About the Human Services Program

We believe that students should be able to test whether or not it is realistic for them to pursue a career in Human Services. To do that we believe that they must have:

• an opportunity for client contact
• supervision by a professional human service worker, and
• a setting in which to integrate all of their ongoing learning and experience.

Fieldwork

The opportunities for client contact and supervision by a professional are provided in fieldwork courses. Each semester our students must commit themselves to nine hours per week in a human service agency for the duration of the semester. In cooperation with their Human Service instructor and the on-site agency supervisor, the student establishes a set of learning objectives and corresponding responsibilities. These are incorporated into a fieldwork Learning Contract, which becomes an evaluation instrument at the end of the semester.

Experiential Learning: The Seminar

In order for students to integrate their human service learning and experience, we believe that our teaching must follow an experiential learning model. Our seminars—the students’ on-campus classes—provide the setting for such learning. Sharing experiences, discussing relevant principles and issues, a variety of audio-visual presentations, guest speakers, role-playing, reading and writing, and conventional instruction are among the diverse techniques we use to effect this experiential learning.

General Liberal Arts

In addition to Human Services courses our students take a Liberal Arts curriculum, which includes a variety of courses appropriate to their chosen careers.

A wide range of social science courses—including psychology, sociology, anthropology, history, and economics—are drawn upon. A variety of humanities courses—literature, art, music, philosophy, and foreign languages—are available. A diversity of mathematics and natural science courses with special emphasis upon life science, are also presented for the students’ choice. Close, personal advisement ensures a well-rounded Liberal Arts background for our graduates.