Human Services, B.S.

Bachelor of Science Degree

WellStar College of Health and Human Services, Department of Social Work and Human Services

(470) 578-6630

The Department of Social Work and Human Services is committed to preparing engaged, innovative professionals and global citizens who are ready to engage, advocate, and to bring about innovation on behalf of individuals, families and their communities. The Department’s mission is to educate culturally competent professionals to develop and deliver high-quality human services locally, regionally and globally, to improve the quality of life of those they serve. This mission evolves from its core values that are derived from the values of the University, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS), and the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA). These values include academic excellence, quality teaching, student-centered, service, human relationships, social justice, the dignity and worth of the individual, client and community well-being, client participation, self-determination and confidentiality, promotion of ethical standards, integrity, competency, continuous examination and critique of the profession, and professional growth. 

The Human Services (HS) major specifically prepares students to pursue careers in the field of human services in a variety of public, nonprofit, and private human service organizations.  Majors must complete two required field experiences i.e., internships. The foundation internship requires students to demonstrate knowledge, attitudes, and skills acquired in lower-level major courses by completing assignments and experiences in both micro and macro level practice. Students then complete an advanced internship with a focus on the competencies of their chosen concentration.

HS Majors must also choose a concentration in Social Engagement and Advocacy or Nonprofit Management and Social Innovation.  Students in the Social Engagement and Advocacy concentration focus on the ability to integrate knowledge and skills related to direct practice with individuals, families, children, and groups. In addition, they are prepared to work in crisis intervention settings. While students who select the Nonprofit Management and Social Innovation concentration develop management, leadership, and administrative competencies to work in nonprofit organizations.

All human services majors graduate with competencies in communication, assessment, advocacy, documentation, community networking, cultural competence, social policy, civic engagement, and professional/career development. These competencies are established by the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE). Graduates from the HS program may qualify to take the Human Service Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP) exam for becoming a Human Service Board Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP).  For additional information regarding the HS-BCP, please contact the Human Services Program Coordinator. 

The Department of Social Work and Human Services also supports two certificates: The Nonprofit Management and Social Innovation Certificate in partnership with The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA) and the Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) Certificate.

The Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Social Innovation program prepares students for employment, volunteer and leadership experiences in the nonprofit sector.  The program requires students to demonstrate ten core management and leadership competency areas. Students also attend a national conference.  Students interested in this certificate may enroll by contacting the NLA Campus Executive Director and completing the online application available at www.kennesaw.edu/chhs/swhs. Completion of the certificate’s requirements result in students receiving national certification and credentialing i.e., Certified Nonprofit Practitioner (CNP) by the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. 

The Child Advocacy Studies Certificate focuses on developing students’ understanding of the various factors that lead to child maltreatment, and of various existing responses to incidents of child maltreatment to enable them to work more effectively within various systems and institutions that respond to these incidents. Students completing the courses in this certificate will be competent to work within children-focused agencies and systems (health care, criminal justice, social services) while advocating for children who have survived neglect and abuse.  Students interested in this program can find more information and enroll by completing the online application available at www.kennesaw.edu/chhs/swhs. 

Requirements for the Human Services Major

Human Services majors must have and maintain a minimum Institutional GPA. of 2.0. Majors must successfully complete all Human Service major courses with a grade of “C” or better.

In order to be accepted as a major in Human Services, students must meet the following criteria:
 

• Have and be able to maintain an institutional GPA of 2.0 or better
• Completed the following courses with a “C” or greater:

1. ENGL 1101  : Composition I or ENGL 1102 Composition II
2. Any Area D1 Math course (i.e., STAT 1401 , MATH 1160 , MATH 1190 , or MATH 2202 )
3. ECON 1000 : Contemporary Economic Issues (in a previous catalog you may have taken ECON 1100 Global Economics)
4. PSYC 1101 : Introduction to General Psychology OR ECON 2100 Microeconomics
5. SOCI 1101 : Introduction to Sociology
6. HS 2100 : Overview of Human Services
7. HS 2200 : Fundamentals of Nonprofit Organizations
8. HS 2300 : Cultural Competence in the Human Services
9. HS 2400 : Interviewing Skills for the Helping Professions