The Behavioral Sciences Department sponsors New Perspectives, a journal for papers written on topics within the Behavioral Sciences areas. The journal is published once a year in the spring. The journal employs a blind-review process that allows students to simulate the workings of an actual professional publication.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Criminal Justice program maintains close ties with many local organizations that provide services to crime victims, juveniles, and others in the local community. We can facilitate volunteer placement with the organizations that enable students to gain valuable career experience, and often, specialized training. Students are eligible for placement once they have successfully completed 60 semester hours and have a 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Presentation and Publication Opportunities
Students from the Behavioral Sciences Department have authored or coauthored papers presented at national meetings. Student work is also displayed during the Annual Student Scholars Week and published in journals and in online resource libraries.
Criminal Justice students have presented at national conferences such as the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, ASIS International, and at regional meetings such as the Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences and the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Justice Educators.
Psychology students have authored or coauthored papers at conferences such as the Association for Psychological Science, Human Evolution and Behavior Society, Eastern Psychological Association, Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Social Research Conference, and Lehigh Valley Research Conference.
Recreation majors have the opportunity to participate in and present at the Recreation and Parks Society Annual Conference, as well as the PA Therapeutic Recreation Society’s Annual Conference.
Training and Certifications
Criminal Justice students are encouraged to take advantage of training and certification programs offered by the International Foundation of Protection Officers such as the Certified Protection Officer (CPO) and the Certified in Security Supervision and Management (CSSM), and Crime and Loss Investigation programs. Other noncredit courses are held on campus periodically. Past courses included Report Writing, Defensive Tactics, Pepper-Spray (OCAT), Handcuffing, Crowd Management, Interviewing, and Terrorism in the U.S.
Recreation majors are encouraged to take advantage of two available certifications. The CPRP – Certified Park and Recreation Professional is available to all students who graduate from the Recreation and Leisure Administration Program and the CTRS – Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist certification is available to Recreation and Leisure Administration majors who choose the Therapeutic Emphasis.