Human Services A.A.S.

Department: Human Services

Total Credit Hours: 61-62 credits

What Is Human Services?

This degree provides professional preparation for helping careers, understanding human behavior and policy/program development, with intership opportunities that provide real work experience. Through this program individuals learn how to help people overcome obstacles in their lives by developing interpersonal and intercultural communication skills.

Students acquire knowledge of best practice helping strategies to serve individuals, groups and communities experiencing problems related to poverty, abuse, mental and physical illness, disability, crime, unemployment, discrimination, aging and family dysfunction. Students will learn to link people with services such as education or training, financial assistance, child care, shelter, addictions tratment, mental health services and senior services. With this degree students have the educational foundation to succcessfully work in human services positions in both the private and public sectors.

People interested in this program are self-described "people persons". They should possess good verbal and oral communication and problem-solving skills and have a positive attitude about themselves and others.

Occupational Outlook

Because of the multitude of careers in this field, the outlook is varied. Positions that have a bright outlook include child support services worker, family caseworker, patient advocate and youth services specialist. These positions are projected to experience rapid increases in employment with large numbers of job openings over the next several years or are new and emerging occupations in high-growth industries.

Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook

Salary Outlook

In the state of Missouri, employees working in community and social service occupations earn an average of $39,080 per year, depending on emphasis, education, experience and employer.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, earnings increase significantly as a worker’s degree of education rises.

Student Achievement Indicators

• Annual Human Services Program Evaluation
• Bi-Annual Human Services Program Learning Assessment Report
• Human Services Profile
• Annual Human Services Program Planning Form

Human Services Careers

SCC graduates with an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in human services are employed in a broad range of careers including, but not limited to: administrative service manager, camp director, child support services worker, family caseworker, community welfare worker,  patient advocate, social and human service assistant and youth services specialist.

Career options range from working with children and families, people with physical, emotional or intellectual challenges, military veterans, homeless people, struggling communities, law enforcement, as well as many other specific areas of interest to individual students.

Required Courses

Subject	Course	Title	Credits
General Education Requirements (24-25 credits)
Mathematics	MAT 105 or higher	Applied Math or higher	3-4
Communication	ENG 101	English Composition I	3
	ENG 125	Business Writing	3
	COM 101	Oral Communication	3
Social Science	HIS 101 or	U.S. History to 1877	3
	HIS 102 or	U.S. History Since 1877
	HIS 115 or	U.S. History Since 1945
	HIS 270 or	History of Missouri
	POL 101 or	American Government
	POL 102	State & Local Government
Natural Science	Any BIO or	Any Biology Course	3
	Any CHM or	Any Chemistry Course
	Any PHY	Any Physical Science Course
Humanities	Any Humanities		3
Elective	BTC/CPT 103	Microcomputer Applications	3
Core Course Requirements (28 credits)
	HMS 100	Introduction to Human Services	3
	HMS 101	Theories and Skills	3
	HMS 102	Policy and Politics	3
	HMS 195	Human Services: Professional Field Skills	3
	HMS 201	Human Services Practicum I	3
	HMS 202	Human Services Practicum II	3
	HMS 203	Human Services Practicum Seminar I	3
	HMS 204	Human Services Practicum Seminar II	3
	HMS 298	Human Services Capstone	1
	SOC 101	Introduction to Sociology	3
Electives (9 credits)
(Pick Two)	Any CRJ or	Any Criminal Justice Course	6
	Any ECO or	Any Economics Course
	Any HMS or	Any Human Services Course
	Any PSY or	Any Psychology Course
	Any SOC	Any Sociology Course
Any computer course or business course approved by the HMS program coordinator			3
Total Required Hours: 61-62 credits

Suggested Schedule Planning

Course	Title	Credits
First Semester (15 credits)
HMS 140	Intro to Human Services	3
HIS 101 or	US History to 1877	3
HIS 102 or	US History Since 1877
HIS 115 or	US History Since 1945
HIS 270 or	History of Missouri
POL 101 or	American Government
POL 102	State & Local Government
ENG 101	English Composition I *	3
BTC/CPT 103	Microcomputer Applications	3
SOC 101	Introduction to Sociology	3
Second Semester (15-16 credits)
ENG 125	Business Writing	3
MAT 105	Applied Math or higher *	3-4
HMS 101	Theories and Skills	3
HMS 195	Human Services: Professional Field Skills	3
Elective	Any Human Services Course	3
Third Semester (15 credits)
COM 101	Oral Communication	3
Natural Science	Any BIO, CHM or PHY	3
HMS 102	Policy and Politics	3
HMS 201	Human Service Practicum I	3
HMS 202	Human Service Practicum Seminar I	3
Fourth Semester (16 credits)
Electives	Any CRJ, ECO, HMS, PSY or SOC	6
Humanities	Any Humanities Course	3
HMS 202	Human Service Practicum II	3
HMS 204	Human Service Practicum Seminar II	3
HMS 298	Human Service Capstone	1
Total Hours Required for Graduation: 61-62 credits
* The Academic Skills Assessment is required before enrolling in a Math or English course. If a student places into lower-level courses that are required for the degree, then the student must first enroll in lower-level courses before enrolling in the courses required for graduation.

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