Human Services (BA)

The focus of human services is to help people living in a variety of circumstances negotiate the complexities of American society and the systems that have been established to provide assistance. This help can range from direct, one-on-one services to the direction and management of large programs and organizations. These professional services are delivered within a complex web of laws and regulations, augmented with a fully developed set of professional ethics. In addition, recent changes in funding have increased the need for effective needs assessments, planning, monitoring, and evaluation in an atmosphere of evidence-based practice and outcome measurement. According to the US Department of Labor (2014), the demand for workers in Human Services is projected to double over the next decade largely due to the aging of the U.S. population. The Bachelor's in Human Services degree program prepares the graduate to assess the needs of clients and populations and to plan and implement programs and services that will assist in promoting improvement in personal and social functioning. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills to provide direct client services in sincere and compassionate relationships. In addition to direct services, students will learn the structures and underlying forces that characterize organizations and communities and the role that diversity plays in the functioning of larger groups. Basic knowledge of organizational management principles are provided as well as concepts relating to program advocacy and support development. The techniques and formal tools of conducting needs assessments and outcomes measurement and evaluation are presented to introduce students to the effective monitoring of interventions and programs.