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Graduate Certificate Program in Domestic Violence Prevention

Learn to assess, prevent and respond to domestic violence with UMass Lowell's online 4-course graduate certificate program.

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Online Graduate Certificate in Domestic Violence Prevention

Gain expertise in preventing and responding to domestic violence with UMass Lowell's 100% online graduate certificate. Domestic violence is one of our nation's greatest social and public health problems. This certificate is designed for those in the fields of nursing, health, social services, family services, youth services, police, hospital and health agency administration and other related professions. The program includes courses in Criminal Justice, Community Social Psychology and Health Professions and provides a focused learning opportunity for those working in settings where domestic violence is an issue.

Courses completed in this certificate program can be applied toward UMass Lowell's Online Master's Degree in Criminal Justice.

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Complete in 9 Months

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No GRE Required

One Success Leads to Another

Apply credits from lower credentials to higher ones. Our programs are designed to build upon themselves:

Curriculum Outline

- Required Courses: 3
- Electives: 1

Course Descriptions

CRIM.5200 Administration of Justice (3cr)

An examination of the components of the criminal justice system and a review of the administration of federal, state and local criminal justice agencies, including a focus on criminal law and procedure.

CRIM.5910 Research Design (3cr)

Research design is a graduate-level introduction to methodology as used in criminology/criminal justice. The course surveys the research design enterprise and covers a host of issues on the measurement and collection of data, and other procedures that influence whether a research study will lead the investigator to scientifically rigorous information. This course explains various strategies for devising social science studies, compares the relative benefits of various designs, and identifies the tools necessary to conduct studies that will yield data worthy of analysis and interpretation. This material will be valuable for students who will conduct research and administrators who must evaluate the research of others.

Requirements:

CSCE Graduate Restrictions

CRIM.6300 Victimology (3cr)

This course examines the study of crime victims and of the patterns, impact, and formal responses to criminal victimization. Particular attention is given to research issues such as measurement of victimization, fear of crime and related measures, and conducting research with victimized populations, as well as discussion of current issues in the field of Victimology. Substantive topics may include theories of victimization, the overlap between victims and offenders, social-psychological and other impacts of victimization on primary and secondary victims, media coverage of victimization, and evaluation of prevention and intervention programs for victims (criminal justice system based programs and others).

Requirements:

CSCE Graduate Restrictions

CRIM.6310 Intimate Partner Violence (3cr)

An examination of the nature and extent of intimate partner violence and an analysis of the causes and consequences of violence between partners as well as the latest research regarding the criminal justice response.

Requirements:

CSCE Graduate Restrictions

CRIM.6320 Responding to Child Maltreatment (3cr)

Introduction to empirical findings and theoretical perspectives concerned with the maltreatment of children and youth. Includes an examination of prevalence rates, risk factors, consequences, and system responses.

CRIM.6500 Violence in America (3cr)

This course provides an in-depth analysis of the causes, context, and control of a wide range of violent crimes. Topics covered in this class include: Murder, rape, robbery, assault, and violence in the helping professions, the workplace, school, gang violence, cult violence, and institutional violence. For each form of violence, we examine issues related to(1) the extent of the problem, characteristics of the crime, victim, and offender, (2) causation, (3) crime prevention, and (4)crime control strategies.

Requirements:

CSCE Graduate Restrictions

CRIM.6510 Criminal Homicide (3cr)

A survey of the nature and extent of criminal homicide. There will be five main components: statutory definitions of homicide; theories of homicide; homicide rates over time and across jurisdictions; trends and patterns in homicide characteristics; and cross-cultural comparisons. Homicide is an important topic in criminology for three reasons: (1) it is the crime of greatest severity in any penal code; (2) it is a fairly reliable barometer of all violent crime; and (3) at a national level, no other crime is measured as accurately, precisely, and comprehensively.

CRIM.6520 Crime and Community (3cr)

This course provides an overview of issues in the ecology of crime, with particular emphasis on the area of communities and crime by addressing existing criminological theories and how they can be applied to the study of community crime levels. This includes a critical analysis of existing empirical research. We will also read and discuss anthropological approaches to crime in neighborhoods. Attention will be given to both the factors that influence community-level crime rates, as well as the effects that community characteristics have on the behavior and outcomes of individuals.

CRIM.6550 Substance Abuse and Crime (3cr)

This course examines the dynamics of substance abuse, the interrelationship between substance abuse and crime, and the use of both criminal and civil law to deal with the problems posed by substance abuse.

Requirements:

CSCE Graduate Restrictions

PSYC.5000 Introduction to Community Social Psychology (3cr)

Introduces history and contemporary trends of community and social psychology with focus on how social and environmental forces affect individual and group quality of life. This course surveys the history, theoretical frameworks, core values, methods/approaches and orienting concepts in the field.

PSYC.5040 The Family System (3cr)

Studies family processes and the interplay between the family and other social, cultural, and socio-economic systems. Topics include parental roles, changing family structures, racial and ethnic factors, and interactions between family, work, and community.

Requirements:

CSCE Graduate Restrictions

PSYC.5110 Principles of Helping (3cr)

The basics of the helping relationship with individuals are covered, including interviewing, listening, basic and advanced empathy, goal setting, and implementing strategies for change. The emphasis will be on the dyadic relationship of helper and client, though some applications to larger networks will be covered. The emphasis will be on how to use these techniques in human service settings in the community.

PSYC.5120 Applied Research Methods (3cr)

Considers strengths and limitations of various approaches to community and social psychological research. Develops skills for formulating research questions and translating them into practical study designs. Sensitivity to research ethics as well as research practicality and validity are emphasized. Pre- or Co-requisite: 47.500

Requirements:

PSYC.5000 pre-req or co-req

PSYC.5230 Women in the Community (3cr)

An examination of women's roles in the home, community, and work place; examines psychological consequences, social structural influences, and options for change. Topics include: housework and childcare; violence against women; work place stratification issues; and women's contributions to their communities.

PSYC.5420 Working with Groups (3cr)

This course uses a community-based approach to working with groups. Guided by an understanding of theoretical principles, students will gain insights about group dynamics and process. Students will develop and apply various skills, including assessment, enhanced communication, conflict resolution, problem solving, decision-making, and evaluation. Emphasis is placed on working within diverse groups, attaining outcomes, and utilizing resources. Organizational, prevention/intervention, and focus groups are examined.

PSYC.5510 Psychosocial Aspects of Maturity and Aging (3cr)

Addresses individual development in the second half of life in diverse cultural and community contexts. Biological and psychological approaches to adulthood and aging will be supplemented with historical, sociological and anthropological perspectives, and there will be an emphasis on practical applications of theory and research to empower elders, promote culturally-appropriate services, and enhance intergenerational community.

PSYC.6110 Program Evaluation (3cr)

A skill-oriented approach that considers both formative and summative evaluation techniques. Emphasizes mastery of the technical aspects of the evaluation process, and includes consideration of the importance of program evaluation in community psychology, health, education, etc.

PUBH.6130 Research Methods in PL and Environment (3cr)

The description for this course is not yet available.

PUBH.6160 Law and Ethics in Healthcare (3cr)

This course presents and overview of legal and ethical issues facing managers and providers in health care. It provides students with a foundation of health law and ethics and reviews health care legal and ethical situations and dilemmas. The goals are to provide students with practical knowledge of health law and ethics and their application to the real world of health care.

PUBH.6250 Health Policy (3cr)

This course provides students with a basic framework for health policy analysis and examines major aspects of U.S. health policy. Detailed consideration and discussion focus on the relationship of national policy to the planning, implementation and funding of healthcare services. The course covers topics such as the healthcare policy environment in the U.S, government-funded healthcare through Medicaid and Medicare, and the Massachusetts healthcare reform.

Requirements:

CSCE Graduate Restrictions

Graduate Certificate Requirements

Students enrolled in graduate certificate programs through UMass Lowell must complete all courses indicated in the curriculum outline. Students may complete the certificate program at their own pace by registering for and successfully completing one or more courses each semester, depending upon his/her personal time constraints. Students are required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.000 with no more than one course grade below B to receive the certificate.

Online courses meet throughout the year during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters (see Calendar for details). Online students generally log into their online course website one or more times per week to retrieve lectures and assignments or to participate in a chat session. Online students should expect to spend 6 to 10 hours per week engaged in course-related activities for each course. For more information on online courses, visit our online program home page .

Completing a Graduate Certificate Program

Graduate certificate courses must be completed within a five-year period with a minimum 3.000 grade point average and no more than one course with a grade below B. Once all courses for a graduate certificate have been completed, students must complete and submit the Graduate Certificate Clearance Form. Students must submit their clearance form to their coordinator. The coordinator will apply them in SIS, Graduation Tracking.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition at UMass Lowell is typically half the cost of private colleges, and our online tuition is among the lowest in the nation. Tuition for online programs offered through the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies is the same whether you live in-state, out-of-state or outside of the U.S.

Spring 2025 Tuition

Cost Per Credit Cost Per 3-Credit Course*

Graduate

Online $600 $1,800
Online Business1 $655 $1,965
Online Education2 $470 $1,410
Online 7000-Level Education $655 $1,965
Online HyFlex $750 $2,250
Select Online Nursing M.S. courses3 $750 $2,250
Select On Campus courses4 $600 $1,800
All other On Campus courses5 View Here
*Tuition is priced on the listed credit hour unless the contact hour is different. Tuition is then based upon the listed contact hour.
1Applies to ACCT, BUSI, ENTR, FINA, MGMT, MKTG, MIST and POMS courses.
2Applies to EDUC courses excluding 7000-level courses.
3Applies to NURS.6510, NURS.6511, NURS.6512 and NURS.6513 courses.
5Applies to graduate on campus courses excluding select courses

Additional Costs

Cost
Term Registration Fee $30
Returned Check Fee $30
Graduate Degree and Certificate Application $50

Please note: Tuition and fees are subject to change.

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UMass Lowell offers a variety of financial aid and scholarship options.

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For Graduate Certificate Programs, Please Submit:

  • An application
  • An application fee*
  • An official transcript indicating a completed bachelor's degree. If your bachelor's degree is from outside the United States, you may be required to take the TOEFL examination.
  • No Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required for graduate certificate programs

F1 student visas are not issued for this program. Applications can be completed and submitted at any time during the year. Your application will be processed as soon as all admission materials have been received. You may apply to more than one certificate program but can only take 12 credits maximum before enrolling in an advanced degree. Learn more about specific application requirements for your program of interest.

*There is a $50 application fee to apply to this graduate program.

Count Your Graduate Certificate Toward a Master's Degree

Credits earned from a graduate certificate may be used toward a related graduate degree.

Graduate Program Admissions Requirements

Admission to all graduate programs at UMass Lowell is contingent upon successful completion of a bachelor's degree. In many cases, applicants may register for a course before formally applying to the program; however, students requiring financial aid may want to wait until they have been formally accepted into the program to ensure that their course(s) will be covered. Contact UMass Lowell's Office of Graduate Admissions if you have questions about the application process.

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Questions Regarding Your Graduate Application?

Email Graduate_Admissions@uml.edu or call 800-656-4723 (for U.S. students) or 978-934-2390 (for international students).

For General Assistance:

For general questions about registering for courses or to find out who the advisor is for your graduate program, call 800-480-3190. Our admissions and advising teams are here to help!

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