Grand Rapids Community College

Youth Services (Code 153)
Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences or 
Associate in Arts

Academic Department: Criminal Justice

Youth services workers act as social work aides, child advocates and in similar occupations involving children and adolescents in corrections or human services settings. They often work for the juvenile courts, halfway houses for youths, drug abuse centers and other agencies that help young people in trouble. Although most positions require only an associate degree, students should consult with the GRCC Youth Services program coordinator concerning degree requirements for specific jobs. 

Students in Youth Services may qualify for either the Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences degree or the Associate in Arts. Those who wish to earn the AA should take care that they meet the communication, humanities, social science and natural science requirements for that degree.

The following scheme is presented as a guide only. Courses may be taken in any order, as long as all requirements (including prerequisites) are met.

Suggested sequence

First Year

First Semester	Credits
BA 101 Business and Technical English 1 OR
EN 100 College Writing ** OR
EN 101 English Composition 1 **	3
CJ 105 Introduction to Corrections	3
CJ 140 Juvenile Delinquency	3
PY 201 General Psychology	3
Natural Science Elective **	4
First Semester Earned Credits:	16
Second Semester	Credits
BA 102 Business and Technical English 2 OR
EN 102 English Composition 2 **	3
CJ 110 Introduction to Criminal Justice	3
CJ 111 Criminology OR
CJ 115 Client Growth and Development	3
CJ 145 Juvenile Corrections	3
PE 156 First Aid	1
SP/CJ 122 Spanish for Criminal Justice	3
Second Semester Earned Credits:	16

Second Year
 

Third Semester	Credits
CJ 221 Correctional Institutions	3
CJ 237 Legal Issues in Corrections	3
CJ 245 Substance Abuse	3
CJ 281 Criminal Justice Internship 1 OR	3
CJ 285 Criminal Justice Practicum	1
PE 140 Personal Defense	1
PY 234 Adolescent Psychology	3
Third Semester Earned Credits:	16
Fourth Semester	Credits
CJ 243 Methods of Interviewing	3
CJ 246 Alcohol Use and Abuse	3
PS 110 Survey of American Government	3
Humanities Elective **	***3
Natural Science Elective **	4
Fourth Semester Earned Credits:	16
Total Credits (for AAAS)	64
Total Credits (for AA)	66

** Students matriculated for the Associate in Arts degree should take EN 100 or EN 101, and EN 102; BA 101 and BA 102 will not fulfill requirements for the AA. The AA degree also requires 8 credits of natural science (one course of which must include a laboratory) and 8 credits in humanities.

*** Must be at least 5 credits for students matriculating for the AA degree. 

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