Human Services, A.A.S.

The Human Services AAS degree seeks to promote direct access to the human services, direct support, and social work industryin Western New York. As major changes in society continue to create increased demand in human services, there will be a needfor trained professionals who can understand and apply the principles of the helping arts supporting clients throughtechnological changes, changes in work patterns, increased bureaucratic complexity, and changes in the character and structureof the family.

The Human Services AAS degree is offered as a full-time or part-time day program, full-time or part-time evening program, andin an online format. Because of sequencing of courses, it may take longer than four semesters to complete the full-time dayprogram if a student begins in a spring or summer semester or needs to take pre-requisites or foundation courses.

Program Goals and Objectives

• To offer students the opportunity to explore personal, academic and/or career interests by becoming familiar with thehuman services systems.
• Through integrated classroom learning and field experience, acquire first-hand experience applying the principles of thehelping process and effective interpersonal communication to client support.
• To understand and apply professional ethics as they relate to human services.
• To apply principles of the helping process to develop critical thinking skills related to the challenges in the human servicesprofession.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate and apply knowledge of the ethical standards applicable to human services professionals.
• Demonstrate and apply an understanding of social science methodology, including basic statistics and analytics;
• Apply principles of critical thinking to the resolution of problems for clients;
• Demonstrate a capacity for self-assessment and continuous improvement as a human services professional;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of the helping process as they arise in the human services context;
• Apply the principles of effective interpersonal communication to client support.