BA in Human Services

OCU’s Bachelor of Arts in Human Services major requires its students to critically explore the practice of social advocacy within a biblical worldview. Human Services majors will be prepared for a variety of professions and for graduate work in criminology, counseling, psychology, and social work. Through broad exposure to readings, extensive composition activity, and oral presentations, OCU’s Human Services major will develop the intellectual and practical skills needed to make a difference in their community.

Objectives:

On completion of this major, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate an ability to think clearly, logically, critically, and creatively.
• Analyze best practices in current trends related to human services.
• Identify, advocate for, and manage the unique expectations and needs of human services within a variety of culturally diverse communities.
• Integrate a biblically based and Christ-centered approach in the practice of managing human services within a variety of contexts and to a variety of constituencies.
• Be accepted into a graduate program or be employed in a field related to human services.

MAJOR40 Hours

*This program requires 21 hours at the 3000 level or above. *This major does not prepare students for licensure.

• HSV1000 Introduction to Human Services3
  Fundamental concepts of human services, addressing addictions, criminology, family studies, psychology, and sociology with a biblical worldview. Students will develop a personalized view of the helping professions.
• HSV1100 Applied Skills for Helping Professions3
  Skills for communication in the helping professions, including rapport building, interviewing, active listening, and documenting in context with personal awareness, problem solving, diversity, and confidentiality.

  Prerequisite: HSV1000
• HSV2100 Public and Private Services3
  Public and private services and institutions and how these can be best utilized to serve general, at-risk, and vulnerable populations.

  Prerequisite: HSV1000
• HSV2150 Case Management3
  See SAC2150
• HSV4000 Advocacy and Public Policy3
  Human services policies and policy formation in the legislative and private sectors, with attention to how public policy is made, and emphasis on the roles of advocacy campaigns, which are often influenced by policy analysis.
• HSV4100 Ethics in Human Services3
  Professional ethics in the field of Human Services with primary attention to the Code of Ethical Standards for Human Services Professionals.
• HSV4200 Leadership and Administration3
  Principles of leadership and administration in human services, with attention to personal assessment and the development of leadership capabilities.
• HSV4800 Human Services Capstone Course3
  Theoretical and practical application of skills for and techniques that advance the needs of culturally diverse client communities, including a plan of advocacy for services from various agencies and/or institutions. In this capstone course for the BA in Human Services major students identify an issue or problem, develop an action plan, and complete sufficient research to produce a final project demonstrating understanding of the Code of Ethical Standards for Human Services Professionals.

  Prerequisite: Completion of major courses
• PSY1020 Introduction to Psychology*3
  A survey of the field of psychology, including historical and theoretical foundations, with special emphasis on contemporary scientific research and empirical applications within a Christian perspective and a biopsychosocial approach.
• PSY2700 Career Advancement1
  This course is designed to help students understand how to maximize their career potential. Students will develop an individual program for their short- and long-term career, with application based on students’ areas of emphasis in the major.
• SAC1020 Introduction to Substance Abuse3
  Fundamental concepts related to substance use disorders in multiple client populations, including assessment and diagnosis of substance use disorders, planning a course of treatment, analyzing effects of substances on the client and others, etiology, and best practices in counseling and treatment through a Christian worldview.
• SAC3650 Trauma Informed Care3
  This course is a comprehensive exploration of the effects of psychological trauma: the nature of trauma (abuse, combat, natural disasters, etc.) and the effects of trauma (traumatic stress, grief reactions, addiction, etc.). The professional’s response to trauma, such as vicarious traumatization, compassion fatigue, disenfranchised grief, crisis intervention, comorbid disorders, and general treatment issues, will also be addressed. Finally, students will review evidence-based practices. A variety of theoretical frameworks are presented, including cognitive, neurobiological, clinical, and socio-cultural.

  Prerequisites: PSY1020 and SOC1020, or associate dean’s approval
• SOC1020 Introduction to Sociology*3
  The scientific study of society, institutions, and group interaction, with focus on the sociological imagination and core theories. Topics include the sociological perspective, the individual in society, stratification and social inequality, social intuitions, human ecology, and social change, with special attention to issues of diversity.
• 3/4000 level electives in SAC, PSY, SOC, or CJU3

*May be applied toward Social & Behavioral Sciences requirements in the GenEd core.