Human Services

Bachelor of Arts in Human Services

If you want to help people, you’ve come to the right place. Human Services majors specialize in working with and helping others, whether that be through advocacy, mental health, or caring for youth, elderly, or the disabled. Come learn how to spark change in the lives of others with us.

Why be a Human Services major?

Here’s what makes the Mount’s Human Services major unique:

• Holistic approach: As a Human Services major, you’ll also take several Psychology and Sociology courses, allowing you to use what you learn about the brain and society  to help others. If you enjoy those courses, you can take that knowledge even further with a master’s in Counseling through our partnership with Pace University.
• Health Care Advocacy: You can also specialize your degree by declaring our new concentration in Health Care Advocacy. This concentration will teach you how to work on an individual and community-based level to act as an advocate and liaison for health care and wellness.
• Helping profession at a helping college: As a Human Services major, you are preparing for a career in the helping professions, so what better place to learn that than at a college dedicated to community service? No need to wait for your degree to start making a difference at the Mount!

What to expect as a Human Services major

42 credits

Learn about Human Services academic requirements and courses here.

As a Human Services major, you will take a variety of Psychology, Sociology, and Human Services courses to prepare you for your career. Throughout, you’ll learn how to work with certain groups and their unique needs, including adolescents, those with disabilities, and the elderly. Course highlights include Sociology and the Family; Race, Gender, & Inequality; Theories of Social Casework; and more.

To conclude your time in the program, you will be required to complete an internship (but don’t worry, the Career Center will help you find a great placement to fit your goals!) and a senior seminar course that involves researching a topic of your choosing.

Outside of the classroom, you’ll find that you won’t have to wait until Commencement to start helping others. You’ll do that right away, whether through a research project or hands-on lesson for class or by joining one of our volunteer-based clubs like Aging United or Habitat for Humanity.

Be prepared for your future

The best way to learn is through real life, which is why we have all of our Human Services majors complete at least one internship. These experiences help you to figure out who and how you want to help after graduation. Some past Human Services major internship placements have included county social welfare agencies, nursing homes, domestic violence programs, addictions and substance abuse agencies, preschool programs, court systems, and adolescent programs.

After graduation, most of our Human Services majors go on to graduate school for Counseling, Social Work, or a related field, while others dive right into the workforce at nonprofit or government agencies in mental health, disability learning and advocacy, elder care, and more.

Here’s how some of our Human Services alumni are using their degrees:

• Selines Torres ’06, Care Coordinator at Cancer Services Program of the Hudson Valley
• Valerie Capalbo ’09, Behavior Analyst at Positive Behavior Supports Corporation
• Lauren O’Neill ’16, Labor Relations Consultant at Eversource Energy
• Jennifer Stosch ’17, Case Manager at WellLife Network
• Megan LaPerche ’19, Human Resources Recruiter at Graystone Programs, Inc.