The mission of the Human Services Department is to provide students with the knowledge and skills to become effective, ethical, and compassionate human service professionals who engage in creative approaches to social change and advocacy to meet diverse individual and societal needs.

Why Major in Human Services at Washburn?

One advantage that Washburn offers is small class size and thus more attention can be given to the individual student. Each student in the department is assigned a faculty advisor. Each semester students meet with their departmental advisor to plan their coursework for the next semester.

The success of our majors in acquiring jobs in human service agencies is an indication of the strength of the curriculum at Washburn. Internships in a wide variety of human service agencies in Topeka and communities throughout northeast Kansas provide students with a strong experiential learning opportunity during the course of their study. Field trips are an integral part of certain courses and may vary from visits to local agencies to trips of several days duration to human service conferences around the country.

What careers are available in the field of Human Services?

The Human Services major at Washburn will prepare students to work in fields that are centered on people. Students can work with many age groups: children, youth, or the elderly. Students may specialize in: addictions, mental health services, domestic violence, victims of crime, homelessness, long-term care, at-risk youth programs, or gerontology. Students may choose an emphasis as an an addictions counselor, case manager, prevention specialist, director of a community agency, or an administrator for an adult care nursing home.

As students complete the core courses in human services, they will develop skills in interviewing, interpersonal communication, individual and family assessment, group dynamics and community organization. Prior to graduation each human services major will complete four internships in agencies related to their area of interest. The practical experience obtained during a Human Services internship will help the student implement and practice the skills necessary in their professional career.

Some Career Options with a Degree in Human Services

• Registered Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counselor
  
• Licensed Adult Care Home Administrator (currently suspending admission of new students)
  
• Mental Health Worker
  
• Agency Volunteer Coordinator
  
• Youth Service Worker
  
• Community Support Worker
  
• Prevention Specialist
  
• Case Manager
  
• Licensed Mental Health Technician
  
• Victims Advocate
  
• Community Outreach Worker