Academic programs Human services

1 academic programs

1.1 united states

1.1.1 development
1.1.2 current programs

academic programs
united states
development

chenault , burnford argued human services programs must educate , train students @ graduate or postgraduate level if human services hoped considered professional discipline. progressive graduate human services program established audrey cohen (1932–1996), considered innovative educator time. audrey cohen college of human services, called metropolitan college of new york, offered 1 of first graduate programs in 1974. in same time period, springfield college in massachusetts became major force in preserving human services academic discipline. currently, springfield college 1 of oldest , largest human services program in united states.

manpower studies in 1960s , 70s had shown there shortage of helping professionals in array of service delivery areas. in turn, educators proposed training of nonprofessionals (e.g., mental health technicians)could bridge looming personnel shortage. 1 of earliest educational initiatives develop undergraduate curricula undertaken southern regional education board (sreb), funded national institute on health. professionals of sreb undergraduate social welfare manpower project helped colleges develop new social welfare programs, later became known human services. believed community college human services programs expedient way train paraprofessionals direct service jobs in areas such mental health. currently, large percentage of human services programs run @ community college level.

the development of community college human services programs supported government funding earmarked federal new careers initiatives. in turn, federally funded new careers program created produce nonprofessional career track economically disadvantaged, underemployed, , unemployed adults strategy eradicate poverty within society , end critical shortage of health-care personnel. graduates these programs acquired employment paraprofessionals, there limitations upward mobility within social service agencies because lacked graduate or professional degree.

current programs

currently, there academic programs in human services @ associate, baccalaureate, , graduate levels. there approximately 600 human services programs throughout united states. online directory of human services programs lists many (but not all) of programs state state in conjunction accreditation status council of standards human services education (cshse).

the cshse offers accreditation human services programs in higher education. accreditation process voluntary , labor-intensive; designed assure quality, consistency, , relevance of human service education through research-based standards , peer-review process. according cshse s webpage there 43 accredited human services programs in united states. standards each level of degree accredited cshse can obtained clicking on following links:

human services curricula based on interdisciplinary knowledge foundation allows students consider practical solutions multiple disciplinary perspectives. across curriculum human services students taught view human problems socioecological perspective (developed urie bronfenbrenner) involves viewing human strengths , problems interconnected family unit, community, , society. perspective considered “whole-person perspective”. overall, undergraduate programs prepare students human services generalists while master’s programs prepare students human services administrators, , doctoral programs prepare students researcher-analysts , college-level educators. research in field focuses on array of topics deal direct service issues, case management, organizational change, management of human service organizations, advocacy, community organizing, community development, social welfare policy, service integration, multiculturalism, integration of technology, poverty issues, social justice, development, , social change strategies.