Meet with the program chair for a program planning conference.
Program Purpose
The Master of Science degree in the Administration of Human Services is geared toward working professionals who seek the knowledge and skills to lead non-profit organizations, for profit service providers, and government agencies that provide social services to a wide variety of client populations. The course of study will provide recent graduates in the behavioral sciences with the necessary tools to succeed in the human services arena. The program provides the theoretical, methodological, and practical knowledge needed to pursue a degree beyond the master’s level. The degree has been developed in close consultation with the professional practitioners in the field and weaves the themes of scholarship, professional experience, ethics, and technology into the courses to meet the goals and objectives of the program. The program will prepare scholarly practitioners who are poised to pursue careers or enhance their current positions in a variety of human services positions.
Program Design
Courses have been designed in accord with the standards of the Council for Standards in Human Service Education. The core of the program is anchored in the identified disciplines of research, theory, and ethics with a balance of professional practice that gives the program a real world flavor. This core will provide the student with the academic quality and rigor required as a base from which to build, according to individual interests and needs in a specific area of human services. Elective course offerings provide the students with the flexibility to choose from topics that will best prepare them to meet their own goals and aspirations. Faculty provides individual attention which gives each student the opportunity to design a personal plan of study within the program. Courses have been carefully selected and designed in consultation with human services professionals and practitioners to ensure that the most current issues and topics are included in the curriculum. The faculty is carefully recruited from the field to ensure that the class presentations are as current as the events in the profession that day.
Additionally, the program has a built-in flexibility that respects the professional and personal commitments and responsibilities that today’s learners have while pursuing their goal of advanced academic studies. Classes are presented in semester-long, seven-week block, weekend modular, and online offerings to conveniently fit the busy schedules of the students. It is anticipated that students, taking courses year-round, could complete the degree in 12 months at an accelerated rate or in 18 to 24 months following a more traditional schedule. Students will build a personalized schedule in consultation with their individual faculty advisor. The personalized guided practicum or individual capstone project allows the student additional flexibility and choices.
Program Competencies
- Integrate theories, knowledge, skills and values of human services into the operation of human service organizations in a manner that demonstrates flexible thinking.
- Demonstrate advanced written and oral communication skills.
- Apply decision-making and problem-solving skills as well as critical thinking to the administration of the human services organization.
- Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the structure and dynamics of teams, organizations and communities in diverse environments in a pluralistic society that reflects respect for our multicultural world.
- Demonstrate the ability to design, implement, evaluate, assess and research the needs of human services communities and organizations.
- Demonstrate knowledge of information management and information technology as it relates to human service delivery systems.
- Analyze, interpret, and evaluate the legal and ethical issues that impact and influence human services, and demonstrate an understanding of the ethical issues and standards in the field.
- Demonstrate a commitment to self-directedness, self-discipline, and lifelong learning as a scholarly practitioner in human services.
- Demonstrate knowledge of budgeting for grant writing and fundraising as it applies to a non-profit or governmental human services organization.
- Demonstrate knowledge, ability and skills to manage both professional and volunteer staff members in a human services organization.
Program Requirements
To qualify for the Master of Science in Administration of Human Services degree, a student must satisfy the fully admitted requirements and complete a minimum of 33 credit hours, maintaining a grade point average of 3.0. All students must satisfactorily complete the six core courses in residence that includes a 120-hour guided practicum or capstone master’s project, depending on the work history of the student. The remaining five courses are taken as electives from any of the courses offered in the program. Credits may be awarded toward the degree through the transfer of relevant graduate level course credits from another regionally accredited college or university.
Course Requirements
The Master of Science in Administration of Human Services is intended to provide students with the academic capital needed for successful careers in the human and social services. The degree also provides a sound foundation for entry into other professional endeavors and/or the opportunity to meet an intellectual interest in this very challenging field of study.
Core Courses
All students must satisfactorily complete the following core courses:
| AHS 6600 | Survey of Human Services | 3 |
| AHS 6610 | Administration of Human Service Organizations | 3 |
| AHS 6620 | Legal and Ethical Issues in Human Service Administration | 3 |
| AHS 6630 | Research, Design and Evaluation of Programs in Human Services | 3 |
| AHS 6640 | Contemporary Issues in Administration of Human Services | 3 |
| AHS 8100/AHS 8110/AHS 8200 | Guided Practicum in Administration of Human Services | 3 |
| | OR | |
| AHS 8200/AHS 8100/AHS 8110 | Capstone Project in Human Services Administration | 3 |
Electives
Select five courses from any of the courses offered in the program:
| AHS 7610 | Structure and Dynamics of Relationships, Organizations, Communities and Societies | 3 |
| AHS 7615 | Topics: Administering Faith-based Human Services | 3 |
| AHS 7620 | Technology and Information Management in Human Services | 3 |
| AHS 7625 | Administering Disability Services | 3 |
| AHS 7630 | Communication in Human Services | 3 |
| AHS 7634/MAJ 6634 | Leadership through Films | 3 |
| AHS 7640 | Social Policy, Advocacy and Human Services | 3 |
| AHS 7645 | Financial Management in Human Services | 3 |
| AHS 7650 | Managing Children and Family Services | 3 |
| AHS 7655 | Principles of Creating a Human Service Organization | 3 |
| AHS 7670 | Alcohol and Other Drugs Program Management | 3 |
| AHS 7675 | Grant Writing & Grant Management in the Human Service Environment | 3 |
| AHS 7680 | Administering Programs for Senior Adults | 3 |
| AHS 7685 | Fund Development & Fundraising in the Human Service Environment | 3 |
| AHS 7690 | Volunteer Management | 3 |
| AHS 8110/AHS 8200/AHS 8100 | Guided Practicum—Part II | 3 |