The certificate in Social Services is for students who may either already be employed or interested in social services. It is a brief program (five courses) that introduces the field of social services and equips students with the necessary skills to enter the field. Courses are offered days and evenings and all courses directly apply toward the department’s A.A. degree.

Note: All courses must be completed with a C or better. Many courses require prerequisites, corequisites and/or testing. See course descriptions for details.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, a student will be able to:

1. Identify core principles in Social Services, including the values, information literacy, and ethics of the profession.
2. Understand oneself and how other individuals interact among groups and develop an understanding of the beliefs, values, traditions, and practices of people from different cultures.
3. Use historical information to understand the current world, develop cultural awareness, and consider issues from a global perspective.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the structure and dynamics of organizations, communities, and society and the nature of individuals and groups.
5. Demonstrate professional working skills with individuals, groups, and communities.
6. Apply professional written and oral communication skills through responsible use of digital technology in research-informed practice.

Certificate Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HMNS 1010	Introduction to Helping and Human Services	3
HMNS 1040	Drugs and Human Behavior	4
HMNS 1200	Practicum I: Service Learning^	5
Choose ONE of the following:		3
HMNS 2130	Therapeutic Interventions I: Working with Individuals
HMNS 2135	Therapeutic Interventions II: Group Process and Practice
HMNS 2200	Assessment Interviewing for Treatment Planning	3
Subtotal		18
Total Hours		18

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Work-based learning course

Recommended Course Sequence

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Semester 1		Hours
HMNS 1010	Introduction to Helping and Human Services	3
HMNS 1040	Drugs and Human Behavior	4
HMNS 2200	Assessment Interviewing for Treatment Planning	3
	Hours	10
Semester 2
HMNS 1200	Practicum I: Service Learning^	5
Choose ONE of the following:		3
HMNS 2130	Therapeutic Interventions I: Working with Individuals
HMNS 2135	Therapeutic Interventions II: Group Process and Practice
	Hours	8
	Total Hours	18

^

Work-based learning course