Mar 18, 2024  
2018-2019 Catalog 
    
2018-2019 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Human Services/Pre-Social Work, Associate of Science


Human Services is comprised of those fields involved in the prevention and remediation of social and personal problems of a diverse clientele. Human service professionals perform in a wide range of occupations and in a variety of settings including community health centers, community mental health centers, group homes and halfway houses, nursing homes and substance rehabilitation centers. They help individuals, families, or groups cope with problems such as homelessness, inadequate housing, serious illness, disabilities, unemployment, lack of job skills, financial mismanagement, unwanted pregnancy, or family disruptions.

The demand for skilled human service workers is expected to increase as the population ages, as mandated alternatives to costly hospitalization increase and as the concern for the developmentally challenged also increases. State and local governments, as well as national, state and local organizations and agencies, continue to be major employers. The Human Services/Pre-Social Work option provides students with an interdisciplinary knowledge base that includes theories of individual, group and societal development. These theories are applied toward the examination of social work practice, development and implementation of social welfare programs, public policy development and evaluation of intervention strategies. This associate degree option serves to meet the prerequisites of Bachelor’s of Social Work programs in New Jersey. While the program is designed for transfer, it is anticipated that students completing the degree will possess the requisite knowledge and skills for employment in a human services agency.

Students enrolled in Associate of Science degree programs who intend to transfer to four-year colleges or universities are strongly advised to discuss course selection with the Program Coordinator to facilitate full transfer of credits completed toward the degree.

Graduates are able to:

  • communicate effectively in a variety of formats
  • analyze social science data related to human services
  • synthesize and apply interdisciplinary theories of individual, group and societal development
  • identify and compare one’s own culture with that of other people
  • analyze the impact of one’s own culture in working with people of diverse backgrounds
  • evaluate and apply the social work code of ethics to complex social problems and interpersonal relationships
     

Raritan Valley Community College Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degree programs are designed to comply with the New Jersey Community Colleges General Education Foundation which supports transfer of courses to NJ Public four-year colleges and universities.  Students who intend to transfer to a NJ college or university can further improve the transfer of courses by using the Recommended Transfer Program (RTP) feature in NJTransfer.org.

Curriculum – A.S. Degree


Third Semester


Fourth Semester


  • 4 Credits
  • English Literature General Education 3 Credits 1
  • Human Services Program Elective 3 Credits 3
  • Human Services Program Elective 3 Credits 3
  • Human Services Specialization Elective 3 Credits 4,5

Total Credits 61-62


 1 Select a course from the appropriate category of the General Education  list. 

2 HIST 201 US History: Beginnings to 1877   is recommended for transfer to Rutgers University – New Brunswick, Rutgers University – Newark, and Ramapo College; Appreciation of the Arts General Education is recommended for transfer to Centenary College. 

3 Select a Human Services Program Electives from the following:
 Appreciation of the Arts General Education;
 Philosophy General Education; 
 ENGL 207 Global Patterns of Racism  or ANTH 202 Global Patterns of Racism 
 GEOG 101 Introduction to Physical Geography   or GEOG 102 Introduction to Cultural Geography 
 POLI 121 American Government and Politics  or POLI 231 International Relations 
 COMM 101 Speech  or COMM 201 Intercultural Communication 
 ECON 101 Macroeconomics 
 SOCI 201 Contemporary Social Problems ;  
 SOCI 202 Marriage and Family 
 SOCI 231 American Minority Relations ; or
 An additional Human Services Specialization Elective.  
 
Select your Human Services Program Elective based on your transfer college requirements.   See “hyperlink” on department web page for additional college transfer information.  Students are also encouraged to meet with the Human Services Program Coordinator or a transfer advisor/counselor to discuss options in their program.   

4 Select a Human Service Specialization Elective from the following: 
 HMNS 110 Introduction to Disabilities 
 HMNS 212 Community Resources and Case Management  ;
 HMNS 213 Advanced Counseling Skills  ;
 HMNS 220 Introduction to Gerontology 
 HMNS 240 Introduction to Special Education 
 PSYC 211 Abnormal Psychology ;
 SOCI 202 Marriage and Family ;
 CRMJ 212 Juvenile Delinquency ;
 WGST 110 Introduction to Women and Gender Studies ;
 PSYC 222 Community Psychology ;
 HMNS 105 Introduction to Addiction 
 HMNS 208 Assessment and Treatment of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction ; or
 HMNS 291 Internship in Human Services II  

5  Upon presentation of original certificates to the Student Enrollment Center, academic credit may be awarded for the Human Services Program and Specialization Electives for (1) “Certificate of Competency in Child Protective Services,”  (2)  “Certificate of Competency in Mental Health Services” or (3) “Certificate of Competency in Disability Services”  signed by the Commissioner of Human Services and the President of the teaching community college OR “Certificate of Completion - New Jersey Career Path in Developmental Disabilities Direct Support Professional Levels 1 & 2” issued by The Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities – UCEDD UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.