Human Services
The Human Services major provides you the training you'll need to land a job in a variety of areas. You may end up working with youth in an at-risk program or at a hospital such as Blank Children's Hospital or Broadlawns Medical Center. The major focuses on working to enhance and increase the well being of our society and individuals in society in need of assistance. You may also move on to an advanced academic program after acquiring your degree at Grand View.
Wondering whether you should pursue psychology, human services or social work? Explore the differences HERE.
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Courses and Requirements
Prerequisite courses:
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General Psychology
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Intro to Sociology
Departmental Courses Required of All Majors:
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Introduction to Human Services
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Human Development
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Addictive Behaviors
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Social Psychology
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Psychology of Exceptional Children
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Social Problems
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Abnormal Psychology
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Counseling Theories
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Techniques of Individual and Group Counseling
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Family Law OR Forensic Socio-Psychology
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Internship
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Program Evaluation
Plus 3 credits from Specialty Electives:
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Marriage and Family
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Psychology and Health
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Human Sexuality
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Aging in Contemporary America
Plus 3 credits from Services Electives:
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Evidence-Based ID/DD Services
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Evidence-Based MH Services
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Case Management in the Human Services
For detailed course descriptions, please go to the current catalog HERE.
Career Options
Many Grand View graduates in the area of Human Services have found jobs within their major. Listed below are some of the agencies that have hired GVC Human Services graduates.
• Broadlawns Medical Center
• Children’s Habiliation Center
• Day Care for Exceptional Children
• Des Moines Public Schools
• Easter Seal Society
• Family and Children’s Services
• Hughes Recovery Center
• Iowa Department of Human Services
• Polk County ARP
• United Way of Central Iowa
• YMCA Youth Homes of Iowa
• Youth Emergency Shelter Services
Advanced academic programs that have accepted GV Human Services graduates include:
• College of Family and Consumer Science, Iowa State University
• Counseling Psychology, Drake University
• College of Law, Drake University
• Vocational Rehabilitation, Drake University
• Master’s Degree in Social Work, University of Iowa
• Physical Therapy, University of Osteopathic Medicine
Internships
Two internships represent an excellent capstone experience which integrates the strong theoretical base from such courses as Human Development, Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, Social Problems, and Theories of Counseling, with the practical courses in Case Management and Techniques of Counseling.
These internships have proved invaluable to students in agencies such as Children’s Habilitation Center, Family and Children’s Services, Lutheran Social Service, Human Services Center in West Des Moines, and the Iowa Department of Human Services. There is a large number of Human Services agencies that value the Grand View Human Services Internship Program and who are more than willing to provide internships.