Human Services Degree
Human services professionals include case management aides, correctional treatment specialists, and social service assistants. In these roles, professionals help clients access community programs and social services. The first step to one of these careers is to earn a human services bachelor's degree.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), earning a bachelor of human services online meets education requirements for several community and social service jobs, many of which offer strong job growth potential. For example, the BLS projects 6% job growth for social and human service assistants between 2024 and 2034.
Best Online Bachelor's in Human Services Programs
Online Bachelor's in Human Services Programs Ranking Guidelines
We selected the online human services degree programs based on the quality of the program, the types of courses offered, the faculty, rankings, awards, and reputation, including the school's reputation for effectively providing online degree programs.
What Is a Bachelor's in Human Services Degree?
A Human Services Bachelor's degree online is a degree that teaches individuals to meet the needs of the clients and communities they serve. An online human services degree provides a strong foundation of knowledge in areas such as case management, advocacy, human services administration, minority issues, substance abuse, and family issues. The programs typically blend traditional coursework with internship and/or practicum experiences to give students a balance of theoretical and practical knowledge and skills. Some of the programs include specializations.
What Is the Difference Between Human Services Degree and a Social Work Degree?
The difference between human services and social work is that human services professionals work at large-scale settings, while social workers work at small-scale settings. While related (and often working together), human services and social work differ in key ways. Each field helps people, but with different methods and goals. Social workers tend to help on an individual basis, at the "ground level," meeting clients and addressing their needs. Social workers work directly with clients to implement social programs. They work directly with clients to help them gain access to services that address their specific problems. Also, some social workers serve as counselors.
Human services professionals tend to work on a larger scale, in community-based settings, they often coordinate services and help create programs to serve the needs of a specific population. They often have an administrative role which involves research, planning and supervision. Many human services professionals work in an administrative role to help individuals and communities gain access to basic needs.
Human services professionals working in institutional settings, community or residential care may provide direct services such as organizing an activity or leading a group.
Some human service professionals serve as advocates for people they serve, in public and political realms, influencing policy and funding to make vital resources more available.
Human Services Careers
With a Bachelor's degree in Human Services, individuals can pursue careers in a variety of specialty fields and professional settings in the human services field. Human services professionals work in the public or the private sector in places such as:
Addiction Care
Family Services
Food and Nutrition Agencies
Health Services
Immigrant Services
Legal and Victims Assistance Organizations
Mental Health Facilities
Non-profit Organizations
Private Agencies
Public Safety and Disaster Relief Organizations
Rehabilitation Centers
Residential Care
Senior Citizen Centers
Social Advocacy
State and Federal Justice Systems
Substance Abuse Treatment Centers
Women's Shelters
Youth Development Organizations
Youth Services
The human services sector basically has two types of jobs: Employees who work directly with clients and employees who provide administrative support for an organization providing human services.
Many human services workers with a bachelor's degree spend a lot of time managing client cases. Some of them also provide clinical support. Additional professional certifications can aid in pursuing specific career paths.
Potential jobs include:
Adult Day Care Worker
Agency Volunteer Coordinator
Case Worker
Case Manager
Child Advocate
Client Advocate
Community Action Worker
Community Organizer
Community Outreach Worker
Counselor
Executive Director
Family Support Worker
Foster Care Case Manager
Gerontology Specialist
Group Home Attendant
Juvenile Court Liaison
Mental Health Worker
Parole or Probation Officer
Rehabilitation Case Manager
Substance Abuse Worker
Wellness Specialist
Youth Treatment Specialist
Human Services Job Outlook
The job outlook for human services professionals remains high, with a steady need across many fields. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, community health workers enjoy a job growth outlook of 11% from 2024-2034, much faster than most occupations.
