B.A. in Social & Human Services
Overview
The major in Social & Human Services faithfully aligns with the College’s mission to educate students so that God will be glorified in all they do. The major provides students with an academic base of knowledge, theories, research, and skills needed to ethically assist diverse individuals, families, and communities to thrive through the prevention and remediation of problems in a manner consistent with a Christian worldview. It emphasizes both theoretical and experiential learning aimed at optimizing human interactions and finding meaningful solutions to individual and social problems.
The knowledge and skills gained in the Social & Human Services major will assist students seeking careers in diverse professional settings such as in child and family services, social services, human trafficking, ministry, nonprofit agencies, addictions clinics, court services, advocacy, correctional settings, youth facilities, community mental health centers, educational settings, and health care.
This program will prepare students who desire to continue their education in graduate fields of study such as social work, counseling, ministry, healthcare management, law, public health and policy, and criminal justice.
Departmental Goals: The Department of Social & Human Services is committed to training students who will:
- integrate the principles and ethics that guide social service professionals with a Christian perspective of the human person, family, groups, and culture.
- routinely evaluate their personal values, biases, strengths, and limitations so as to understand their impact on professional activities.
- have a holistic view of wellness, prevention, and remediation of problems in living.
- understand and effectively utilize research to determine effective and appropriate service delivery practices.
- possess skills that use best practices to promote effective, strengths-based growth and resilience with individuals and groups.
Program Learning Outcomes: Upon Completion of the BA in Social & Human Services, students will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of ethical principles and ethical decision-making models within Catholic-Christian worldview.
- demonstrate basic helping skills that facilitate strengths-based growth and resilience in individuals and groups.
- engage in research to determine and present effective social policy and practice in social and human services.
- explain the role of Catholic social teaching, social policy, social justice, and advocacy as applied to social problems.
- articulate effective leadership and management strategies for work within a social service agency.
Standards for Admission & Graduation:
Prospective majors should meet with the department chair as soon as possible to declare the major. To be eligible for acceptance in the Social & Human Services Major, students must complete HS110 with a grade of “C” or higher. Once declared, students should meet with their departmental advisor to choose their area of concentration.
To graduate with a degree in Social & Human Services, students must earn an average GPA of 2.0 or higher in all program courses with no course grade below a “C-.” Students receiving a grade below a “C-” in any course may repeat the course no more than twice (for a maximum of three attempts) with the permission of the department chair. It is the student’s responsibility to verify that all degree requirements for graduation are met.
Curriculum Requirements
Major Program Requirements (44-50) HOURS
The Social & Human Services Major has 2 categories of course requirements:
Major Core requirements (27-31 credits) and
Major Concentration requirements (18-19 credits).
The Major Core requirements are listed first, followed by the options for Major Concentration areas.
Students should take HS350 Applied Empirical Reasoning for the Belmont Abbey Core Curriculum Empirical Reasoning requirement. Doing so results in the Social & Human Services Major Core requirements being 27 rather than 31 credits.
| HS110 | Intro to Social & Human Services | 3 |
| HS210 | Helping Skills | 3 |
| HS220 | Group Dynamics | 3 |
| HS300 | Ethics in Social & Human Services | 3 |
| HS330 | Case Management | 3 |
| HS335 | Crisis Intervention | 3 |
| HS340 | Human Development in Social Context | 3 |
| HS350 | Applied Empirical Reasoning | 4 |
| HS370 | Social & Human Service Mgmt | 3 |
| HS493W | Capstone in Social & Human Services | 3 |
Major Concentration Requirement
Social & Human Service Majors choose ONE of the following Concentrations:
Addictions Concentration (18 Credits)
The Addictions Concentration is for students interested in becoming addictions professionals. In addition to addiction-specific coursework aimed at understanding addictions, prevention programs, and treatment, students will complete 360 hours in addiction-specific field placements.
| HS361 | Substance Abuse & Addictions I | 3 |
| HS362 | Substance Abuse & Addictions II | 3 |
| HS365 | Family Violence | 3 |
| HS381 | Preparation for Field Work | 1 |
| HS384 | Field Work in Addictions 1 | 4 |
| HS484 | Field Work in Addictions 2 | 4 |
Generalist Concentration (19 Credits)
The Generalist concentration provides a broad base of training, preparing students for direct service delivery in human and social service agencies. In addition to theoretical and skills-based training such as those needed to work with child abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, addictions, crisis intervention, family services, and advocacy, students in this concentration spend at least 135 hours in a social service field placement gaining hands-on experience to prepare them to enter direct service positions upon graduation.
| HS361 | Substance Abuse & Addictions I | 3 |
| HS365 | Family Violence | 3 |
| HS372 | Conflict Resolution | 3 |
| HS381 | Preparation for Field Work | 1 |
| HS383 | Field Work in Social Services I | 3 |
| Or | |
| HS384 | Field Work in Addictions 1 | 4 |
| Choose two of the following courses | |
| HS301 | Seminar in Aging | 3 |
| HS362 | Substance Abuse & Addictions II | 3 |
| HS371 | Program Planning & Evaluation | 3 |
| HS373 | Social Policy & Practice | 3 |
| HS374 | Social Justice & Advocacy | 3 |
| HS483 | Field Work in Social Services 2 | 3 |
| Approved HS or other Concentration-Specific elective | |
Leadership Concentration (18 Credits)
The concentration in Leadership prepares students to serve others as leaders by filling essential roles in administrative, managerial, and policy positions in nonprofit service agencies, government, or social service agencies. Students choosing this concentration will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively administer programs, allocate, resources, and fulfill other administrative tasks such as planning, organizing, coordinating, and evaluating programs or agencies with the aim of improving the well-being of individuals and their communities. Students in this concentration take the 4 required courses below plus two additional approved courses related to their specific management interest.
| HS371 | Program Planning & Evaluation | 3 |
| HS372 | Conflict Resolution | 3 |
| HS373 | Social Policy & Practice | 3 |
| HS374 | Social Justice & Advocacy | 3 |
| Choose two of the following courses | |
| HS301 | Seminar in Aging | 3 |
| HS361 | Substance Abuse & Addictions I | 3 |
| HS362 | Substance Abuse & Addictions II | 3 |
| HS365 | Family Violence | 3 |
| HS383 | Field Work in Social Services I | 3 |
| HS483 | Field Work in Social Services 2 | 3 |
| Approved HS or other Concentration-Specific elective | |
The Core Curriculum (50-53 hours)
Please reference Core Curriculum Traditional Students
Residential Students transferring more than 30 credit hours to Belmont Abbey College are not required to take the First-Year Experience sequence.
Prospective majors in Social & Human Services should wait to take their Social Science core requirement until after they have chosen their Social & Human Service area of Concentration.
Social & Human Service Majors should take HS350 – Applied Statistical & Research Reasoning to fulfill the Empirical Reasoning requirement in the Core Curriculum.