Human Services A.A.S. Degree

Career Description

Graduates will be prepared for careers in community and social welfare agencies, mental health and social service agencies, community organizations, habilitation and rehabilitation agencies, day care centers and nursery schools, elementary and secondary schools, and geriatric services. Graduates may work in positions such as: Caseworker, Geriatric Service Worker, Youth Organizer, Community Coordinator/Care Coordinator, Domestic or Sexual Abuse Advocate, Family Support Worker, Events Volunteer Specialist, Social Services Assistant, Case Aid, Supervised Safe Exchange Worker, Mental Health Behavior Aide, Personal Home Care Aide.

Program Information

The Human Services program prepares graduates to work in the helping field in a variety of different roles and settings. These include community and social welfare agencies, mental health and social service agencies, community organizations, habilitation and rehabilitation agencies, day care centers and nursery schools, elementary and secondary schools, and geriatric services. The program prepares graduates to provide culturally aware and competent care for clients and includes valuable certification opportunities relevant to the helping field. Students working in the human services field are often required to complete and pass a Minnesota Department of Human Services background study. Passing the background study is not required to complete this program, but may be required for some field experience placements and/or jobs in the field.

Program Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

• Identify and apply skills and attitudes that demonstrate cultural competence and cultural humility;
• Effectively utilize a sequence of human services skills and processes;
• Demonstrate person-centered interventions with a focus on client empowerment and advocacy applied through a skills approach;
• Demonstrate skills to help, empower, and advocate;
• Structure and facilitate effective group sessions/interactions;
• Recognize the contextual relationships within which individuals and organizations function; and
• Demonstrate skills of self-regulation, social awareness and co-regulation, and teamwork.

Special Program Requirements

In addition to the program requirements, students must meet the following conditions in order to graduate:

• College Cumulative GPA Requirement: cumulative grade point average (GPA) of credits attempted and completed at CLC must be at least 2.0;
• College Technical Core GPA Requirement: cumulative GPA of credits attempted and completed towards the technical core of the diploma or degree must be at least 2.0;
• Residency Requirement: students must complete 25% of their credits at Central Lakes College.

Admissions

A Minnesota Human Services background study with no restrictions will be required for the internship course and employment. 

Employment Statistics

For more information regarding employment statistics, career salary information and estimated job growth, follow the resource links below:

https://apps.deed.state.mn.us/lmi/ces/
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm
Salary information from indeed.com