Bachelor of Science in Human Services

Description and Outcomes

The Bachelor of Science in Human Services program draws from multiple disciplines, such as health services, psychology, sociology, law, and criminal justice, to help prepare you to meet the complex challenges of the twenty-first century in the growing field of human services.

The program is designed to help you gain the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and experience to assess, intervene, and evaluate the situations of the most vulnerable in our society in order to provide services that respond to the needs of clients. Blending theory and practice, the curriculum teaches you how to critically evaluate your social world as you explore the public and private policies that drive the day-to-day operations of human service agencies in this country and how you can best intervene on behalf of the clients you will serve. The program is designed to provide a broad understanding and the practical skills to help you discern how to be most helpful to clients and a proactive participant in the agency where you may work, which may include areas such as mental health, social services, education, rehabilitation, group and community work, and workplaces including nursing homes, hospitals, and clinics.

This program adheres to the curriculum standards of the Council of Standards in Human Service Education; however, it is not accredited by this agency. Refer to the Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams section for important program disclosure information.

The program is designed to prepare you academically to pursue a variety of careers in the field or in related fields and to pursue advanced education. The coursework in this program fulfills the requirements to sit for the exam to become a Human Services—Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP™). Please note that you must meet post-degree experience requirements in order to earn the HS-BCP credential.

If you have already completed an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, you may be eligible for degree requirements to be waived and replaced with advanced start credit. Refer to Advanced Start Credit in Bachelor’s Degrees for details.

Concentrations

Four concentrations are available within the Bachelor of Science in Human Services program: child and family welfare, community organization and advocacy, gerontology, and human services administration.

The child and family welfare concentration focuses on the complexities of the issues and forces that bear down on children and families in our society. Upon graduation, you may assess, evaluate, intervene, and re-evaluate social structures, such as adoption, foster care, child protection, and reunification, as you work with children and families.

The community organization and advocacy concentration is designed to prepare you with the knowledge and skills to work as a change agent within the community or specific groups. The courses are designed to prepare you to demonstrate the need for change within the community, influence outcomes, drive change, and organize action. You will learn about cultural influences, ways to assert a position, recommend strategies for policy as a leader, and support social, economic, and environmental perspectives. In addition, you will examine various restorative justice practices.

The gerontology concentration focuses on the physical, mental, and psychosocial development of humans during the aging process. Choose this concentration if you have an interest in working directly with the growing aging population and as an advocate for seniors in our society. The courses are designed to prepare you to work with the change process of aging and address how the aging population impacts social policy and program delivery.

The human services administration concentration is designed to prepare you with the knowledge and skills to work with diverse funding sources, influence policy, supervise staff, and intervene on behalf of those most vulnerable in our society in situations involving other agencies and players in the human services industry.

Program Length

The Bachelor of Science in Human Services program consists of a minimum of 180 quarter credit hours. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded a bachelor of science degree.

Accelerated Master's Degree Options

If you are interested in earning a master's degree, consider an accelerated master's degree option. Refer to the Progression Requirements section for details.
 

Program Outcomes

Discipline-Specific Outcomes

  1. Knowledge and Skill Base: Examine the theoretical bases, best practices, and historical and current trends related to the human services profession.
  2. Planning and Evaluation Skills: Apply theory and skills to identify, plan, implement, and evaluate interventions involving client needs and delivery systems in the human services profession.
  3. Values and Ethics: Use the professional, ethical, and legal values, standards, and practices of the human services profession.
  4. Information and Systems Management: Apply the information and skills necessary to manage and deliver human services.
  5. Diversity and Global Awareness: Illustrate the importance of culture, gender, diversity, and global perspectives in the delivery of human services.

General Education Literacies and Professional Competencies

In addition to the discipline-specific outcomes, general education literacies and professional competencies are integrated throughout your academic program. You can review the general education literacies and professional competencies associated with your academic program in the General Education and Professional Competency Requirements section of this Catalog.

Program Availability

For program availability, please refer to the U.S. State and Other Approvals section and Program Availability Information.

Policies

Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams

Certain state certification and licensure boards have specific educational requirements for programs to lead to a license or certification that is a precondition for employment in a recognized occupation. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.

Unless otherwise specified, Purdue Global's programs are not designed to meet any specific state’s licensure or certification requirements. Licensure-track programs may limit enrollment to students in certain states; please see Purdue Global’s Program Availability Information to determine enrollment eligibility.

You are responsible for understanding the requirements of optional certification exams. Such requirements may change during the course of your program. You are not automatically certified in any way upon program completion. Although certain programs are designed to prepare you to take various optional certification exams, Purdue Global cannot guarantee you will be eligible to take these exams or become certified. Your eligibility may depend on your work experience, completion of education and/or degree requirements, not having a criminal record, and meeting other certification requirements.

This program is a member of the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE) and adheres to their curriculum standards. 

The program is designed to prepare you academically to pursue a variety of careers in the field or in related fields and to pursue advanced education. The coursework in this program fulfills the requirements to sit for the exam to become a Human Services—Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP™). Please note that you must meet post-degree experience requirements in order to earn the HS-BCP credential.

The Center for Credentialing & Education can be contacted at:

3 Terrace Way
Greensboro, NC 27403-3660
Tel: 336-482-2856