Program Coordinator Chad Keller
Human Services prepares students in gaining the knowledge, skills, and field experiences necessary to support people in meeting their emotional and physical needs, as they cope with life change and stressors. Students of the program are prepared to work with a broad range of people in the areas of intellectual and developmental disabilities, addictions and recovery, housing and food insecurity, domestic violence, family and youth services, elder care, community advocacy, and mental health. In addition to completing general education courses, students complete courses that help them understand the scope of the human services field, ethical principles, the diverse make-up and needs of those seeking services, and theories of human growth and change. This coursework is then combined with curriculum that builds students’ skills and confidence in clinical assessment, interviewing, and intervention. Before earning their degrees, students complete two semesters of fieldwork in area human service agencies, which results in them seeing firsthand what it means to be a human service professional. The curriculum is designed not only to prepare students for employment after graduation, but also can be completed by those students intending to transfer to four-year colleges and universities, who have an interest in social work, psychology, counseling, or sociology.
Program Learning Objectives
Summarize the different tasks and responsibilities of a human service professional
Develop foundational clinical skills in listening, assessing, communicating, intervening, and documenting
Explain the ethical standards of human service professionals
Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior when working with clients, community members, and colleagues
Describe how biological, psychological, and social factors influence people’s mental and physical health and apply these factors when planning services and implementing interventions
Select culturally affirming interventions that reflect the identities, experiences, needs, and wishes of those they are working with
Develop further awareness of one’s self, including how one’s values, lived experiences, and personal traits support and impede one’s work in being a culturally affirming and ethical human service professional
Nature of Work: The Human Services curriculum prepares students to work with a broad range of people in the areas of intellectual and developmental disabilities, addictions and recovery, housing and food insecurity, domestic violence, family and youth services, elder care, community advocacy, and mental health.
Skills and Abilities: To be effective in these positions, skills in relationship building, interpersonal communication, critical thinking, problem solving, case management, documentation, cultural competence, and ethical reasoning are needed.
Human Services - HUMS.AAS
Associate in Applied Science Degree
First Semester
ENGL 131 - First-Year English I 3 credit hours
HUMS 131 - Introduction to Human Services 3 credit hours
HUMS 145 - Understanding Human Diversity 3 credit hours
HUMS 164 - Mental Health First Aid 1 credit hour
Mathematics or Physical/Life Science Elective 3-4 credit hours
PSYC 131 - General Psychology 3 credit hours
Total: 16-17 Credit Hours
Second Semester
HUMS 140 - Ethical Practice - 3 credit hours
HUMS 165 - Clinical Skills - 3 credit hours
HUMS 166 - Crisis Intervention 2 credit hours
PSYC 132 - Health And Personal Growth 3 credit hours
PSYC 232 - Human Development 3 credit hours
Total: 14 Credit Hours
Third Semester
HUMS 232 - Counseling For Life Change and Loss 3 credit hours
HUMS 290 - Fieldwork I 3 credit hours
Human Services Elective (see list) 3 credit hours
Mathematics or Physical/Life Science Elective 3-4 credit hours
SPCH 131 - Public Speaking 3 credit hours
or
SPCH 145 - Public and Private Communication 3 credit hours
or
SPCH 151 - Interpersonal Communication 3 credit hours
Total: 15-16 Credit Hours
Fourth Semester
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective 3 credit hours
HUMS 233 - Substance Use Counseling 3 credit hours
HUMS 295 - Fieldwork II 3 credit hours
Human Services Electives (see list) 6 credit hours
Total: 15 Credit Hours
Approved Human Services Electives
CHDV 131 - Introduction to Child Development 3 credit hours
CHDV 136 - Exceptional Child 3 credit hours
CHDV 238 - Family, School & Community Relations 3 credit hours
CIS 135 - Computer Literacy credit hours
CRMJ 151 - Introduction to Corrections 3 credit hours
CRMJ 254 - The Juvenile Offender 3 credit hour
CRMJ 260 - Criminal Justice And Mental Health 3 credit hours
EDUC 241 - Educational Psychology 3 credit hours
HUMS 210 - Drugs and Their Effects 3 credit
HUMS 234 - Group Counseling 3 credit hours
PSYC 233 - Child Psychology 3 credit hours
PSYC 235 - Personality Psychology 3 credit hours
PSYC 243 - Adolescent Psychology 3 credit hours
PSYC 253 - Adult Development And Aging 3 credit hours
PSYC 260 - Social Psychology 3 credit hours
PSYC 270 - Abnormal Psychology 3 credit hours
SOCI 131 - Introduction To Sociology 3 credit hours
SOCI 132 - Social Problems 3 credit hours
SOCI 150 - Racial And Ethnic Relations 3 credit hours
SOCI 155 - Introduction To Sex And Gender 3 credit hours
SOCI 240 - Marriage And The Family 3 credit hours
SOSC 132 - The Science of Happiness 3 credit hours
SOSC 160 - Human Sexuality 3 credit hours
Total credit hours required for the A.A.S. in Human Services: 60
Human Services Generalist - HUMS/GEN.CP
Certificate of Proficiency
First Semester
HUMS 131 - Introduction to Human Services 3 credit hours
HUMS 145 - Understanding Human Diversity 3 credit hours
HUMS 164 - Mental Health First Aid 1 credit hour
HUMS 165 - Clinical Skills - 3 credit hours
HUMS 166 - Crisis Intervention 2 credit hours
PSYC 131 - General Psychology 3 credit hours
Total: 15 Credit Hours
Second Semester
HUMS 140 - Ethical Practice - 3 credit hours
HUMS 232 - Counseling For Life Change and Loss 3 credit hours
HUMS 233 - Substance Use Counseling 3 credit hours
HUMS 290 - Fieldwork I 3 credit hours
PSYC 132 - Health and Personal Growth 3 credit hours
PSYC 232 - Human Development 3 credit hours
Total: 18 Credit Hours
Total credit hours required for the Certificate of Proficiency in Human Services Generalist: 33
Clinical Helping Skills - HUMS/CLN.CC
Certificate of Completion
Requirements:
HUMS 164 - Mental Health First Aid 1 credit hour
HUMS 165 - Clinical Skills - 3 credit hours
HUMS 166 - Crisis Intervention 2 credit hours
HUMS 232 - Counseling For Life Change and Loss 3 credit hours
or
HUMS 233 - Substance Use Counseling 3 credit hours
Total: 9 Credit Hours