Welcome to the Community and Human Services program website. This is a one-stop place to access useful information about the program.
The Community and Human Services major is offered at one or more centers of the College for Professional Studies but is not available in the College of Arts and Sciences. The Community and Human Services major is a multidisciplinary program for persons interested (or already involved) in human service careers. This degree prepares students for a variety of career opportunities in the “helping” professions, where social service workers help strengthen the abilities and resources of others. Designed for students with some previous study and/or experience in the social sciences, the program offers a strong overview of the social service field and the role of the professional as an agent for positive social change in the community. Those students who wish to pursue a concentration in Family Systems studies or Religious studies should pay particular attention to their choice of electives and discuss their program with the academic advisor.
Students in the program have received excellent reviews from supervisors in the practicum sites where they
apply the concepts and skills they have learned during their coursework. We are extremely proud of our students’ achievements. Many have been offered positions of employment following their practicum. Students received overwhelmingly excellent ratings across the characteristics expected of a human service worker. Here are some examples of the comments from recent site surveys:
[The student] was ready to jump in and learn best practices involving working with the elderly and specifically those on hospice care. She was always eager to learn new information and applied the information towards the completion of her tasks. She shows great promise in working in the Human Services field because she is a caring person, but also has an understanding of the complex nuances in working with at risk populations.
[The student] is very knowledgeable of community resources and she is flexible in her abilities to adapt. She worked on a community service project with limited resources, and supervision, and did a fantastic job. I think that she would be a valuable asset to any community agency.
[The student] is a person who has demonstrated to me a compassionate dedication to citizens of our county and to her personal success. She is determined, focused, and hard working; insightful and intelligent. Thank you SHU for sending to our agency top notch students — ready to embrace practical field experience and eager to participate with our agencies vision and mission.
The Community and Human Services major is offered at one or more centers of the College for Professional Studies but is not available in the College of Arts and Sciences. The Community and Human Services major is a multidisciplinary program for persons interested (or already involved) in human service careers. This degree prepares students for a variety of career opportunities in the “helping” professions, where social service workers help strengthen the abilities and resources of others. Designed for students with some previous study and/or experience in the social sciences, the program offers a strong overview of the social service field and the role of the professional as an agent for positive social change in the community. Those students who wish to pursue a concentration in Family Systems studies or Religious studies should pay particular attention to their choice of electives and discuss their program with the academic advisor.
Learning Outcomes for Community and Human Services
1. Develop an interdisciplinary and ethical approach to the professional practice of
community and human services.
2. Develop skills to access, evaluate and utilize social research in community and
human service work, and be able to link theory and practice.
3. Develop effective communication and interpersonal skills appropriate for use in
the roles of community and human service practice.
4. Know and utilize methods appropriate for the process of planned change in
communities and agencies.
The Community and Human Services program emphasizes both micro- and macro-level approaches. A commentary in the journal Social Work indicated there is a new initiative in human services programs to go beyond teaching micro-methods and emphasize the macro-level component so that, in addition to clinical expertise, students will be better prepared to actively participate in social change and provide community leadership. Macro-level practice is minimized in many programs, leaving students less than prepared to fill important positions involved with community change. With this two-fold emphasis, our students are better prepared for leadership positions in many organizations. All courses are aligned with the university mission to assist people to become more competent, purposeful, and ethical through a teaching and learning environment which respects the dignity of all.