Bachelor of Science in Juvenile Detention Services: 4-Year Degree Plan

University of Justice (Hypothetical) → Transferable to University of Houston (UH)

Total Credits: 120 | Two Semesters Per Year | Focus: Law, Mental Health, & Juvenile Justice

Year 1: Foundations & General Education

Semester 1 (15 Credits)

JUST1301 – Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: CRIM 1301 – Introduction to Criminal Justice

Overview of the U.S. justice system, including juvenile courts, law enforcement, and correctional practices.

JUST2305 – Legal Foundations of Juvenile Justice (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: LGL 2305 – Legal Environment of Business (partial match)

Introduction to constitutional law, due process, and policies specific to minors.

ENGL1301 – College Composition (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: ENGL 1301 – Rhetoric & Composition

Critical writing and communication skills for justice professionals.

MATH 2311 – Statistics for Social Sciences (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: MATH 2311 – Statistics

Data analysis for evaluating juvenile justice outcomes.

BIOL1304 – Human Biology (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: BIOL 1304 – Non-Majors Biology

Semester 2 (15 Credits)

JUST 2301 – Psychology of Adolescence (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PSYC 2301 – General Psychology (with focus on adolescence)

Developmental stages, risk factors, and trauma in youth.

JUST1301 – Ethics in Justice Systems (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PHI 1301 – Intro to Ethics

Ethical dilemmas in detention, rehabilitation, and family dynamics.

HIST1301 – U.S. History to 1877 (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: HIST 1301 – U.S. History I

Historical context of juvenile justice and systemic inequities.

COMM1315 – Interpersonal Communication (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: SPCH 1315 – Public Speaking

Skills for client interaction, team collaboration, and public advocacy.

PHYS1345 – Physical Science (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: GEOL 1345 – Environmental Science

Year 2: Core Juvenile Justice & Mental Health

Semester 3 (15 Credits)

JUST3310 – Juvenile Law & Policy (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: CRIM 3310 – Juvenile Justice

Laws governing minors in conflict with the law, including transfer to adult court.

JUST33340 – Crisis Intervention for Youth (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PSYC 3334 – Abnormal Psychology (partial match)

De-escalation techniques and trauma-informed care.

JUST3310 – Sociological Perspectives on Crime (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: SOCI 3310 – Sociology of Deviance

Poverty, race, and gender as drivers of juvenile delinquency.

ENGL2311 – Technical Writing (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: ENGL 2311 – Technical Writing

Report writing, case documentation, and policy drafting.

ECON 2305 – Principles of Microeconomics (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: ECON 2305 – Macroeconomics

Semester 4 (15 Credits)

JUST4385 – Introduction to Detention Services (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: CRIM 4385 – Corrections

Daily operations of detention facilities and alternatives to incarceration.

JUST4335 – Mental Health Assessment (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PSYC 4335 – Psychological Assessment

Screening tools for mental health disorders in at-risk youth.

JUST 3340 – Substance Abuse in Adolescents (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: NURS 3340 – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing (partial match)

Addiction patterns, intervention, and recovery programs.

MATH 3301 – Research Methods (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PSYC 3301 – Research Methods

FREN1311 – Elementary French (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: FREN 1311 – Elementary French I

Language skills for working with diverse populations.

Year 3: Advanced Specialization

Semester 5 (15 Credits)

JUST 4333 – Juvenile Court Procedures (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: LGL 4333 – Family Law

Court processes, advocacy, and advocacy for minors.

JUST 4315 – Forensic Psychology (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PSYC 4315 – Forensic Psychology

Psychopathy, competency evaluations, and risk assessment.

JUST 3385 – Restorative Justice Practices (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: CRIM 3385 – Comparative Criminal Justice

Community-based rehabilitation and victim-offender mediation.

JUST3314 – Grant Writing for Justice Programs (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PBPL 3314 – Public Policy Analysis

PHIL3341 – Philosophy of Law (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PHI 3341 – Philosophy of Law

Semester 6 (15 Credits)

JUST 4325 – Youth Gangs & Delinquency (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: CRIM 4325 – Organized Crime

Etiology of gang culture and community prevention.

JUST 4332 – Advanced Mental Health Interventions (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PSYC 4332 – Clinical Psychology

Cognitive-behavioral therapies for detained youth.

JUST 4322 – Data Privacy in Justice Systems (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: ISS 4322 – Ethics in Information Systems

HIPAA, FERPA, and secure documentation practices.

JUST 4389 – Independent Study in Justice (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: CRIM 4389 – Independent Study

SPAN2311 – Intermediate Spanish (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: SPAN 2311 – Intermediate Spanish I

Year 4: Capstone & Internship

Semester 7 (15 Credits)

JUST4395 – Internship in Juvenile Detention Services (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: CRIM 4395 – Criminal Justice Internship

Supervised field experience in a detention facility or nonprofit.

JUST4326– Policy Analysis for Juvenile Justice (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PBPL 4326 – Public Policy Evaluation

JUST4360 – Global Juvenile Justice (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: SOCI 4360 – Global Sociology (with focus on justice)

Cross-cultural comparisons of juvenile detention systems.

JUST4303 – Leadership in Justice Organizations (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: MGMT 3303 – Principles of Management

JUST4388 – Capstone Research Project (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: CRIM 4388 – Senior Research Project

Semester 8 (15 Credits)

Electives/Minor Courses (15 cr.)

JUST450 – Digital Tools for Justice (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: ISS 3320 – Information Systems

PSYC440 – Child Development (3 cr.)

Transfer to UH: PSYC 2312 – Lifespan Development

Legal Internship (6 cr.)

Transfer to UH: LGL 4380 – Legal Internship

Capstone Presentation (3 cr.)

Cultural Competency Workshop (3 cr.)

Why This Plan Works

This curriculum balances law (juvenile codes, court procedures) and mental health (trauma, crisis care) to prepare students for roles in detention centers, policy advocacy, and nonprofit leadership. Courses transfer seamlessly to UH for graduate studies in law, social work, or criminal justice.

Note: Transferability is approximate. Students should verify UH’s specific requirements before enrollment.