If you’ve always felt that making a contribution to society is important to you, a human services degree may help you achieve that goal and get paid for it. In order for psychologists, social workers, community nurses, and other human services providers manage their caseloads, they depend on the support and follow-through of social or human services workers. With a human services degree, you can make a difference in the lives of others by helping the human service professional community provide the social services that vulnerable people depend on. In fact, if you are organized, patient, and a “people person,” your human services degree will allow you to combine your administrative skills with your people skills.

Because of the sensitivity of the work, many counseling centers and social service providers require experience or education beyond high school. A certificate or human services associate’s degree, geriatric mental health degree, or related counseling or community outreach degree will probably qualify you for entry-level human services positions. If you wanted to move up to more of a case manager, rather than administrative, career, you will need a human services bachelor’s degree, or a master’s degree in social work. Topics covered in a human services degree program include determining clients’ eligibility for services and benefits; observation, monitoring, and reporting clients’ progress; leading group activities; arranging transportation; helping adults who live in halfway houses, psychiatric hospitals, and group homes master everyday skills; providing emotional support to clients; and meeting with family members, medical personnel, and others.

Getting your human services certification or associate’s degree online may meet all your education requirements if you also acquire practical experience through an internship.

Human Services Degree Related Careers

Sometimes the human services workers who carry out these tasks and implement the recommendations of therapists are called caseworkers themselves. In some settings they may be known as caregivers. Other roles and job titles for social and human services workers include:

• Human services worker
• Case management aide
• Social work assistant
• Community support worker
• Mental health aide
• Community outreach worker
• Life skills counselor
• Geriatric care aide

What’s the Job Outlook?

The career opportunities for human services workers are excellent. There will be many human services jobs needing replacement workers, especially with the rapidly growing need for service providers to work with the elderly population. Rural areas are in the most need and will offer the most job opportunities.

How much does it pay?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2006 median annual salary for human service workers included ranged from $16,000 to more than $40,000. Salaries depend on what region of the country you’re working in and the type of facility.

Select Human Services Degree Program: