Earn a Degree Focused on Making a Difference
Academic programs within the Department of Applied Behavioral Analysis, Criminal Justice, Social Work, and Sociology bring together students who are committed to creating a better world.
Are you interested in working with people with autism or other disabilities and special needs as a certified Applied Behavioral Analyst? Passionate about working with marginalized communities and influencing positive social change? Eager to play a vital role in ensuring the justice and safety of individuals and communities? If so, find out how you can shape a career path that aligns with your interests. Learn about the degree programs offered by the Department of Applied Behavioral Analysis, Criminal Justice, Sociology and Social Work.
Explore Our Degree Programs
Earn a Master of Education in Applied Behavior Analysis (MEd) or a Bachelor of Arts degree or minor in Criminal Justice, Social Work or Sociology. You’ll gain transferrable life skills in research and collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving, and oral and written communication.
Applied Behavior Analysis
The online Master of Education (MEd) in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program will help you learn how to assess, analyze and work to develop interventions for challenging behavior that lead to prosocial behavior in individuals with autism and related disorders. Prepare for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst® exam.
Criminal Justice
Protect the innocent. Maintain public order. Identify crime trends and risk factors in the community. Intervene in the lives of young people who’ve made a mistake, and help them get back on track. Assist people who’ve served their time in re-entering society and becoming productive citizens.
Social Work
Help advance human rights for marginalized communities, one person at a time. Prepare to work with diverse groups and understand how race, class, gender, sexuality and disability shape people’s experiences and opportunities. Learn how to translate concepts like social justice and wellbeing into concrete action.
Sociology
Delve into why society functions the way it does, and how you can work to make it more just. You’ll learn about individual and group identities connected to race, class, gender, sexuality, age, culture and religion. Study institutions like family, politics and religion, and how power is distributed in society.
Beyond the Classroom
Connect with peers and professionals who share your interests. Get involved with student organizations on campus that support your goals and enjoy learning and working together to improve people’s lives. Attend networking events and workshops, and hear from guest speakers.
Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience
Psi Chi
Psi Chi is the international honor society in psychology whose purpose is to encourage, stimulate and maintain excellence and advancement in the science of psychology. Membership is open to both graduate and undergraduate students with at least three semesters of college experience and nine hours of psychology. A member must have at least a 3.5 GPA and demonstrate superior scholarship in psychology.
Psychological Society
The Psychological Society is an organization open to all students who are interested in psychology. Psych Society sponsors educational, social and volunteer opportunities for the campus community.
Criminal Justice
Alpha Phi Sigma (APS)
Alpha Phi Sigma is the only National Criminal Justice Honor Society for Criminal Justice majors. The society recognizes academic excellence of undergraduate and graduate students of criminal justice, as well as juris doctorate.
Criminal Justice Society (CJS)
The Criminal Justice Society is designed for Criminal Justice and related majors to help prepare individuals for criminal justice-related careers by fostering academic achievement, providing community service and networking with students, faculty, alumni and professionals.
Sociology and Social Work
Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD)
All Sociology majors and minors are eligible to apply to the International Sociology Honor Society for Sociology students and faculty. Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD), the international sociology honor society seeks to acknowledge and promote excellence in scholarship in the study of sociology, the research of social problems, and other social and intellectual activities that will lead to improvement in the human condition.
Phi Alpha Honor Society for Social Work (Phi Alpha)
Phi Alpha is an Honor Society for Social Work majors who have achieved high academic standards and wish to give more to the surrounding community through service. "Through knowledge — the challenge is to serve."
Social Work Student Association (SWSA)
The purpose of the Social Work Student Association is to commit to human service and social justice, demonstrate and promote the core values of the social work profession, bring awareness of social justice issues, and promote social justice and social change.
Internships
Internships provide valuable opportunities for students to apply their skills and knowledge, receive professional socialization, expand their networks, and explore career opportunities for after graduation. Internships give students the chance to help others and improve the local community. Students also learn the importance of professional communication and experience hands-on learning.
Examples of organizations where students have interned:
- Austin Partners in Education
- Austin Police Department
- Austin Travis County Integral Care
- Autism Society of Austin
- BreakThrough
- Caritas
- Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas
- Communities in Schools
- Con Mi Madre
- Crockett High School
- C5 Youth Foundation of Texas
- Foundation Communities
- Gardner-Betts Juvenile Justice Center
- Girls Rock Camp! – Austin
- Girlstart
- McCabe Center (federal convict re-entry)
- Mothers Against Drunk Driving
- Posada Esperanza
- Ridge Oak Living Community
- SafePlace
- Texas Attorney General
- Texas Civil Rights Project
- Texas Victims Services Association
- Trinity Center
- Travis County State Jail
- U.S. District Court
- U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons
- U.S. Marshals Service
- Youth Advocacy
Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience students are encouraged to explore these and other professional organizations. Many of these organizations host conferences where St. Edward’s students have presented their research.
National and International Organizations
- American Psychological Association (APA)
- Association for Psychological Science (APS)
- American Educational Research Association (AERA)
- Animal Behavior Society (ABS)
- Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS)
- Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR)
- Social Psychology Network
- Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology (SBN)
- Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)
- Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
- Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP)
- Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD)