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Human Services Bachelor’s Degree
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Credits:
120
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Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Program Description
The human services degree provides broad-based knowledge of individuals, families, and communities, with historical and multicultural perspectives. The program is guided by systemic and holistic thinking—along with an appreciation of research and how it informs practice. Graduates will be prepared to work effectively with people across a variety of settings using a unique strengths-based and culturally relevant approach. Our goal is to be an integral part of the change that needs to happen to create a more just and equitable society.
What Is Human Services?
Health and human services is a vast field that focuses on helping people and communities. It encompasses a wide range of professions and combines aspects of social work, psychology, and criminal justice studies. For example, social workers, family therapists, substance abuse counselors, and disaster relief workers are all jobs that fall under the larger umbrella of human services. Health and human services professionals often work in administrative settings, organizing efforts that serve individuals, families, and communities.
Cambridge College Human Services Program Highlights
If you have a desire to help people through your work, you might be a perfect fit for one of the many rewarding careers in health and human services. Cambridge College offers a flexible, affordable degree program to help you achieve your goals.
- Flexible class options. Complete your degree in human services via convenient day, evening, weekend, and online classes designed to meet the needs of working adults. To start planning a course of study that works for you, talk to a Cambridge College Admissions Counselor.
- Hands-on learning. Field experiences will take your education beyond the classroom, giving you opportunities to provide counseling, advocacy, research, and other services, and then document and reflect on your activities. The program also includes a research intensive final capstone project.
- Exceptional value. Rated one of the most affordable four-year private nonprofit colleges in the United States, Cambridge College is dedicated to making quality education accessible.
- Experienced faculty. Cambridge College faculty are experts in diverse areas of human services, and will work with you to help you find your passion and achieve your goals.
- Great location. All of our classroom locations are close to public transportation and/or offer free parking for students.
Cambridge College welcomes more than 300 students from over 50 different countries around the world. We were recently ranked #7 for Most Ethnically Diverse Colleges in America by Best College Reviews. Cambridge College also offers scholarships, clubs, organizations, and associations for ethnic groups.
- Addiction Studies Concentration: Learn more.
- Accounting Concentration: Learn more.
- Education Concentration: Learn more.
- Expressive Therapies Concentration: Learn more.
- Family Studies Concentration: Learn more.
- General Management Concentration: Gain a broad understanding of business management, including marketing, sales, ethics, nonprofit management, and an introduction to human resources. Learn more.
- Health Care Management Concentration (undergraduate): Develop a practical understanding of health care administration including economic, financial, and regulatory concepts within health care systems. Learn more.
- Holistic Studies Concentration: Learn more.
- Hospitality Management Concentration: Learn the fundamentals of management for the hospitality industry, with a focus on restaurant front of the house and back of the house management, and on hotel management. Learn more.
- Information Technology and E-Business Concentration: Learn about managing the information systems of an organization, including infrastructure design, server management, security, e-business strategy, and marketing. Learn more.
- Juvenile Justice Studies Concentration: In addition to providing a background in youth services and current theories of adolescent development, this concentration explores the impact of community disadvantage, child abuse, and neglect on behavior. Learn more.
- Legal Studies Concentration: Designed for students who are interested in pursuing a law career, this concentration provides foundational knowledge of various aspects of law school and the legal profession. Learn more.
- Organizational Psychology Concentration: Learn more.
- Peace and Justice Studies Concentration: This concentration focuses on ways to promote the fair and equitable provision of justice as the path to a more just and humane world. Learn more.
Human Services Program Learning Outcomes
As a human services major at Cambridge College, you’ll gain the skills needed to work with people in a way that preserves their dignity and builds on their strengths, empowering them to address their concerns and leading to better outcomes.
You’ll learn to identify and work with the strengths inherent in individuals, families, and communities. Gain practical skills to assist people to make positive changes that will improve the quality of their lives. And prepare for personal and professional growth.
You’ll also build a solid base for graduate studies in a wide variety of professional and academic fields, and become an effective agent of positive change.
Jobs in Human Services
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health and human services industry is growing rapidly, offering a wide range of professional opportunities for candidates with the essential skills and training.
Our graduates have gone on to work and lead in a variety of settings—working with adolescents in residential programs, with the elderly in nursing homes, in community health centers, as program directors, as case managers, and as outreach workers. They also work in prevention and in treatment, in after-school programs, and criminal justice programs.
Graduates of the bachelor’s program are also well positioned to enter graduate studies in human services, psychology, counseling, social work, and related fields.
Example Human Services Courses
The human services degree at Cambridge College includes courses such as:
- Strategies for Change
- Case Management for Human Services
- Community Building Principles and Strategies
- Human Services Field Education
Download the Human Services program sheet.
Human Services Scholarships and Financial Aid
Get financial assistance to help pay for your degree in Health and Human Services. In addition to scholarship opportunities, you might also be eligible for federal and state grants, loans, and other types of financial aid.
The first step is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn more about applying for financial aid.
Related Programs at Cambridge College
If you’re still exploring options, you might be interested in learning more about these programs at Cambridge College:
Curriculum
WRT101-102 and MAT101-102 may be waived if equivalent courses have been accepted in transfer. Credits will be replaced with open electives. WRT201 required if both WRT101-102 are waived; not required for students completing WRT101-102 at Cambridge. WRT090 and MAT100 required if assessment indicates need.
Arts & Humanities - 6 credits
Natural & Physical Sciences - 6 credits
Social Sciences - 6 credits
Choose electives and/or concentrations to support your academic interests and professional goals.
In addition to the required courses below, choose 8 credits of human services electives.
Domestic violence*, also referred to as intimate partner violence (IPV), affects men, women and children of all races and social and economic levels. In 2008 domestic violence reached epidemic proportions and was declared a public health emergency in Massachusetts (Comm of MA, 2015). This course will examine recent statistical trends in reported cases of IPV, the identified risks and behaviors that may serve as cautionary indicators in relationships, and the personal, community and legislative resources available to those who are subject to physical and psychological violence. Students will be guided in exploring their personal attitudes toward domestic violence, violence and gender as well as social acceptance of psychological violence. The role of the human service professional in working with families impacted by domestic violence will be explored.
*Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats, and emotional abuse. The frequency and severity of domestic violence can vary dramatically.
Advocacy is an art which integrates policy and passion with the skills of communication, social intelligence and change analysis to achieve a better world. Students will recognize how they already engage in advocacy while exploring systems and institutional level advocacy for social change. Each student will outline an advocacy campaign based on a social issue they have selected. The class will visit the Massachusetts State House and other sites. Students will communicate advocacy actions they have undertaken.
Core Faculty
Senior Instructor
Pages
Admissions
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Admission Test:
No standardized graduate school tests required for admission into non-licensure programs.
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Admissions Office:
1-800-829-4723
- Application Form:
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Application Fee:
$50 ($100 for international students; $100 for EdD)
Health Requirements for Massachusetts Students
The Massachusetts Health Department and Cambridge College require the following of students in Massachusetts:
Immunizations – All students in Massachusetts are required to get certain immunizations before you can register for your first term. See form
Health Insurance – In Massachusetts, undergraduate students taking nine or more credits/term and graduate students taking six or more credits/term must enroll in the College’s health insurance plan. Students who have insurance with comparable coverage may request a waiver. See information and enroll or waive.
School Requirements
See Admissions Requirements for Undergraduate Programs
International Students
International students need to provide supplemental documentation:
- Official demonstration of English language proficiency
- Supplemental documentation for issuance of I-20
- International transcripts, evaluated by an accepted evaluation service
Transfer Credit
Graduate program applicants, please complete the transfer credit request form if you wish to have prior course work evaluated for transfer. Learn more about transferring credits.
Undergraduate program applicants, once you are accepted, your official transcripts are evaluated for transfer credit.
Tuition
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Credits:
120
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Application Fee:
$50 ($100 for international students; $100 for EdD)
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Health Insurance Fee:
$3,940 - Required for Massachusetts students only. See waiver details on Tuition & Fees page.
Note: Rates are as of June 2023, and are subject to change without notice. Rates apply to all students unless otherwise noted.
Financial Aid
Cambridge College offers financial aid to students in our degree programs who are enrolled at least half-time. Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 6 credits each term. Graduate and doctoral students must be enrolled in at least 4 credits each term. Learn more
Grants, Scholarships, and Loans
Cambridge College welcomes the opportunity to support your efforts to pay for college. Federal, state, and local resources in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study, including Cambridge College Scholarships, are available to help defray the cost of tuition. Learn more
Getting Your Company to Help
Many companies have tuition assistance programs, designed to help their employees with their professional development. Learn more