Human Services/Pre-Social Work Option in Liberal Arts, Associate of Arts

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 Arts degree programs who intend to transfer to four-year colleges or universities are strongly advised to discuss the General Education Foundation of Courses with a counselor. Selection of these courses will facilitate full transfer of general education credits completed toward the degree.

Graduates are able to:

• write clearly, grammatically and fluently in standard American English
• analyze social science data related to human services
• demonstrate a competent knowledge and informational base in the behavioral and social sciences from which appropriate and specific skills can evolve
• demonstrate the application of interdisciplinary theories of individual, group and societal development
• conduct multi-dimensional assessments of individual’s needs and resources
• articulate an understanding of their own culture and the culture of others so as to increase their abilities to work in an increasingly diverse world with diverse populations
• demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills
• apply ethical guidelines when working with clientele