Community and Human Services: A.A., A.S., B.A., B.S.
Study for a degree in Community and Human Services expands your understanding of the relationship between human needs and values and social conditions. You develop analytical and communication skills, as well as the knowledge and expertise to contribute to the development and maintenance of healthy communities, groups and individuals.
Students in this area learn to understand and integrate the six foundations of the discipline: knowledge of human behavior, knowledge of service delivery, skills, ethics, diversity and application and integration. Many faculty mentors in Community and Human Services have had extensive experience in the field in roles ranging from direct service to program evaluation and are available to guide you to meet personal and vocational goals.
Why choose a degree in Community and Human Services?
Students who study Community and Human Services are preparing to:
- Enter or continue in community-service professions.
- Further develop their current professional role.
- Pursue graduate study.
- Combine their background in nursing or substance-abuse counseling with further education to broaden their knowledge and abilities.
- Solve problems interfering with the well-being of individuals, groups and communities.
- Manage social-service organizations delivering assistance.
- Help individuals and communities in emergencies.
- Affect social policy and change.
- Teach.
- Enter jobs in government.
- Assume a policymaking role.
Degrees Available
As a regionally accredited college of the State University of New York, SUNY Empire State College offers the following degrees in Community and Human Services:
- Associate in Arts
- Associate in Science
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Professional Studies
Taking individual courses as a nondegree student also is possible and will offer you the same range and depth of courses and rigorous standards as matriculated undergraduate students.
Popular Concentrations
- Children and Family Services
- Criminal Justice Services
- Disability Services
- Health and Human Services
- Substance Abuse Services
You can focus on a single area such as children and families, or create an interdisciplinary concentration that connects or combines perspectives exploring a theme or topic.
For sample degree programs and other degree planning resources, please visit the the Department of Health and Human Services Degree Planning Resources web page.
Community and Human Services
Degree Guidelines for Associate in Arts and Associate of Science
Community and Human Services is a field of study that aims to prepare learners to improve the quality of life of individuals, families, groups, and communities; develop, enhance, and improve access to services for people in need; and promote equality and social justice.
Studies in Community and Human Services emphasize five foundations. For the associate degree, students are expected to meet a minimum of at least three foundations through courses and/or prior learning assessment and explain in the rationale essay how these foundations are met.
Foundation # 1: Human Behavior
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to explain human behavior within the context of various social, developmental, global, economic, political, biological, and/or environmental systems.
Foundation # 2: Service Delivery
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to identify institutions and policies that are relevant to the delivery of services in the proposed field of study.
Foundation # 3: Skills & Application
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to identify skills in assessment, intervention, and evaluation with individuals, families, groups, and/or communities.
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to apply knowledge, values, and skills related to the proposed field of study.
Foundation # 4: Ethics
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to articulate the code of ethics and/or the professional standards within the proposed field of study.
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to identify possible conflicts between one’s own values and professional expectations.
Foundation # 5: Diversity
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to articulate the range of human diversity, including but not limited to, race, ethnicity, gender, class, socioeconomic status, age, culture, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, sexual identify, geographic differences, and/or ability.
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to identify the impact of one’s own power, privilege, and oppression on work with individuals, families, groups, and communities.
Students pursuing degrees in Community and Human Services cannot use the terms “counseling” or “therapy” in their concentration titles. Students should consult with their mentors about concentration titles appropriate for their degree plans.
Degree Guidelines for Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Professional Studies
Community and Human Services is a field of study that aims to prepare learners to improve the quality of life of individuals, families, groups, and communities; develop, enhance, and improve access to services for people in need; and promote equality and social justice.
For the bachelor degree, students are expected to meet all of the five foundations through courses and/or prior learning assessment. Students will explain how they meet each of these foundations in the rationale essay.
Foundation # 1: Human Behavior
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to analyze human behavior within the context of various social, developmental, global, economic, political, biological, and/or environmental systems.
Foundation # 2: Service Delivery
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to evaluate institutions and policies that are relevant to the delivery of services in the proposed field of study.
Foundation # 3: Skills & Application
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to apply skills in assessment, intervention, and evaluation with individuals, families, groups, and/or communities.
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to integrate knowledge, values, and skills related to the proposed field of study.
Foundation # 4: Ethics
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to apply the code of ethics and/or the professional standards within the proposed field of study.
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to reconcile possible conflicts between one’s own values and professional expectations.
Foundation # 5: Diversity
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to analyze the impact and importance of human diversity on service delivery, including but not limited to, race, ethnicity, gender, class, socioeconomic status, age, culture, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, sexual identify, geographic differences, and/or ability.
- Learning outcome: The student will be able to examine the impact of one’s own power, privilege, and oppression on work with individuals, families, groups, and communities.
Students pursuing degrees in Community and Human Services cannot use the terms “counseling” or “therapy” in their concentration titles. Students should consult with their mentors about concentration titles appropriate for their degree plans.