Human Services Degree Online Programs

An online human services degree, also known as a human management degree. This discipline focuses on providing students with the skills and knowledge to work in social services and community development.

This area of study is an integrated professional area that combines the work of counseling, social work, and psychology with management, planning, organizing, leading, assessing, and evaluating health and human management programs. With a career in human services you would be responsible for providing support and creating support structures for people in the community. This can range from law and legal services, counseling, social services and other services from colleges and universities offering online degrees in human services. You can earn a master of science in human services or a PhD at the graduate level. Bachelors in human services are also offered at at various schools. Hence, a degree in human services provides students with the necessary knowledge and skills required to provide clients with resources, information, and services in variety of public outreach organizations, non-profit bodies, and local and state run programs.

Online Human Services Degree and Related Programs

Walden University

• B. S. in Criminal Justice - Human Services for Criminal Justice
• Ph.D. in Human Services
  • Clinical Social Work
  • Counseling * Criminal Justice
  • Family Studies and Intervention Strategies
  • Human Services Administration
  • Social Policy Analysis and Planning
  • Self-Designed

University of Phoenix

• AA in Human Services Management
• BS in Criminal Justice Administration - Human Services
• BS in Business/Public Administration * BS in Human Services/Management

Capella University - Online

• MS - General Human Services
• MS - Social and Community Services
• PhD - General Human Services
• PhD - Social and Community Services
• PhD - Management of Nonprofit Agencies

Liberty University

• MA in Human Services - Business Management
• MA in Human Services - Christian Ministries
• MA in Human Services - Executive Leadership
• MA in Human Services - Health and Wellness
• MA in Human Services - Marriage and Family

Kaplan University

• Advanced Start B. s. in Human Services
• A.A.S. in Human Services
• B. S. in Human Services/Child and Family Welfare
• B. S. in Human Services/Gerontology
• B. S. in Human Services/Human Services Administration

Post University

• Masters in Human Services

Independence University

• MS - Health Services Community Health

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Human Services Education and Training

For a bachelor's degrees in human services, human services courses might include classes in abnormal psychology, group dynamics, developmental psychology, ethics, human services, research design, program monitoring and evaluation.

For an online human services masters degree, courses might include applied behavior analysis, group processes and facilitation, ethics and legal issues, assessment and intervention techniques, clinical case formulation, and diversity issues in human services. Elective courses in human services may include:

• Criminal justice
• Sociology
• Child development and child psychology
• Health services
• Community outreach
• Program evaluation
• Needs assessment
• Gerontology

For Doctorate and PhD Degrees in Human Services, students can specialize in social work and community services, criminal justice, counseling studies, health care administration, management of nonprofit agencies, or program monitoring and evaluation.

Certificate programs in human services field include Early Childhood Education, Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling, and Certificate as a Child Development Associate, among other specializations. Depending on the specialization within the online human services degree, and state of employment, human services employees may be required to get specific state licenses in addition to a campus or online human services degree, for example in the area of social work or counseling.

Human Services Careers

For a human services career, most employers require that people applying for an entry level positions, you would need to have at at least a bachelor's degree. For management you would generally need masters human services degree and experience. People with majors in fields related to the human services degree for example sociology and psychology may also qualify for entry-level social work careers.

Human services careers and clinical and health-related jobs require a masters degree in social work. Jobs in supervision, administration, and training also require an advanced degree. Any Social Worker planning to specialize in a particular area will find a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) degree is helpful to have.

Other areas of employment with a human services masters include group homes, mental health care, adult day care facilities, substance abuse treatment centers, elderly care centers, and state level child services departments, and departments of health, etc. Job titles may include:

• Adult Services Worker
• Case Manager
• Child Welfare Worker
• Elderly Services Provider
• Human Services Administrator
• Substance Abuse Worker

Expected Salary and Projected Career Growth

At present, over 50% of human services professionals work in health care and social assistance sectors. over 30% work in state and local government, and specifically especially in welfare agencies and agencies that offer assistance to mentally and physically challenged clients. The United States According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), reports that employment for social and human service assistants should grow by around 23% between 2008 and 2018 while the employment of social workers is expected to increase by 16% during the same period of time.

The BLS reports that the median annual income of social and human service assistants was $27,280 in 2008. The middle 50% earned between $21,860 and $34,590. The top 10% earned more than $43,510 and the lowest 10% earned below.

With an online human services degree or related area of training, counselors can make between $25,000 and $83,000 while social workers earn between $25,000 to $52,000 a year. With a master's or PhD you can earn more, especially with related professional experience.