College of Public Affairs and Community Service

Overview

The college

The University of North Texas’ College of Public Affairs and Community Service provides high-quality education, pragmatic research and applied programs of assistance, intervention and prevention oriented toward the needs of the community. The college includes a unique group of academic programs that stress the importance of combining a theoretical understanding of human behavior and communities with opportunities for applying this understanding in real world settings. The college stresses interaction between you and professors and seeks to assist community leaders to meet the challenges of contemporary life.

Graduate degree programs are offered in:

• Applied anthropology, M.A., M.S.
• Applied economics, M.S.
• Applied gerontology, Ph.D.
• Behavior analysis, M.S.
• Criminal justice, M.S.
• General studies in aging, M.A., M.S.
• Long-term care, senior housing and aging services, M.A., M.S.
• Public administration, M.P.A.
• Public administration and management, Ph.D.
• Rehabilitation counseling, M.S.
• Sociology, M.A., M.S., Ph.D.

Faculty members also teach courses in the interdisciplinary studies master’s degree program. Criminal justice, anthropology and behavior analysis faculty members participate in the interdisciplinary information science doctoral program. Admission and degree requirements vary by program. You should contact the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies and the appropriate department in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service for information on UNT and degree program requirements.

Applied anthropology

The study of anthropology has taken on heightened significance with the growing frequency and intensity of international and intercultural exchanges. As a society, we are witnessing the increase of diversity in our communities.

The master of arts and master of science degrees with a major in applied anthropology are grounded in the theory and methods of anthropology. While designed to prepare you for employment outside academia, you are also prepared to transfer to a doctoral program. You could apply anthropological knowledge in private and public sectors, foundations and businesses in local, regional and international arenas. You could address compelling social problems and operate and administer agencies charged with addressing those problems. You will have the knowledge necessary to undertake informed and thoughtful action as practitioners, administrators, agency-based researchers and program evaluators.

The program is designed to give you an excellent grounding in anthropology and the opportunity through internships to apply their knowledge.

You can take classes on campus or online to obtain a master’s degree in applied anthropology.

Applied economics

Through the Institute of Applied Economics, the College of Public Affairs and Community Service focuses on economic analysis and information sharing that helps surrounding communities, the North Texas region and the state develop sound economic policy and make solid economic decisions.

The institute gives you the opportunity to pursue a wide range of interests, including economic development, regional and sectoral analysis, and alternative dispute resolution. The M.S. program also encompasses course work in accounting, finance, geography, marketing, political science, public administration, real estate and sociology.

You may participate in faculty research efforts to enhance your ability to apply social and economic theories to real world situations. This experience will prepare you to serve as practitioners in the business, government, industrial and nonprofit sectors.
The Institute of Applied Economics is closely affiliated with the University Center for Economic Development and Research. The center provides economic and public policy consulting services to clients in the public and private sectors, which include state government agencies and Fortune 500 companies.

Applied gerontology

Professionals in the field of aging face a dynamic older population looking for more meaningful ways to spend their later years. By 2030, the number of people 65 years or older is expected to reach 71.5 million, or almost 19 percent of the population. During that time, the United States will have the largest, healthiest and best-educated elderly population in its history.

In response to the growing need for professionals in this field, the Center for Studies in Aging was established in 1967 and was renamed the Department of Applied Gerontology in 1996. It is one of the oldest such centers in the nation and has a long history of educating leaders in gerontology and serving the needs of the elderly.

To meet the diverse needs of students interested in a degree program in aging, the department offers majors in long-term care, senior housing and aging services; general studies in aging; and applied gerontology.

Graduates of the department pursue careers in long-term care and retirement facilities, community programs, government agencies, corporations, voluntary and advocacy groups and other organizations providing services to the elderly.

Behavior analysis

Human behavior is at the root of many social problems. Inappropriate or misdirected behaviors can cause crime, family dysfunction, management problems in industry, failure of efforts to educate, community problems, misuse of natural resources and patterns of disease and death. Understanding the causes and consequences of human behavior is basic to understanding social problems and is the key to developing strategies for effective interventions.

As a student of behavior analysis, you will be taught to apply behavioral principles to produce adaptive skills at all levels, enhance interpersonal relations, improve work performance and develop effective parenting skills. The Department of Behavior Analysis aims to provide you with practical experience in the design, implementation and evaluation of behavioral intervention programs. Participation in research is strongly encouraged, and faculty members work closely with you on research and applied projects.

Graduates pursue careers in businesses, consulting firms, educational settings, government, hospitals and even zoos. Acting as service providers, consultants or researchers, behavior analysts solve problems relating to applications of learning principles, behavioral measurement, effective human service delivery and performance management.

Criminal justice

Criminal justice gains importance as our society becomes more complex and social problems become more evident. Informed and knowledgeable practitioners in the criminal justice system are needed more today than at any time in our nation’s history.

The interests of the faculty members in the Department of Criminal Justice range from juvenile crime issues to white-collar crimes.

The master’s degree program is designed to enable you to take informed and thoughtful action as direct workers, administrators and researchers in the justice system. It also is designed to prepare you to pursue a doctoral degree in criminal justice.

Public administration

Public management has an enormous impact on the way our communities, states and nation function and the way resources are gathered and distributed. Sound public administration is essential to meeting our population’s diverse needs. The Department of Public Administration equips you with the knowledge and skills necessary to manage resources and address economic and social problems in local, state and national government, as well as nonprofit agencies.

The M.P.A. program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration [1120 G Street NW, Suite 730, Washington, D.C. 20005, telephone (202) 628-8965]. The program draws students from all over the world, many with significant experience in federal, state and local levels of government and in nonprofit organizations. If you lack significant public or nonprofit experience, you will be assisted with securing an internship.

The Ph.D. program in Public Administration and Management admitted its first doctoral students selected from an excellent list of applicants. The Ph.D. program’s mission is to prepare you for a career in teaching and research at a university or for a position as a policy analyst, manager and consultant in the United States and abroad. Specializations in public management, public policy analysis, public budgeting and finance, and emergency administration are available.

Rehabilitation counseling

More than 56 million Americans have a disabling condition, and many of these people require rehabilitation counseling to participate fully as productive citizens. Trained rehabilitation counselors are employed in state and federal public vocational rehabilitation programs, community rehabilitation programs, correctional facilities, human service programs in business and industry, medical and psychiatric hospitals, pre- and post-secondary education, private practice as well as private rehabilitation agencies and insurance carriers. Rehabilitation professionals work with people who have problems with substance abuse and dependency, people with physical disabilities such as visual and hearing impairments, and persons with learning disabilities and psychiatric problems.

A graduate degree prepares you for a career in rehabilitation counseling. Course work in the Department of Rehabilitation, Social Work and Addictions enables you to be certified and licensed in rehabilitation counseling, substance abuse and neurofeedback. The neurofeedback clinic provides an approach to addictions intervention through the use of neuro- and biofeedback therapy for individuals with histories of addiction. The clinic also conducts research on the effects of neurofeedback in treating various types of physical and emotional disabilities.  Other specializations and proficiencies can be incorporated as part of practicums and internships.

Sociology

The Department of Sociology emphasizes the use of social research methods to explore the complexities of social behavior and to address important social issues and the problems associated with social disorganization. Areas of emphasis within the department include social inequality, medical sociology, sociology of the family, sociology of religion, and work and organization. An education in sociology at UNT begins with a broad and solid offering of courses including social research methods, social statistics and social theory. You can also choose courses from a wide range of substantive areas such as criminal justice, gerontology, race/ethnic relations, sex and gender, and women’s studies. You will be trained to look beyond the classroom to understand the practical applications of sociological principles.

Faculty members are actively engaged in research. Projects have included the provision of health care to low income populations, race and the desegregation of schools, factors affecting organizational performance, the provision of health care in Africa, fatherhood cross-nationally, biracial marriage, social factors affecting prenatal care, social change and crime in Russia, self-managed work teams, religion and ethnicity, social inequality in Third World countries and women in ranching.

Special programs

Center for Public Service

The Center for Public Service’s mission is to promote the service, public affairs, public interest, and applied research goals of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service and UNT.  Students, faculty, and staff are involved in a variety of research and service projects that contribute to the welfare and development of individuals and of communities.  The center’s programs include aging and health services, urban social development, environmental education, volunteerism, and international exchange.

Center for U.S./Mexico Alliances for Community Renewal

This center develops relationships throughout Mexico with local governments and universities to provide opportunities for you and faculty members to engage in teaching, learning, research and consultancy. The center aims to forge better relationships between the United States and Mexico and to share social and technological improvements that have the ability to provide a more sustainable lifestyle for people in both nations.

Survey Research Center

Accurate and detailed information is critical to decision makers in government, business and academics. Survey research is a proven method for gathering reliable and helpful data in a form that can be used effectively in the decision-making process.

The Survey Research Center provides professional data collection, analysis and presentation services to the North Texas region, state and nation. SRC employs a professional staff that has formal training and practical experience in all areas of survey research. The center can execute any type of survey and is equipped with a state-of-the-art, computer-aided telephone interview (CATI) system to expedite the tabulation and analysis of data.