bachelor’s Degree requires a total of 128 credits of required and total of 128 credits of required and elective courses.elective courses.

This means that you need to This means that you need to complete an average of 32 credits complete an average of 32 credits each year, or 16 credits every each year, or 16 credits every semester to graduate in four years. semester to graduate in four years.

PLAN AHEAD!PLAN AHEAD!

Reality CheckReality Check Entry into the Criminal Justice Entry into the Criminal Justice

associate degree program does associate degree program does NOTNOT guarantee entry into a bachelor’s guarantee entry into a bachelor’s degree program.degree program.

If you are enrolled in the associate If you are enrolled in the associate degree program, you must apply for degree program, you must apply for entry into the Bachelor’s program. entry into the Bachelor’s program.

Reality CheckReality Check Community Service and Internships Community Service and Internships

are an integral part of this CJ are an integral part of this CJ Program. Program.

You will participate in both during the You will participate in both during the process of attaining your CJ degree. process of attaining your CJ degree.

Both are opportunities to network Both are opportunities to network and expand your professional and expand your professional horizons. horizons.

Why do I have to take all those other Why do I have to take all those other courses? courses?

University life is intended to assist you University life is intended to assist you in realizing your full potential in realizing your full potential

While you are here, you will amass a While you are here, you will amass a body of knowledge about your field, body of knowledge about your field, and you will learn a great deal about and you will learn a great deal about yourselfyourself

Courses are designed to broaden your Courses are designed to broaden your world and your future opportunitiesworld and your future opportunities

For example….For example…. Writing/Speaking classes allow you to Writing/Speaking classes allow you to

improve written and oral improve written and oral communication skillscommunication skills

Employers demand effective oral and Employers demand effective oral and

written communication skills in written communication skills in people they hirepeople they hire

Ok..but why Math?Ok..but why Math? Quantification improves your critical thinking Quantification improves your critical thinking

skills and analytical skills. skills and analytical skills. Understanding statistical analyses is a critical Understanding statistical analyses is a critical

skill for making informed policy decisions.skill for making informed policy decisions.

The best preparation for STAT 200 is either The best preparation for STAT 200 is either MATH 017 or MATH 021, but you may need to MATH 017 or MATH 021, but you may need to start at a more fundamental level, depending start at a more fundamental level, depending upon your math placement score.upon your math placement score.

But Health and Activity But Health and Activity Classes?Classes?

Health and Physical Activity Classes Health and Physical Activity Classes improve your health and fitness, and improve your health and fitness, and provide opportunities for lifelong provide opportunities for lifelong recreationrecreation

They also help you develop a healthier They also help you develop a healthier lifestyle NOW rather than later when lifestyle NOW rather than later when the damage has been done the damage has been done

Natural Science?Natural Science?

In Natural Science classes, you learn In Natural Science classes, you learn a different way of looking at the a different way of looking at the world -- the scientific method -- world -- the scientific method -- which sharpens logic and reasoning which sharpens logic and reasoning abilities abilities

Overall….Overall….

Whether two year or four year, AS, Whether two year or four year, AS, BS or BA….a degree program needs BS or BA….a degree program needs to fit you, challenge you and ignite to fit you, challenge you and ignite excitement about your chosen field excitement about your chosen field