The Human Services and Restorative Justice program is designed to prepare students for careers in a variety of Human Services and Restorative Justice fields: services for persons with developmental disabilities or mental illness, services for individuals who have been adjudicated in the criminal justice system, services for individuals and families in crisis, services for older individuals, and services for individuals with a chemical dependency. The major provides students with a solid grounding in the general theories and principles of assessing human needs and responding to those needs in the least restrictive environment. Students can customize their curriculum to emphasize their intended field of employment: human service theory and practice targeted for specific populations, the administration of human services-as opposed to direct care, or restorative practice in criminal justice settings. Students will complete a general core of math, social and natural science, art, history, computer science and communications. This liberal arts core and the human services specialization reflect a recognition that strong written and oral communication skills are critical to ethical human service practice and successful tenure in the field, that practical experience is equally as important as theoretical knowledge to serve others competently, and that an understanding of how technology can assist human service recipients often equips providers with useful and marketable tools.

Social services caseworker, child protective services worker, drug and alcohol counselor, probation officer, residential services worker, youth development counselor, corrections officer, police officer, crisis-line worker, and shelter worker, restorative justice coordinator, among others.

Three years of English with emphasis on writing, one year of biology, two years of algebra, and courses in computer science, sociology, psychology, and health.

Laptop Computer Required 

• Windows 11 or higher (recommended).
• Intel Core i5 or i7 (generation 10 or higher) processor (recommended).
• 8+ GB RAM (recommended).
• 250+ GB Solid State Disk (SSD) drive (recommended).
• Laptop must include a webcam and microphone (required).
• Laptop must include a wireless network card (required).
• Broadband Internet connection when working off campus (required).
• Additional plug-ins may be required (Information Technology Services Service Desk available for assistance).
• Chromebooks and other devices running Chrome OS are prohibited.

All incoming students must meet placement requirements in math. Students are expected to remediate any deficiencies as explained in the College Catalog (see https://www.pct.edu/catalog/admissions-policy).

A graduate of this major should be able to: 

• provide intermediate therapeutic, supportive, and preventive services for people with emotional, developmental, social, or physical problems in a variety of restorative justice and/or social or human service settings.
• demonstrate skilled use of verbal and nonverbal skills to establish empathy, trust, and rapport within an interview setting.
• demonstrate knowledge of restorative justice, social, and human services delivery systems and their role within the local and national community.
• develop a process for identifying community resources that appropriately respond to the needs of persons served.
• serve as a client advocate, facilitating movement of clients through social service and restorative justice systems, within a variety of agency settings.
• apply mathematical skills to reports, agency budgets, and statistical interpretations.
• contribute to effective agency planning, budgeting, and management.
• demonstrate strong ethical behavior and decision making consistent with the ethical guidelines and standards proposed by the National Organization for Human Service Education.
• demonstrate cultural sensitivity in both direct and indirect human service and restorative justice practice.
• draft reports, case studies, grants, and proposals that include appropriate documentation and that demonstrate mastery of the full range of writing skills.
• evaluate the funding streams that pervade this profession and be able to apply statistical analysis to the design and administration of budgets.
• gain familiarity with the technology available to restorative justice and human services providers and clients, recognizing its uses and limitations, applications, and sources.

Students must complete all HSJ-designated courses and ENL-designated courses with a grade of 'C' or above. Failure to achieve a grade of 'C' or above in a course after the maximum attempts allowed by College policy, results in withdrawal from the major. Students should work closely with their academic advisors and program faculty to ensure that they are meeting all criteria for satisfactory progress in the program.

Continued progression in the program, to include eligibility for internship courses and graduation, is predicated not only upon satisfactory academic performance, but also upon satisfactory demonstration of professional and ethical responsibility, personal responsibility, and satisfactory demonstration of skills and abilities prerequisite to the ethical delivery of services in the field. For more specific information about the criteria used to evaluate students' progress, a copy of the program manual can be obtained from the School of Business, Arts & Sciences.

The following grading system applies to all HSJ-designated courses for students in the
Human Services & Restorative Justice major:

A= 90-100%
B= 80-89.99%
C= 70 –79.99%
F= Below 70%