Concentration in Working with Children and Adolescents in Community Settings (7 Courses)

This concentration is dedicated to educating students in the theories and approaches identified as best practices and skill areas needed to work with children and adolescents in schools, agencies, clinics and community settings. The concentration prepares students to become practitioners that promote healthy social and emotional development and academic achievement through prevention and intervention strategies and programs grounded in ecological systems and social justice frameworks. Examples of such practitioners include, but are not limited to, early intervention specialists, paraprofessionals in school settings, case managers for youth, and youth workers in both residential and academic settings. The concentration also provides a strong foundation for those students hoping to go on to graduate school to pursue careers that focus on youth and family work such as counseling, social work, and education. The concentration focuses specifically on understanding how practitioners can support and strengthen youth’s support systems and protective factors while minimizing the impact of risk factors. The program combines the practices of prevention, interventions, and system building to ensure that children and adolescents experience opportunities to practice strategies that promote their personal growth, academic success, social inclusion, etc. The concentration allows students an opportunity to further specialize their knowledge and skill base to develop and implement effective interventions when working with youth. Furthermore, this concentration affords students in all majors the opportunity to complete the specific coursework targeted at developing the knowledge and skills necessary for effective intervention with children and adolescents. Students interested in this concentration may choose to pursue graduate degrees in a number of areas such as Special Education, School Counseling, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Child Life Specialist, Rehabilitation Counseling, Counseling Psychology, Social Work, etc. Students in a variety of majors at Assumption University may wish to pursue this concentration based on their vocational and/or avocational aspirations. Students interested in the Concentration in Working with Children and Adolescents in Community Settings should contact Prof. Christian Williams, the concentration coordinator.