Human Services, AAS

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No. of Credits: 60
Contact: Lisa Lynk Smith, Chair, Humanities and Social Sciences

The Human Services degree curriculum provides pre-service and in-service education for individuals choosing careers in community and social services. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to apply principles of behavior, communication, and social welfare in their practice with a variety of clients including the elderly, children, the disadvantaged, and other special populations.

Positions available to graduates of this program include social work careers such as eligibility worker, caseworker aide, human services worker, and substance abuse counselor.

This program has been designated as a Health Manpower Shortage program. For more information, contact the Admissions Department.

The maximum number of credits accepted in transfer from other institutions to this program is 45.

Career Opportunities:

Substance abuse counselor, human services caseworker, probation worker, mental health associate transfer options: Students planning to transfer to a Bachelor of Arts program should follow the AA degree in Arts and Sciences: Social Sciences.

Transfer Options:

A complete list of all transfer opportunities can be found on the Transfer Services page

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students will…

Describe historical, social, and philosophical approaches to Human Services programs in the United States.
Identify the legal aspects of public assistance and social welfare in the United States.
Demonstrate appropriate practices and skills for interviewing and counseling diverse clients.
Understand and apply the core functions of counselors to working with clients.
Appreciate the complex national and global relationships among social problems that impact individuals.
Understand the history and classification systems of the mental health movement.

Education and Public Service Pathway

Learn more about the Education and Public Service Pathway.

Visit Career Coach for more information on this program, related programs, and job opportunities in Southern Maryland and the Washington D.C. Metropolitan region.

Required Courses and Recommended Sequence:

The following is a recommended sequence of courses for completing this program. College Prep and prerequisite course requirements, credit load, and/or course availability may affect a student’s individual progress. Course availability within the program sequences is specifically intended for full-time students who begin their course work with the fall semester. Students should always consult their online program evaluation or an academic advisor to better understand typical course availability and individual program planning.

First Semester

ENG-1010 - Composition and Rhetoric* (E) (3)
ENG 1010 completed with a minimum grade of “C”
MTH-1010 - Quantitative Literacy and Reasoning* (M) (3)
PSY-1010 - General Psychology (B) (3)
SOC-1040 - Introduction to Human Resource Services (3)

Arts (3 credits)

Acceptable:

See Gen Ed Listing

Second Semester

Communication (3 credits)

Acceptable:

Elective (3 credits)

Acceptable:

Take three credits from the following: ART, COM, CJS, DAN, ENG, FRE, GRY, HMS, HST, HTH, ITS, LAN, MUS, PHL, POL, PSY, SOC, SPA, WFS (WFS-1001 and above)

Third Semester

Biological/physical sciences (3 credits)

Acceptable:

See Gen Ed Listing

Elective (3 credits)

Acceptable:

Take three credits from the following: ART, COM, CJS, DAN, ENG, FRE, GRY, HMS, HST, HTH, ITS, LAN, MUS, PHL, POL, PSY, SOC, SPA, WFS (WFS-1001 and above)

Fourth Semester

Elective (3 credits)

Acceptable:

Take course from the following: ART, COM, CJS, DAN, ENG, FRE, GRY, HMS, HST, HTH, ITS, LAN, MUS, PHL, POL, PSY, SOC, SPA, WFS (WFS-1001 and above)

Notes:

* Courses requiring a prerequisite or co-requisite

Course Indicators: English Composition (E), Arts (A), Cultural and Global Awareness (C), Humanities (H), Biological/Physical Sciences (S), Social/Behavioral Sciences (B), Mathematics (M)