Help People Live Better Lives

Human Services Associate's degree

Human services professionals help all individuals, from children to adults to families, in all communities who are in crisis situations and need assistance improving their lives. Our Human Services Associate’s degree allows you to work in a non-licensed, service-oriented career in positions that could include social service specialist, human service assistant, and community service specialist in settings ranging from courts and victim advocacy organizations to foster homes, juvenile justice centers, and mental health facilities.

With industry-experienced instructors delivering this advance curriculum, you will gain the knowledge and skills you need for a full understanding of the typical scenarios and challenges you will encounter in your career.

Plus, through our internship program, you will develop the poise and familiarity you need to be successful in difficult situations as you navigate real-world cases with a human services employer.

Give back to your community and help people in need

When you earn our Human Services Associate’s degree, you will gain the knowledge and skills you need for a full understanding of the common scenarios you will encounter in your career. Through coursework such as “Introduction to Crisis Intervention” and “Organization and Leadership in Human Services”—courses typically found only in four-year programs at other schools—as well as “General Psychology,” “Abnormal Psychology,” and “Community Psychology,” you will be ready to take on the challenges facing many people in today’s society.

Plus, you will develop your poise and comfort for challenging situations through our internship program that gives you professional hands-on experience.

People who work in human services are continually giving back to the communities they serve by:

  • Working with a diverse population of individuals and groups
  • Understanding family structures, human development, and psychology
  • Analyzing client needs, developing client goals, and designing and implementing a plan of action for rehabilitation and progress of services
  • Completing intake interviews
  • Facilitating a group environment

Learn more about our Human Services Associate’s degree and how Rasmussen College is committed to your academic and career success. Complete the contact request form on the right or call us at (888) 549-6755, and one of our program managers will be happy to answer all of your questions.

Human Services Courses

You will learn how to provide services to individuals or groups of people with diverse problems and help them overcome their obstacles. A degree in Human Services will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to make an impact in your community.

Some key courses include:

Organization and Leadership in Human Services
You will examine the organizational structures of community organizations and systems that are affected and the populations that are served.

Introduction to Strategies in Crisis Intervention
You will examine the different crisis situations (stress, assault, substance abuse, and loss) involving a variety of people (victim, police officer, nurse, and counselor).

Community Psychology
You will examine the benefits and problems of having the four systems (mental health, education, criminal justice, and social service) functioning independently in one community, and offer suggestions on how to move toward a more interdependent system.

View courses – Human Services Associate’s degree

Human Services Career Outlook

After earning a Human Services Associate's degree, you will be equipped to work in many different areas.

Here is a snapshot of some possible careers:


Salary & growth statistics provided by the BLS ‡		 25th Percentile 50th Percentile 75th Percentile Projected Growth
Social and Human Service Assistants $22,230 $27,940 $35,620 23%
Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs $32,770 $40,180 $47,590 9%

 

Graduates of the Human Services program have the opportunity to work in many different environments.

Some work environments include:

  • Schools
  • Local Government
  • State Government
  • Individual and Family Services
  • Rehabilitation Centers
  • Group Homes
  • Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Facilities

The Rasmussen College career placement services staff starts helping you even before you graduate – with your resume, cover letter, interviewing techniques and how to search for a great career. And it doesn’t end there – these services are available throughout your career.

‡"Occupational Employment Statistics Home Page." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor, 27 July 2010. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.

"Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor, Dec. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

BLS salary data may not reflect expected entry level earnings.

Seamless Credit Transfer Policies

Transferring your credits doesn't need to be difficult.  At Rasmussen College, our transfer policies are designed to maximize your credit transfer and minimize your time to graduation.

Check out some of our highlighted transfer policies below or visit our Transfer Policy for a full description of each policy.

  • Transfer your entire Associate’s degree credits and enter at Junior status if you have an Associate's degree and are seeking a Bachelor’s degree in a similar field—this also means you will not have to complete any pre-requisites for most degrees ¹
  •  Transfer all general education courses from your previously-earned Associate's or Bachelor's degree regardless of course of study ²
  • Course-by-course evaluation of all courses with a grade of C or higher
  • Credit by examination, which gives you an opportunity to test out of courses where you can demonstrate specific knowledge.  These tests are offered free of charge to Rasmussen College students. 
  • Earn college credit through prior work, learning, and military experiences

Contact a program manager today at 888-549-6755 or complete the form on the right and one of our program managers will contact you to discuss transferring your college credit to Rasmussen College.

¹ Rasmussen College reserves the right to accept or deny transfer of credits based on guidelines defined in the course catalog.  Rasmussen College transfer policies vary by state and degree; contact your local campus to discuss your credit transfer options.
² Refer to the General Education Block Transfer For Baccalaureate Candidates for complete details and restrictions.