BA 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. Students gain 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 utilizing trauma-informed care in a manner consistent with a Christian worldview. The curriculum emphasizes both theoretical and experiential learning aimed at optimizing human interactions and finding meaningful solutions to individual and social problems by addressing systemic barriers and promoting client self-determination.
The knowledge and skills gained in the Social & Human Services major will assist students seeking careers in diverse professional settings such as child and family services, social services, human trafficking prevention, ministry, nonprofit agencies, addiction clinics, court services, advocacy, correctional settings, youth facilities, community mental health centers, educational settings, and healthcare. Additionally, this program prepares students who desire to continue their education in graduate fields of study such as social work, counseling, ministry, addiction treatment, 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.
- Evaluate their personal values, biases, strengths, and limitations so as to understand their impact on professional activities and cultivate cultural humility.
- Apply a holistic view of wellness, prevention, and remediation of problems in living across micro, mezzo, and macro systems.
- Analyze and effectively utilize research to determine effective and appropriate service delivery practices.
- Demonstrate skills that use best practices to promote effective, strengths-based growth and resilience with individuals and groups.
Program Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the B.A. in Social & Human Services, students will be able to:
- Apply an understanding of ethical principles and ethical decision-making models within a Catholic-Christian worldview.
- Demonstrate basic helping and trauma-informed skills that facilitate strengths-based growth and resilience in individuals and groups.
- Engage in research and program evaluation 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 into 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
The Core Curriculum (47-53 credit hours)
Please reference the Core Curriculum Requirements.
Social & Human Services majors are strongly advised to take HS350 to fulfill the College's Empirical Reasoning requirement in the Core Curriculum.
- Prospective majors in Social & Human Services should wait to take their Social Science core requirement until after they have chosen their Social & Human Services area of concentration.
- Transfer students into the major are not required to complete the College Core Capstone course, but do complete the Social & Human Services Capstone course (HS493W).
Major Program Requirements (49-50 hours)
The Social & Human Services major has two categories of course requirements:
- Major Requirements (31 credits) and
- Concentration Requirements (18-19 credits).
The Major Requirements are listed first, followed by the options for Concentration Requirements areas.
| 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 |
| HS372 | Conflict Resolution | 3 |
| HS493W | Capstone in Social & Human Services | 3 |
Major Concentration Requirements
Social & Human Services majors choose
ONE of the following concentrations:
Addictions Concentration (18 Credits)
The
Addictions Concentration is for students interested in becoming addiction professionals. In addition to specialized coursework aimed at understanding addiction dynamics, prevention programs, and treatment, students will complete 360 hours in addiction-specific field placements.
| HS361 | Addictions: Brain, Behavior, & Diagnosis | 3 |
| HS362 | Addictions: Prevention & Treatment | 3 |
| HS365 | Family Violence | 3 |
| HS381 | Preparation for Field Work | 1 |
| HS384 | Field Work in Addictions I | 4 |
| HS484 | Field Work in Addictions II | 4 |
Generalist Concentration (19 Credits)
The
Generalist Concentration provides a broad base of training, preparing students for direct service delivery in social and human service agencies. In addition to theoretical and skills-based training in areas such as child welfare, domestic violence, human trafficking prevention, addiction, 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 before entering direct service positions upon graduation.
| HS361 | Addictions: Brain, Behavior, & Diagnosis | 3 |
| HS365 | Family Violence | 3 |
| HS374 | Social Policy, Justice & Advocacy in Practice | 3 |
| HS381 | Preparation for Field Work | 1 |
| HS383 | Field Work in Social Services I | 3 |
| Choose 1 approved HS course (290+ level or higher) | 3 |
| Choose 1 approved HS course (290+ level or higher) | 3 |
Management Concentration (18 Credits)
The concentration in Social & Human Service
Management prepares students to serve others as leaders by filling essential roles in administrative, managerial, and policy positions in nonprofit organizations, government entities, 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 three required courses below plus three additional approved courses related to their specific management interest. To expand their leadership credentials, students are strongly encouraged to complete a minor in Business Management or Healthcare Management.
| HS370 | Human Service Management | 3 |
| HS371 | Program Planning & Evaluation | 3 |
| HS374 | Social Policy, Justice & Advocacy in Practice | 3 |
| Choose 1 approved HS course (290+ level or higher) or BU course | |
| Choose 1 approved HS course (290+ level or higher) or BU course | |
| Choose 1 approved HS course (290+ level or higher) or BU course | |
General Electives (17-24 hours)