Bachelor of Science in Human Services (BS)

Human Services Overview (BS S701)

Type of Award

BS - Bachelor of Science

Program Website

www.palmbeachstate.edu/bachelors

Program Description

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Human Services prepares students for careers in diverse settings and provides students with the foundational knowledge of theories and principles for assessing and treating people in need. Students acquire the skills needed to work with a variety of populations, including persons with disabilities, mental illness and substance use disorders, as well as children, families and the elderly. Program graduates have the opportunity to pursue a range of careers within the human services field, from practitioner to administrator.

Program Learning Outcomes

For detailed information, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/learningoutcomes/program-learning-outcomes/bachelor-programs.aspx

Admission Requirements

To apply for the bachelor's degree program in Human Services, students must have earned an A.S. or A.A. degree and have at least a 2.0 GPA; or a minimum of 60 college credits and a 2.0 GPA from a regionally accredited institution that are equivalent to the satisfactory completion of a Palm Beach State A.S. or A.A degree. 

This program requires a specific set of prerequisite courses in the human services discipline. Please see a bachelor's degree advisor for more information on the specific lower-division course requirements. Please see the Admissions section of this catalog for detailed admission requirements for bachelor's degree programs.

Completion Requirements

Students must successfully complete all courses in the curriculum, have at least a 2.0 GPA and have earned a "C" or better in all general education courses and upper division courses.

Students must meet Foreign Language and Civic Literacy Competency requirements.

For additional information regarding graduation requirements, please see the Graduation Requirements section of this catalog.

Program Length

2 years

Location

This program is offered at the Lake Worth Campus.

For More Information 

Dr. Suzie Duff, duffs@palmbeachstate.edu, (561) 868-3461

Employment Opportunities

According to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's data on Area 21 (Palm Beach County), there were 2,778 jobs classified as "Community and Social Service Occupations" (21-0000) in 2018. This excludes occupations that require a graduate degree (e.g., mental health counselor) and includes only occupations listed by FDEO as requiring a bachelor's degree (e.g., substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselor, health educator, community and social service specialists).

Overall, "Community and Social Service Occupations"(21-0000) are expected to add over 1,500 jobs in Palm Beach County by 2026 (19.3%) according FDEO. According to the EMSI report for market area 33100 (Miami-FT Lauderdale-WPB), there are currently 1,388 job openings: this is projected to grow for this region to 3,370 by 2023.

According to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, "substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselor" is the No. 1 fastest growing job in Palm Beach County at the bachelor's level, with a 32.62% growth projection form 2018-2026.

There are over 250 substance abuse treatment centers licensed by the Department of Children and Families in Palm Beach County. There are also 94 afterschool programs operated by the Palm Beach County School District. A Veterans Administration hospital is centrally located in our service area. With a population of nearly 1.5 million people, Palm Beach County has significant social service needs, and hundreds of agencies of various sizes serve this growing population. This includes a significant portion of disabled, elderly, mentally ill and socioeconomically needy residents who require services.

Palm Beach State College's Human Services Business Advisory Council members have all expressed the need for bachelor's degree program to educate human services professionals in our area and stated that program graduates would be in high demand.

Career Notes

Graduates with a baccalaureate degree in human services have diverse employment opportunities in a dynamic and growing workforce category. Specific occupations associated with this degree program include community and social service specialist, social and community service manager, and substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselor. This program will prepare students to work in a variety of social service settings, including school aftercare programs, hospitals, treatment centers and nonprofit agencies, as well as with a variety of populations, from children to veterans and people experiencing homelessness. Students also will be prepared to take on supervisory and leadership roles in private and public agencies. Graduates will qualify for professional certifications that require baccalaureate degrees, such as the Florida Certification Board's Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) credential. Additionally, some graduates may choose to pursue advanced degrees in specialized fields, such as social work and mental health counseling, and work towards licensure.

Career Center

www.palmbeachstate.edu/Career/

For more information about employment opportunities including job outlook and salary information visit: Occupational Outlook Handbook: www.bls.gov/ooh/

O-Net Online: www.onetonline.org/

 

 

Required courses

General education requirements (Credits: 36)

ENC1101College Composition 1 (AA)

3 Credits

ENC1102College Composition 2 (AA)

3 Credits

HSC2100Health Concepts and Strategies (AA)

3 Credits

SPC1017Fundamentals of Speech Communication (AA)

3 Credits

Select two courses from Area II (Humanities) (Credits: 6)

Select two courses from Area III (Mathematics) (Credits: 6)

STA2023 preferred

Select two courses from Area IV (Science) (Credits: 6)

Area V (Social Science) (Credits: 6)

AMH2020United States History from 1865 to Present (AA)

3 Credits

Or

POS1041Introduction to American Government (AA)

3 Credits

Any course from Social Science - Area V

3 credits

(Unless otherwise specified, select courses from each General Education category. See General Education tab in this catalog.)

Lower division elective courses (Credits: 24)

Concentration area preparation courses (Credits: 18)

Specialization in Human Services (Credits: 18)

HUS1001Introduction to Human Services (AA)

3 Credits

PSY2012Introduction to Psychology (AA)

3 Credits

SYG2430Marriage and Family (AA)

3 Credits

HUS1200Principles of Group Dynamics (AS)

3 Credits

SYG2361Death and Dying (AA)

3 Credits

HUS1302Counseling and Interviewing (AS)

3 Credits

OR

Specialization in Youth Development (Credits: 18)

HUS1001Introduction to Human Services (AA)

3 Credits

HUS1640Principles of Youth Work (AS)

3 Credits

HUS1620Principles and Best Practices In Afterschool Programs (AS)

3 Credits

DEP2004Human Growth and Development (AA)

3 Credits

PSY2012Introduction to Psychology (AA)

3 Credits

SYG2010American Social Problems (AA)

3 Credits

OR

Specialization in Addiction Studies (Credits: 18)

HUS1001Introduction to Human Services (AA)

3 Credits

HUS1302Counseling and Interviewing (AS)

3 Credits

HUS1421Assessment and Treatment Planning In Addictions (AS)

3 Credits

HUS1423Group Counseling In Substance Abuse (AS)

3 Credits

HUS1424Counseling the Chemically Dependent Person (AS)

3 Credits

HUS1440Family Issues In Chemical Dependency (AS)

3 Credits

HUS1450Dual Diagnosis (AS)

3 Credits

PSY2012Introduction to Psychology (AA)

3 Credits

Note: HUS1001 and PSY2012 should be taken within the A.A. degree to stay within 120 credits.

Upper Division Common Core Courses (Credits: 42)

HUS3204Advanced Group Dynamics (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3304Intra and Interpersonal Techniques (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3323Crisis Intervention (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3340Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3351Family Systems and Dynamics (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3505Ethics in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3650Administration in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4321Case Management and Problem Solving (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4352Multicultural Perspective in Mental Health (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4462Gender Issues in Treatment and Recovery (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4700Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4722Research Methods in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4940CInternship in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4945CCapstone: Advanced Internship in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

Total Credit Hours: 120

 

Course Sequence

Term One - Fall (Year One) (Credits: 12)

HUS3304Intra and Interpersonal Techniques (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3505Ethics in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4321Case Management and Problem Solving (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3323Crisis Intervention (BS)

3 Credits

Term Two - Spring (Year One) (Credits: 12)

HUS4352Multicultural Perspective in Mental Health (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3650Administration in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3340Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3204Advanced Group Dynamics (BS)

3 Credits

Term Three - Summer (Year One) (Credits: 12)

HUS4462Gender Issues in Treatment and Recovery (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4700Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

HUS3351Family Systems and Dynamics (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4940CInternship in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

Term One - Fall (Year Two) (Credits: 6)

HUS4722Research Methods in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

HUS4945CCapstone: Advanced Internship in Human Services (BS)

3 Credits

Total Credit Hours: 120