Human Services Degree Program Guide

In September 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced nearly $70 million in funding for education, HIV prevention, and suicide prevention programs. Greater funding helps professionals meet their clients’ unique needs. Those who work in the human services career field all share the same goal: improving people’s lives.

An online human services degree program can prepare you for a career as a caseworker, community outreach worker, or substance use counselor. Many jobs require a master’s degree or a state-issued license. Fortunately, some online programs’ accelerated curricula can help you launch your career or apply to graduate school as soon as possible.

Human services career pathways depend on your degree, area of professional interest, and relevant licenses and certifications. The information in this section highlights the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data.

Students in a human services program can explore many career paths, such as physical health, mental health, and community improvement jobs. Introductory coursework lets you research these and other options. You can also work with a college career counselor to choose a degree, as well as electives that align with your professional goals.

Fortunately, the BLS projects the need for community and social services professionals to grow faster than average from 2023-2033. Changing economic circumstances may mean more or fewer jobs for recent graduates.

A human services degree program can prepare you for one of the below careers.

Many factors affect salary, such as your concentration, years of relevant experience, and location. Recent graduates with a human services bachelor’s degree should expect to learn less than their career’s median salary.

Like other bachelor’s degree programs, online courses of study in human services take about four years for full-time degree-seekers to complete. Some online colleges offer accelerated options. Core coursework covers many broad areas, such as theoretical foundations, client populations, and cultural diversity.

Field experiences and research classes can prepare you for an entry-level career or graduate coursework. Online human services degree programs help you find field experiences in your community. You can work with professors and your college’s career advisors to tailor these experiences to your goals.

Online learning benefits many people, such as busy professionals and parents. Other advantages include the same career-planning resources on-campus students enjoy. Counselors can help you explore jobs in social work, health education, and related fields.

Human services concentration options vary by school and program. By specializing in a specific area, you can better align your education with your career goals. Some typical concentrations include:

In addition to courses specific to your concentration, human services programs require core classes that all degree-seekers must pass. These may include:

Compare program length and application requirements when researching online human services degree programs. Program websites and admissions advisors can help you find this information and explain what you can do with a human services bachelor’s degree.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that the typical off-campus degree-seeker attending a four-year in-state college paid an average of $15,200 during the 2022-2023 academic year. Students at private schools spent more than double this amount.

If you research your options, you may pay less for your education. For instance, the University of Arizona’s online human services program charges $460 per credit as of October 2024. This tuition rate saves learners over $1,000 per year compared to the national average, and most degree-seekers qualify for institutional aid.

What you can do with a human services bachelor’s degree depends on your professional goals. You may need a master’s degree, such as a master of social work, to qualify for positions in the social work field requiring licensure. Professional certifications, including board certification, can qualify you for more roles and help you keep up with the latest skills and best practices in your human services specialty.

While completing your bachelor’s degree program, research these and other options. Master’s programs may require applicants to possess a minimum undergraduate GPA and submit standardized test scores. Board certification involves passing one or more exams and gaining work experience.