Human Services

Human Services Degrees

A human service career will allow individuals to contribute to their communities by assisting a variety of people and groups, to cope with the problems and issues of their everyday lives.

There are human services certificate programs and associate’s degrees, which provide you with the minimum skills and knowledge in the field. A bachelor’s degree in human services requires four years of study, and will give an overview of human development, abnormal psychology, group dynamics, ethics, social issues, advocacy, public policy, and the skills and knowledge needed for an entry-level job.

A master’s degree in human services can qualify you for a leadership or management position, or an administrative job in a public service agency or nonprofit organization. You will study ethics and legal issues, diversity issues, intervention techniques, clinical case formulation, and group processes in further detail. For example, social workers are required to have master’s degrees to work in schools. Doctoral degrees in human services may be necessary for advanced jobs in university-level teaching, counseling, public policy, clinical research, healthcare, or social work.

Human Services Job Opportunities

Employment for social and human service assistants is expected to grow by 23 percent between 2008 and 2018, and is due in part to the aging population and an increased demand for substance abuse and mental health treatment.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 20010-2011 Edition