The Best Online Bachelor’s in Human Services Programs

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 9% job growth for social and human service assistants between 2022 and 2032.

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.

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.

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:

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:

The job outlook for human services professionals remains high, with a steady need across many fields. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, community and social service occupations enjoy a job growth outlook of 8% from 2022-2032, much faster than most occupations.