Undergraduate Catalog 2007-2008
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Human Services (BS) | Office | Website

Description

Projected to be one of the fastest growing job fields in the first decade of the next century, Human Services is a family of careers designed for those who want to work with people. Whether one's goal is to try to make the world a better place, or—more modestly—simply to help a few people cope better with life, Human Services equips students with the basic knowledge and skills necessary to function in a professional capacity.

Course work in Human Services leads to a Bachelor of Science degree that prepares one for a wide variety of positions in both public and private service agencies, as well as some areas of private enterprise. Human Services professionals work with a wide variety of individuals, including: the unemployed, the unskilled, the physically and emotionally handicapped, convicted offenders, substance abusers, troubled youth, the elderly and the physically ill. They work with individuals, families, and neighborhood groups in community mental health centers, hospitals, hospices, correctional facilities, and other state agencies, as well as in human resources and training and development in private industry.

Human Services is an interdisciplinary field with many diverse opportunities and challenges. The Human Services student takes a basic set of eight core courses that are supported by an individualized program tailored to the student's needs.

Flexibility makes the Human Services program attractive to a broad range of students: service-oriented, traditional undergraduates; community college graduates who have already completed a program in a human services specialty area; those currently employed who wish to enhance their advancement potential; and students whose goal is post-degree work in counseling or a related area.


Degree Requirements

Students are required to complete course requirements in three general areas:

  • (a) University Core Curriculum (approximately 45 cr.),
  • (b) major and
  • (c) minor concentration.

a.) University Core Requirements
See University Core Curriculum for more information on the University Core Curriculum.

b.) Major Requirements (24 cr. of HUS & 15 cr. of specialization)
cr.
HUS 150 Introduction to Human Services 3
HUS 342 Human Services Leadership 3
HUS 422 Ethics and Values in Human Services 3
HUS 437 Counseling Process in Human Services 3
HUS 441 Multicultural Understanding 3
HUS 491 Internship in Human Services 3
HUS 495 Human Resources Development 3
HUS 499 Integrating Seminar in Human Services 3
Note: with the permission of their academic advisor and the department chair, students who demonstrate sufficient background in one of the above courses may substitute an alternate HUS course; see the list of Human Services courses for possibilities.

Human Services Specialization: (15 Credits)
Normally consists of five courses in a human services area. Some suggested areas include: addiction studies, criminal justice, corrections, education, legal assistance, psychology, sociology, and social work. While it is usually preferable that all five sources come from the same content area (e.g. all CJS courses), some areas of specialization, such as 'family studies' are cross disciplinary.

Concentration
The minor concentration is a second area of specialization. Normally a minor involves six to eight courses in an area. The minor is not required to be related to the student's Human Services specialization. It may be in a traditional academic subject area (e.g., History, English, Business, etc.) or it may be a blend of related courses across disciplines, either within or outside of the human services field. Students intending to work in a business setting are encouraged to use the Business Certificate (see page 18) for their area of concentration. The minor is intended as a flexible requirement that will enhance the student's credentials. Students are encouraged to consult their advisors about various possibilities.

College of Business Administration

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College of Engineering & Science

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College of Health Professions & McAuley School of Nursing

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College of Liberal Arts & Education

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School of Architecture

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School of Dentistry

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School of Law

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