Human Services Administration

This major is an interdisciplinary applied program that promotes leadership and service to others. It fosters an understanding of the causes and consequences of individual and social problems and prepares students for careers of leadership in the helping professions. The theoretical foundation, or knowledge base, is systems theory, which provides a framework for understanding behavior and social service delivery systems. The major has two areas of specialization: administration and social services. The administration specialization is designed for students who wish to develop their management skills and offers them several options in that area. The social services specialization emphasizes the development of problem-solving skills, critical-thinking skills, and an understanding of the principles of interpersonal behavior in the social environment, including the impact of cultural diversity, and offers two introductory field experiences. Both specializations include an advanced field placement and an examination of research methodologies to measure the success of the application of skills and knowledge learned.