Victim Studies, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts

Undergraduate students majoring in Victim Studies may earn either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. The coursework is designed to prepare students for employment in all areas of victim services (ex. as victim advocates or case workers and investigators with the Department of Family and Protective Services, etc.). System advocates work for law enforcement agencies and prosecuting attorneys’ offices. They provide information about crime victims’ rights, court accompaniment, referrals, and notification about hearings, etc. Victim service professionals are similarly employed by the prison system. Community-based advocates assist survivors regardless of whether they file criminal complaints. They may work in a shelter, answering the hotline and providing other direct services (ex. crisis intervention and case management, etc.) Or, they may provide non-residential interventions (ex. court, legal, and medical accompaniment, etc.).  

Depending on the student’s preference, the degree may be completed in-person or online. It is the only program of its kind in Texas and one of few in the nation.

Coursework

Five core criminal justice courses are required as well as six credits in victim studies-specific classes (ex. Child Abuse and Neglect, Family Violence, and Elder Abuse and Maltreatment, etc.) and six credits in victim services classes (ex. Trauma and Crisis Intervention, Victim Service Delivery, and Counseling and Interviewing, etc.). In addition to the core curriculum, the electives include two courses in social justice and three additional offerings in criminal justice, sociology, and psychology. This program does not require a minor; however, a minor in human services is commonly chosen and suggested for victim studies majors.

Careers in Victim Studies

• Victim coordinators and liaisons in prosecuting attorneys’ offices and police agencies
• Victim service professionals within the prison system
• Advocates in domestic violence, rape crisis, human trafficking, and anti-drunk driving organizations
• Adult and child protective services

Or continue your education with a graduate degree.

Program Breakdown