HMSV - Human Services

Students will learn concepts and theories of interpersonal relationships. Development of skills necessary for effective communication will be stressed.

Students will learn about human services, the helping process, and the role and function of the human service worker. Students will be exposed to local and state human services facilities.

Presents theories and techniques used by human services workers in a variety of settings.

Focuses on career development throughout the life span with emphasis on vocational theories, interventions, assessments, and socioeconomic factors.

This course serves as an introduction to multicultural helping. The influence of socio-identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation) on individuals' functioning, concerns, and the helping process will be explored.

Students will visit and examine human services systems such as mental health, substance abuse, criminal justice, education, rehabilitation, and professional associations to facilitate decision-making in selecting an internship and to gain a complex understanding of the roles of the human services professional.

Individual study under the supervision of an undergraduate faculty member.

This course provides a comprehensive study of leadership theories, competencies, and practices essential to human services. Emphasizing ethical and transformational leadership, students will explore the challenges of leading in public and nonprofit organizations while bridging theory with application. Topics include strategic visioning, team building, organizational culture, decision-making, change management, and servant leadership, with a focus on equity, inclusion, and systems thinking. Through case studies, reflective practice, and applied exercises, students will build critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and practical leadership tools. Students will also document their self-development through critical reflection and application of helping theory. This foundational course prepares undergraduate students for leadership roles in community-based organizations, government agencies, and nonprofits committed to social change.

This course explores the formation, analysis, and impact of social policy within the human services field, using the lens of social and economic justice. Students will critically evaluate policy systems and develop advocacy strategies to influence meaningful change. Through weekly readings, discussions, and projects, students will enhance their understanding of policy development, intersectionality, oppression, and empowerment in human services contexts.

This undergraduate-level course prepares students to think and act strategically in the design, implementation, and evaluation of human service programs. The course guides students through the full cycle of creating and sustaining mission-aligned, evidence-based interventions in public and nonprofit settings. Students will develop fluency in key strategic planning frameworks, stakeholder analysis, environmental scanning, and theory of change development. Simultaneously, they will gain competency in needs assessment, logic modeling, budgeting, performance measurement, and program evaluation. Emphasis is placed on systems thinking, participatory planning, equity-centered design, and adaptive leadership to navigate complex organizational environments.

This course examines mental health and emotional distress through a sociological lens, equipping human services leaders to address challenges within organizational and community contexts. Students will explore how social structures, cultural norms, and systemic inequalities shape mental health outcomes and access to care, critically analyzing medicalization, social determinants, and intersections of race, class, gender, and power. Emphasis is placed on viewing mental health as both an individual and public concern, requiring ethically grounded and socially informed leadership. Through discussion, case analysis, and applied projects, students will develop strategies for inclusive, trauma-informed, and socially responsive leadership, preparing them to challenge stigma, influence policy, and foster environments that promote well-being at micro and macro levels.

This course presents models and practices in evaluating, monitoring, and implementing human services programs. The course includes an overview of funding, creating budgets and monitoring expenditures for programs. This is an upper-level writing intensive class. A grade of C or better is required.

This course combines lectures and experiential learning about psycho-educational groups. Principles and practices for developing and leading psycho-educational groups are emphasized.

This course develops the professional identity of the student as a practitioner of substance abuse services while introducing the student to the signs and symptoms of substance abuse, the recovery process and relapse prevention methods.

This course provides an overview of how human service workers assist children in a variety of settings. Emphasis will be placed upon advocacy, supportive work, and short term crisis intervention.

This course explores effective crisis intervention, examines prevention strategies, and develops students' ethical decision making within human service practice.

This course explores effective substance abuse treatment planning and intervention strategies through lectures and experiential learning and examines research trends in the substance abuse field.

This course involves field placement in a human services setting. Approximately 400 hours are devoted to field placement, group seminars and individual supervision.

This course provides a study of the family as a system and an introduction to a variety of issues confronting the family, including child abuse, substance abuse and addiction, spouse abuse, and others that produce more than usual stress in the family. Available community resources for helping families will be examined.

This course is designed to expose human service students to the art of ethical fund-raising in human services, including annual and capital campaigns, telemarketing, special events, direct mail marketing, face-to-face solicitation, e-fund-raising, and grant writing. This course replaced HMSV 441. Students with credit for HMSV 441 cannot receive credit toward their degree for HMSV 494.

The study of selected topics in human services.

This course provides a comprehensive study of leadership theories, competencies, and practices essential to human services. Emphasizing ethical and transformational leadership, students will explore the challenges of leading in public and nonprofit organizations while bridging theory with application. Topics include strategic visioning, team building, organizational culture, decision-making, change management, and servant leadership, with a focus on equity, inclusion, and systems thinking. Through case studies, reflective practice, and applied exercises, students will build critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and practical leadership tools. Students will also document their self-development through critical reflection and application of helping theory. This foundational course prepares graduate students for leadership roles in community-based organizations, government agencies, and nonprofits committed to social change.

This course explores the formation, analysis, and impact of social policy within the human services field, using the lens of social and economic justice. Students will critically evaluate policy systems and develop advocacy strategies to influence meaningful change. Through weekly readings, discussions, and projects, students will enhance their understanding of policy development, intersectionality, oppression, and empowerment in human services contexts.

This graduate-level course prepares students to think and act strategically in the design, implementation, and evaluation of human service programs. The course guides students through the full cycle of creating and sustaining mission-aligned, evidence-based interventions in public and nonprofit settings. Students will develop fluency in key strategic planning frameworks, stakeholder analysis, environmental scanning, and theory of change development. Simultaneously, they will gain competency in needs assessment, logic modeling, budgeting, performance measurement, and program evaluation. Emphasis is placed on systems thinking, participatory planning, equity-centered design, and adaptive leadership to navigate complex organizational environments.

This course examines mental health and emotional distress through a sociological lens, equipping human services leaders to address challenges within organizational and community contexts. Students will explore how social structures, cultural norms, and systemic inequalities shape mental health outcomes and access to care, critically analyzing medicalization, social determinants, and intersections of race, class, gender, and power. Emphasis is placed on viewing mental health as both an individual and public concern, requiring ethically grounded and socially informed leadership. Through discussion, case analysis, and applied projects, students will develop strategies for inclusive, trauma-informed, and socially responsive leadership, preparing them to challenge stigma, influence policy, and foster environments that promote well-being at micro and macro levels.

This graduate-level course provides an in-depth exploration of financial management principles tailored to human service organizations. Students will engage with topics such as budgeting systems, financial accounting, performance measurement, forecasting, fee setting, government contracts, fund development, risk management, and auditing. Through case studies and practical exercises, students will develop the skills necessary to manage financial resources effectively, write compelling grant proposals, and ensure fiscal accountability within human service settings.

This graduate-level course delves into the principles and practices of culturally responsive leadership within human services organizations. Drawing from Muhammad Khalifa's framework, students will explore strategies to foster inclusive environments that honor diverse cultural backgrounds. The course emphasizes critical self-reflection, community engagement, and the development of policies that promote equity and social justice. Through case studies, discussions, and practical applications, students will learn to implement organizational changes that are responsive to the cultural needs of the communities they serve.

This course explores the principles of organizational behavior with a focus on human services and healthcare settings, including interprofessional collaboration. Students will examine individual and group dynamics, motivation, leadership, communication, power, conflict, and organizational change. Using Organizational Behavior in Health Care, this course bridges theory and practice, enabling students to apply behavioral science concepts to real-world human service organizations. Case studies and weekly assessments will equip students to critically evaluate organizational effectiveness and lead change initiatives that enhance client outcomes and staff satisfaction.

This graduate-level course explores trauma and crisis response in human services through the lens of trauma-informed care (TIC). Using SAMHSA’s Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services, students will understand the psychological, physiological, and systemic impacts of trauma, as well as develop competencies in crisis intervention, ethical practice, cultural responsiveness, and trauma-sensitive treatment. The course prepares future practitioners to apply trauma-informed principles in organizational settings, policy development, and direct client services.

This culminating graduate-level capstone course guides students through the design, execution, and reflection of an applied leadership project in human services. Using Undertaking Capstone Projects in Education: A Practical Guide for Students, students will engage in critical inquiry, project planning, ethical analysis, and professional writing. The course emphasizes leadership theory in practice, problem-solving, and evidence-based innovation tailored to real-world organizational or community-based contexts. Students will complete a capstone proposal or final project that demonstrates mastery of program competencies and professional leadership capacity.