Indiana University of Pennsylvania
About Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Founded in 1875, IUP is a vibrant, comprehensive, research-based, teaching-focused, student-centered learning community.
IUP combines the academic opportunities of a large university with the highly personalized and intimate learning-centered environment of a small college.
Nearly 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled in our accredited and nationally recognized programs, enjoying traditional and nontraditional classroom experiences, engaging in research and service activities with their faculty mentors, becoming lifelong learners, preparing for rewarding careers and productive lives, and developing leadership skills for effective citizenship.
Frequently Asked Questions
In what department(s) or field(s) of study is your CAST program housed?
What is the nature of your CAST program? Is it a Major, Minor, Certificate program, or something else?
What CAST course delivery options exist at your institution (e.g. online, face-to-face, hybrid)?
What are the enrollment requirements for your CAST program?
Classes must have at least 10 students.
What courses do you offer under your CAST programming?
Required Courses:
PSYC 101 General Psychology (3)
PSYC 322 Violence Across the Lifespan
SOC 151 Principles of Sociology (3)
SOC 391 Foundations of Sociological Practice
SOC 392 Clinical Sociological Practice
Controlled Electives:
One additional PSYC course from the following list:
PSYC 313 Non-normative Development and Aging
PSYC 314 Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
PSYC 332 Community Psychology and Prevention Science
PSYC 380 Gender and Violence
PSYC 493 Psychological Practicum
Two additional SOC courses from the following list:
SOC 357 Sociology of Aging and the Life-course
SOC 427 Social Perspectives on Intimate Partner Violence
SOC 428 Child Abuse
When are your CAST courses being offered?
Some courses are offered in the fall term, some in the spring, and some are offered both terms
What is enrollment like for your CAST program?
The courses started full but with only 3 registered CAST minors in Spring 2017. This increased to 10 registered minors in Spring 2018, 24 in Spring 2019 and 29 in Spring 2020.
Why do students need CAST?
The World Health Organization declared interpersonal violence in the United States a public health crisis. Dramatic episodes of violence, such as the school shootings at Sandy Hook elementary, and the shootings of 17 year-olds Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis in 2012 instigate an immediate burst of community interest in violence prevention. While any particular incident of violence is hard to predict, research has identified what steps could be taken to drastically reduce acts of violence. Violence education is a critical component to ending interpersonal violence in the long run. This minor program is being proposed so that students will be prepared to be effective mandated reporters who get vulnerable children and adults reported into the system. If students take a job as a first responder, they will know how to work together with other professionals to insure that victims of violence have their cases thoroughly investigated and prosecuted if need be. If students take on a job as a caseworkers, case managers, human service professionals, they will understand the most effective strategies for intervention to remediate trauma and work effectively with members of other disciplines involved with their clients. Thus, this minor program will help train students to be ready to pursue a variety of professions that deal with cases of interpersonal violence. Each of the minors will not cover the exact same content; however, they all cover a comprehensive understanding of the role of many forms of violence in dysfunctional behavior, skill building of value to mandated reporters and first responders, skills in multidisciplinary collaboration, and how to be an advocate on the personal, social, and political level in support of violence prevention. Psychology majors pursuing the CAAST minor will have exposure to sociological perspectives on interpersonal violence, whereas Sociology majors pursuing the CAAST minor will have exposure to the psychological perspective on interpersonal violence. Students with majors outside of these two disciplines will have exposure to interdisciplinary perspectives on interpersonal violence.
What makes your CAST program stand out?
The Child and Adult Advocacy Studies minor program will bring recognition to IUP as a university that is invested in creating a safe community locally as well as in society as part of its university mission to educate graduates well prepared to compete in the job market. This minor program will be the first of its kind in the United States to address violence across the lifespan and may bring the university national recognition and serve as a model to other universities. It will bring recognition from the local community that IUP is preparing graduates to enter local jobs bringing with them skills far in advance of job applicants from other universities. It is also a practical, skill building program that may attract nontraditional students to attend IUP whether their goals are to work with children, adults or older adults who have been victims or perpetrators of interpersonal violence.
What are some career opportunities for your CAST graduates?
CAAST graduates have gone on to pursue further training beyond the BA. They have also gone into direct services jobs as police officers, child protective services workers, and other social service workers.
Notable, upcoming CAST campus events?
ChildFirst PA occurs at IUP and students within the CAAST program are welcome to be volunteers during this programming and interact with colleagues who are already in the field.
Where can students find more information about your CAST program?
United States
https://www.iup.edu/psychology/undergrad/minor-child-and-adult-advocacy-studies/
Emails can also be sent to:
Dr. Pearl Berman
