• Beth Wiersma, Interim Criminal Justice Co-Chair
• Professors: J. Carlson, Siedschlaw
• Associate Professors: J. Campbell, Wiersma
• Assistant Professor: Neal

Criminal Justice Department Objectives:

• To provide a broad academic and multidisciplinary background for students majoring in Criminal Justice;
• To prepare students of high character and ethical standards for leadership positions within the employment areas of law enforcement, corrections, probation, parole, private security, and the courts;
• To assist students in gaining employment within criminal justice and related career fields;
• To cultivate in students a realistic awareness of present and historical trends of crime and criminal methodology;
• To stimulate an awareness of deviant and abnormal human behavior of concern to criminal justice practitioners;
• To acquaint students with current literature and research pertaining to the administration of justice.

Criminal Justice General Information
At least 15 hours (5 courses) of upper division credit in criminal justice must be taken from UNK.

• Maha Younes, Social Work Co-Chair
• Professor: Younes
  Associate Professor: Cook-Fong
  Assistant Professors: DeLong-Hamilton, Van Laningham
  Senior Lecturer: Stuehm

Social Work Department Mission Statement

The Social Work Department at the University of Nebraska at Kearney will prepare competent professionals who are equipped with generalist social work knowledge, skills, ethics and values to promote the dignity and wellbeing of all people within in a multicultural society.

Social Work Department Goals:

1. Equip students with core competencies for beginning generalist social work practice that enables them to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
2. Prepare students for lifelong learning and the application of critical thinking to guide professional decision-making by combining a liberal arts foundation with social work education.
3. Prepare students to develop a professional identity, which will incorporate the knowledge, skills, values, and ethical principles of the social work profession that are crucial for the advancement of human rights, and economic and social justice.
4. Prepare students for evidence-based practice with diverse and marginalized populations.
5. Prepare students as beginning social work generalist practitioners who are engaged in research informed practice and practice informed research.

The Social Work Department is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The department does not grant academic credit for life experience or previous work experience.