College of Public Affairs and Societal Impact

Purpose and Goals

The College of Public Affairs and Societal Impact clusters relevant disciplines that serve as a hub for research, policy analysis, and community intervention focused on justice reform, governance, and public service. Faculty and students will have the infrastructure to collaborate with government agencies, think tanks, and community-based organizations, producing policy-relevant research and implementing community-engaged learning initiatives.

The college offers undergraduate courses leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Science in Juvenile Justice, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work. The College also offers graduate courses leading to a Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Juvenile Justice, as well as a Master of Social Work.

The College of Public Affairs and Societal Impact is committed to preparing students to be nationally competitive for graduate education, leadership, and careers in criminal/juvenile justice and social work. Its purpose is to provide education and training in juvenile justice and to produce students who will ultimately improve the juvenile justice system and work to resolve the problems of delinquency.

Vision Statement

The College of Public Affairs and Societal Impact will be a global leader in advancing the understanding and practice of justice and policy challenges through innovative research, transformative education, and the pursuit of excellence. The College will be a global leader in advancing the understanding and practice of justice and policy challenges through innovative research, transformative education, and the pursuit of excellence.

Mission Statement

The College of Public Affairs and Societal Impactis committed to excellence in education, training, prevention and service. By offering a diverse curriculum we train empiricists, educators and practitioners in criminal and juvenile justice. A primary aim is to assist with the understanding of human behavior and the reduction of crime in the State of Texas and the United States.

Principles of Community

Innovation: We will 1) be bold in our approaches and actively think outside the box, 2) improve our technology and utilize technology ethically in our work, and 3) innovate to allow us to increase in national rankings among our academic programs.

Respect: We will 1) focus on belonging, so faculty, staff, and students feel part of our college community, 2) value the ideas that everyone has to offer. We will intentionally seek different points of view in the decision-making process, and 3) appreciate each person for who they are, the perspectives they have, and the experiences that shape their views.

Integrity: We will 1) ensure transparency in decision-making, 2) communicate our values, and 3) abide by professional codes of ethics.

Build effective collaborations: We will 1) focus on building and maintaining partnerships with people, organizations, and agencies that align with our priorities, 2) create professional development opportunities to increase networking among stakeholders, faculty, staff, and students, and 3) host college-level events to maintain and strengthen the relationship between the Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center and the academic units.

Justice and advocacy: We will 1) strive to be change agents in the community, 2) empower students from our programs to think boldly in their approaches as become employed in their respective field, and 3) provide academic curricula that are dynamic and responsive to the needs and changes of the criminal and juvenile justice systems.

Instructional Organization

Instructional Organization
Program	Degree Offered
Criminal Justice	BSCJ
Juvenile Justice	BSCJ, MSJJ, PhD
Political Science	BA
Social Work	BSW, MSW

Honor Societies

Alpha Delta Mu - Social Work. The purpose of Alpha Delta Mu is to advance excellence in social work practice and to encourage, stimulate, and maintain scholarship of the individual members in all fields. Particularly social work. Senior Social Work majors with a 3.0 minimum cumulative grade point average are eligible to join Alpha Delta Mu Social Work Honor Society.

Alpha Phi Sigma - National Honor Society in Criminal Justice. The Honor Society was created to recognize scholarship among students of Criminal Justice and provide them with opportunities to attend various conferences sponsored by the national organization. Students are also provided information about career opportunities in Criminal Justice, as well as educational opportunities at graduate and professional schools.

Pi Sigma Alpha - Political Science. Membership in Rho Nu Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science Honor Society, is open to students, undergraduate and graduate, who have completed at least fifteen quarter hours or ten semester hours of work in government, political science, international relations, or public administration, including at least one course not open to students in the first two years of collegiate work, with an average grade of “B” or higher and who have maintained a standard of general scholarship sufficient to place them within the upper third of their college class.

Organizations

The Criminal Justice Club. This organization is open to any student majoring or minoring in Criminal Justice at this institution. The primary purpose of the organization is to provide its members with information about career opportunities and graduate and professional educational opportunities in the field. They also provide a forum for various recruiters to speak to its members and they also take field trips to area criminal justice agencies to observe and speak with professionals.

The Political Science Club. This organization promotes awareness of politics at all levels and facilitates understanding of public policy making through field trips, seminars, lecture series, and other educational activities and is open to all majors.

Academic Catalog 2026-2027