M.H.S in Child Protection
Help a child get the support they deserve by earning your Master of Human Services in Child Protection at NSU. With this degree, you will develop the critical knowledge, values and skills necessary to respond effectively to complex problems confronting children and families in the protective services system. Become a specialized expert in one of the many concentrations our program provides, and give your career the edge it needs to lay a strong foundation in a child's life.
Delivery Options
Conveniently offered entirely online, you can participate in courses from anywhere in the world where Internet access is available. In addition, it allows for the flexibility of completing your master's degree without interrupting your career.
Concentration Tracks:
- Psychological Foundations in Child Advocacy
- Child Protection and Juvenile Justice
- Conflict and Crisis Management for the Child Protective Case Worker
- Legal Prospective of the Child Protective Services
- Advocating for the Child as a Behavior Analyst
- Advocating for the Special Needs Child’s Education
- Family Systems and Support
- Administration for Child Protective Services
- Public Health and Child Protection
- Emergency Preparedness for Vulnerable Populations
This program is designed for individuals seeking careers in or as:
- Child protective services/case workers/child advocates for foster care children
- Child protective services supervisors/managers/administrators
- Child protective investigators with the local law enforcement agency
- Mental health workers with foster care children on their caseload
- Foster care service providers
- Guardian Ad Litems advocating for foster care clients
- Juvenile justice workers with foster care clients on their caseload
- Mentors such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters who support a foster child
- Professionals in other fields who find increasing numbers of their clients are in foster care and/or who may wish to specialize their practice (school system, medical, counseling/psychology)
Application Requirements
To ensure that your application is complete, please use the checklist below and follow the detailed instructions provided for each item. All documents that are submitted to the University will need to include your name on each page.
- Complete online application form.
- Application fee of $50 (in U.S. dollars) made payable to Nova Southeastern University will be charged for each application submitted.
- Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher or a master's degree with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better.
- Submit two letters of recommendation from current professors, employers, supervisors, or similar people most familiar with your professional experience. Letters of recommendation must be less than one year old.
- Official transcripts from all colleges or universities you attended are required. Official electronic transcripts can be sent to electronictranscript@nova.edu or mailed to the address below:
Applicants who have attended foreign universities or colleges are required to have their academic credentials evaluated for U.S. institutional equivalence. Please visit the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services for more information. International students are encouraged to contact the Office of International Student Services at (954) 262-7240 or 800-541-6682, ext. 27240, or by email at intl@nova.edu, or visit the Office of International Students and Scholars.
- Provide a personal statement of between 150 and 300 words indicating your goals in pursuing a Master of Human Services in Child Protection degree. This statement must be attached to the application.
Please Mail Items To
Nova Southeastern University
Enrollment Processing Services
Attn: Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice
3301 College Avenue
P.O. Box 299000
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33329-9905
Address without P.O. Box:
Nova Southeastern University
Enrollment Processing Services
Attn: Abraham S. Fischler College of Education
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida 33314
Official electronic transcripts must be sent to electronictranscript@nova.edu
Curriculum
This master's program comprises 33 credits: 24 credits (6 courses) of core curriculum plus a 9 credit (3 course) concentration.
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| HCP 0510 | Foundations in Child Protective Law | 4 |
| HCP 0520 | Foundations in Family Diversity & Conflict Resolution | 4 |
| HCP 0530 | Foundations in Child Development | 4 |
| HCP 0540 | Foundations in Child Placement Risk & Protective Factors | 4 |
| HCP 0550 | Foundations in Assessment and Case Planning | 4 |
| HCP 0560 | Program Evaluation | 4 |
Psychological Foundations in Child Advocacy
(Offered through the College of Psychology)
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| HCP 6110 | Intervention Strategies (Prereqs: HCP 6120, HCP 6130) | 3 |
| HCP 6120 | Overview: Childhood & Adolescent Development | 3 |
| HCP 6130 | Overview: Childhood & Adolescent Psych D/O’s | 3 |
| HCP 6140 | Overview: Children & Trauma | 3 |
| HCP 6150 | Special Topics: Seminar & Case Studies (Prereqs: HCP 6110, HCP 6120, & HCP 6130) | 3 |
Child Protection and Juvenile Justice
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| CJI 6910 | Theory of Child Protection, Invest & Advocacy | 3 |
| CJI 6930 | Family Dynamics: Motivation, Support & Comm. | 3 |
| CJI 6940 | Victimology: Child Abuse & Exploited Children | 3 |
| CJI 6920 | Juvenile Justice: Systems, Structure & Process | 3 |
| CJI 6530 | Substance Abuse Treatment in the Community | 3 |
| CJI 6540 | Cultural Factors in Tx Assoc w/ Substance Abuse) | 3 |
| CJI 6950 | Safe Schools: Climate and Culture | 3 |
Conflict and Crisis Management for the Child Protective Case Worker
(Offered through the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences)
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| CARM 5040 | Human Factors | 3 |
| CARM 6638 | Conflict & Crisis Management | 3 |
| CARM 6610 | Family Violence: The Effects on Families, Communities and Workplace | 3 |
Advocating for the Child as a Behavioral Analyst (9 credits)
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| ABA 0711 | Concepts and Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis I | 3 |
| ABA 0712 | Concepts and Principles of Applied Behavior Analysis II | 3 |
| ABA 0721 | Applied Behavior Analysis Assessment and Application | 3 |
| ABA 0731 | Applied Behavior Analysis Assessment and Delivery Models | 3 |
| ABA 0741 | Evaluating Interventions in Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| ABA 0751 | Supervision and Management in Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
| ABA 0756 | Ethical and Professional Issues in Applied Behavior Analysis | 3 |
Applied Behavior Analysis Elective Fieldwork – Optional – (9 Credits)
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| ABA 0761 | Fieldwork in Applied Behavior Analysis I | 3 |
| ABA 0771 | Fieldwork in Applied Behavior Analysis II | 3 |
| ABA 0781 | Fieldwork in Applied Behavior Analysis III | 3 |
Legal Perspectives of Child Protective Services
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| HCP 6410 | Family Law | 3 |
| HCP 6420 | Children's Rights Seminar | 3 |
| HCP 6430 | Juvenile Law | 3 |
| HCP 6440 | Interviewing, Counseling and Negotiating | 3 |
| HCP 6450 | Civil Rights of Children in State Care | 3 |
| HCP 6460 | Domestic Violence Seminar | 3 |
Advocating for the Special Needs Child's Education
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| HCP 6610 | Survey of Exceptionalities of Children & Youth | 3 |
| HCP 6620 | Inclusive Education for Exceptional Students | 3 |
| HCP 6630 | Teaching Social & Personal Skills to Exceptional Students | 3 |
| HCP 6640 | Consultation & Collaboration in Exceptional Student Education | 3 |
| HCP 6650 | Special Education Law | 3 |
Family Systems and Support
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| HCP 6710 | Family Systems | 3 |
| HCP 6720 | Program Models | 3 |
| HCP 6730 | Parent Support & Education | 3 |
| HCP 6740 | The Profession in the Field of Family Support | 3 |
| HCP 6750 | Public Policy in the Field of Family Support | 3 |
| HCP 6760 | Assessment & Evaluation of Family Support Programs | 3 |
Administration for Child Protective Services
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| HCP 6810 | Supervision Methods & Approaches for Child & Youth Care Administrators | 3 |
| HCP 6820 | Public Policy & the Child & Youth Care Field for Program Administrators | 3 |
| HCP 6830 | The Development & Acquisition of Resources for Child & Youth Care Program | 3 |
| HCP 6840 | Supervision of Family Support Programs | 3 |
| HCP 6850 | Legal Aspects of the Management of Programs for Children & Youth | 3 |
| HCP 6860 | Financial Aspects of the Management of Programs for Children & Youths | 3 |
Public Health and Child Protection
(Offered through the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine)
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| PUH 5002 | Health Promotion Programs: Planning, Implementation, Evaluation | 3 |
| PUH 5510 | Maternal and Child Health | 3 |
| PUH 5512 | Health Policy Plan/Management | 3 |
Emergency Preparedness for Vulnerable Populations
(Offered through the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine)
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| DEM 5050 | Bioterrorism and All-Hazards Preparedness | 3 |
| DEM 5090 | Weapons of Mass Threat and Communicable Diseases | 3 |
| DEM 6410 | Emergency Preparedness Public Policy and Law (Prereq: DEM 5050/or DEP 5050) | 3 |
| DEM 6404 | Community Planning, Response and Recovery for Families and Children (Prereq: DEM 5050/or DEP 5050) | 3 |
The NSU ABA Fellowship provides students the opportunity to accrue hours toward the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s (BACB) concentrated supervised fieldwork category while employed at NSU’s Baudhuin Preschool. Fellows will be eligible for tuition reduction contingent upon six months of successful employment.
Please watch our own Dr. Grace Telesco discuss important and supportive information for all of us in staying vigilant for children and families during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.