What You’ll Learn

In this concentration, you will:   

• Prepare to fill a wide variety of roles as a forensic social worker. 
• Learn the historical and philosophical background of the modern criminal justice system. 
• Learn about the parts of the U.S. criminal justice system and their functions. 
• Build a robust understanding of crime and criminal behavior through the lenses of both psychology and sociology.  

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

You’ll gain extensive first-hand experience in a field placement within the criminal justice system to prepare for your career. Recent placements for students in the program have included Rutland Probation and Parole and Middlebury Probation and Parole.     

Vermont State University’s Bachelor of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education through May 2

What You’ll Learn

In this concentration, you will:   

• Understand the biological, psychological, personal, and social factors involved in substance use and the dynamics of addiction and recovery. 
• Learn about evidence-based strategies for treating and preventing addiction.  
• Explore the political, legal, and criminal justice aspects of substance use. 
• Discover the role and responsibilities of a substance abuse social worker and explore your career options in this field.  

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

You’ll gain extensive first-hand experience in a field placement in a substance use and treatment setting to prepare for your career. Recent placements for students in the program have included Rutland Mental Health Center, Rutland Homeless Prevention Center, the Howard Center, and Easterseals.    

Vermont State University’s Bachelor of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) through May 2029, ensuring it will provide you with the foundational skills, knowledge, and values for social work employment or to continue your studies in graduate school.

What You’ll Learn

In this concentration, you will:   

• Prepare to address a variety of patient and family needs that arise in the context of healthcare, in clinical and non-clinical settings. 
• Complement your classroom learning with extensive hands-on experience in a field placement.  
• Study healthcare systems from a global perspective. 
• Build focused knowledge in areas like healthy aging and end-of-life care to sharpen your career focus.

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

You’ll gain extensive first-hand experience in a field placement in a healthcare setting to complement your classroom learning and build practical skills. Recent placements for students in the program have included Genesis Mountain View Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.   

Vermont State University’s Bachelor of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) through May 2029, ensuring it will provide you with the foundational skills, knowledge, and values for social work employment or to continue your studies in graduate school.

What You’ll Learn

In this concentration, you will:   

• Prepare to begin your career as a school social worker. 
• Study theories of learning as well as methods, models, and best practices for classroom implementation.  
• Learn about the laws and intervention strategies related to students with disabilities.  
• Develop the tools to plan, manage, and assess learning for diverse student populations.  

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

You’ll gain extensive first-hand experience in a field placement within the education system to extend your classroom learning and explore your career direction. Students in the program have found placements within Rutland City Public Schools and other local school districts.

Vermont State University’s Bachelor of Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education through May 2029, ensuring it will provide you with the foundational skills, knowledge, and values for social work employment or to continue your studies in graduate school.

What You’ll Learn

Vermont State’s A.A. in Communications is built upon the core courses that every communications student needs, with hands-on experiences to really hone in on the skillsets required for each concentration. Students choosing the general Associate degree in Communications without a specific concentration will have the opportunity to explore all communications disciplines — audio, visual, and marketing. 

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

Students who take part in the associate degree program could find themselves interning within the university’s marketing office, working with a local business to create a strong PR or Marketing strategy on social media, or could be working alongside a journalist at a local paper or news station.     

What You’ll Learn

In this concentration, you’ll get experience working in local schools and acquire the ability to: 

• Organize, develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive Pre-K through grade 12 curriculum in health education that includes the following Vermont health core concept areas: alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; family, social, and sexual health; mental and emotional health; nutrition and physical activity; personal health and wellness; and violence and injury prevention. 
• Create and implement an assessment plan consistent with national and state standards. 
• Develop accommodations for a health education program to meet the needs of all individuals, including students with special needs. This includes an understanding of applicable laws, policies, and procedures. 

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

• You’ll complete a minimum of 80 hours of field experience at local schools prior to student teaching.  
• Then, you’ll complete a full semester of student teaching. During student teaching, you’ll teach under the guidance of a qualified cooperating teacher and university supervisor.  
• Students seeking teacher licensure in K-12 Health Education must apply, qualify, and be admitted to student teaching. 

Teaching Certification & Licensure

If you decide to seek Health Education PreK-12 licensure, you will develop a portfolio throughout your undergraduate experience demonstrating individual learning and growth as well as the ways in which the individual course work and field experiences foster proficiency in meeting the Vermont standards for teacher preparation. Integral field experiences ensure that you become part of a collaborative relationship in a school setting. Field experiences become more complex as you advance in the program, culminating in a semester-long student teaching experience. A minimum of 80 scheduled hours of field experience and a successful application is required prior to student teaching.

What You’ll Learn

In addition to the courses required for all Health Promotion majors, you’ll also take courses specific to the Community Health Concentration. You’ll learn to assess the needs of a community and then develop programming that meets the community’s needs. You’ll also learn how to advocate for healthier communities and promote health and physical activity among the people you help.

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

In your capstone experience for this concentration, you’ll complete an internship for college credit.

Certifications

The field of health promotion has established a national credentialing certificate called the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). It is a voluntary credentialing process that is generally not required as a condition of employment. However, we recommend that Community Health Concentration students obtain certification, as the CHES certificate conveys additional standards of accomplishment that may contribute to your prospects for employment. For further information about the CHES process, visit the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. website.

What You’ll Learn

You’ll learn how to promote social equity and deliver an excellent education to diverse learners. You’ll also study social and emotional development, cultural influences and norms, and specific intervention and assessment strategies. You’ll become a confident, inclusive, progressive, and experienced teacher.

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

A full-time, one-semester of student teaching and four required practicums will give you significant experience and help you take what you learn and put it into practice working directly with students.

Certifications

When you graduate, you will be recommended to sit for exams to earn a Vermont Educator’s License with endorsements in Elementary Education (K-6) and Special Education (K-8).

What You’ll Learn

You’ll learn to instill passion and excellence in young adult math students, while you build your own expertise in the subject of mathematics. 

• Prepare unit and lesson plans on a variety of topics and gain teaching experience by tutoring, observing, and teaching in local schools.  
• Learn about the history of math, including ancient number systems, major discoveries in mathematics, and the contributions of women and people of color to the field. You will research famous mathematicians and present your findings as a written report and oral presentation.  
• Your senior project will give you the opportunity to demonstrate the mathematical maturity you have attained from your work in the field. Your project will culminate in a presentation to members of the mathematics faculty and other interested parties.  
• You’ll also learn to use advanced math to solve problems in the real world. You’ll be able to:  
  • Use the definite integral (and limits of sums) to solve real-world problems.  
  • Model a variety of real-world situations with an appropriate differential equation. 
  • Calculate probabilities and apply them to determine the unusualness of events.  
  • Create and use descriptive statistics to summarize, analyze and compare data sets.  
  • Construct a lucid mathematical proof that demonstrates the logic while using proper grammar and precise mathematical notation.  

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

You will work in local classrooms in Grades 7 to 12 as an observer, tutor, or student teacher. We will help you arrange placement with our extensive network of partnerships with area schools.

Certifications

By successfully completing this program, you will become a candidate for a Level I Professional Educator’s License issued by the Vermont Agency of Education. This license is required to work as a public-school teacher in Vermont. It also is recognized and accepted by more than 40 other states, districts, and territories.

What You’ll Learn

You’ll study one of western civilization’s oldest and richest disciplines and be able to apply advanced mathematics to solve real-word problems: 

• Calculate the derivative of any algebraic or transcendental function. 
• Use the definite integral (and limits of sums) to solve real-world problems.  
• Apply the method of Lagrange Multipliers to optimization problems.  
• Model a variety of real-world situations with an appropriate differential equation. 
• Use linear algebra and matrices to solve real-world problems. 
• Calculate probabilities and apply them to determine the unusualness of events.  
• Create and use descriptive statistics to summarize, analyze and compare data sets.  
• Construct a lucid mathematical proof that demonstrates the logic while using proper grammar and precise mathematical notation.  
• Explore complex and unfamiliar mathematical ideas while effectively communicating these ideas both orally and in writing.  

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

You will be encouraged to secure a mathematics-related internship for credit. Examples of recent employers included Rutland Regional Medical Center, Green Mountain Power, the Rutland Police Department, and insurance companies for students interested in actuarial work.

Special Facilities

The Johnson and Lyndon campuses have a standing relationship with the Vermont Biomedical Research Network (VBRN) which provides funding for faculty-mentored peer research in applications of mathematics and data science to human health, in particular, the use of artificial intelligence to automate the diagnosis of certain lung conditions. We have high-powered computing equipment on campus, as well as access to the UVM Vermont Advanced Computing Core for handling large and complex computing tasks. VBRN also provides a standing opportunity for students to obtain an industry internship in Vermont-based biomedical companies.