Human Services Degree Programs
Find Your Purpose Helping Others With a Human Services Degree Program
Human services degrees are ideal for those who have a passion for working with others, conducting research and providing education. Human services is a field focused on helping others and providing service to society through the study of human needs, with an emphasis on improving quality of life through prevention, intervention, guidance and/or counseling.
If you are an excellent listener and connect well with diverse groups, then explore the human services degrees offered at Grand Canyon University (GCU) to determine which one best fits your career aspirations. In addition to the degrees on this page in fields like behavioral health science, sociology, and mental health and wellness, we also offer counseling, psychology and social work degrees that allow you to pursue your passion of making a difference in the lives of others.
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is pleased to help students find their purpose by offering human services degrees and liberal arts degrees related to many fields.
I’m so passionate about social work — it’s my purpose. GCU not only helped me find it, but helped me secure my future in this field every step of the way.
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Earn an undergraduate psychology or counseling degree here at GCU. Explore our offerings, find out the difference between these fields and more on our counseling and psychology page.
Behavioral Health Degrees
The non-licensure Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health Science degree provides a general perspective on the field of behavioral health from the context of a Christian worldview. Explore a broad range of topics from addiction and substance use to psychology and counseling. With this undergraduate behavior health degree program, you have an opportunity to gain a strong foundation in human services to prepare you for a position as a behavioral health technician. You also have the option of choosing an emphasis to help you gain specialized knowledge within your field.
Specialized Behavioral Health Degrees
A Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health Science with an Emphasis in Childhood and Adolescence Disorders helps you gain a foundation in understanding childhood and adolescent behavior.
Gain a strong background in family dynamics, family origins and behavioral health skills with GCU’s Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health Science with an Emphasis in Family Dynamics.
The trauma emphasis of the Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health Science with an Emphasis in Trauma provides courses in areas like trauma-informed care and the impact of trauma.
GCU’s Bachelor of Science in Sociology helps you learn to contemplate and analyze how social structures and society impact human interactions. Explore various issues facing American society today, from globalization to crime and poverty. Discover hierarchies of power and how society plays a role in shaping individuals, and prepare for a dynamic career in a field like social research, data analysis or human resources. If you are hoping to pursue social work, explore the social work emphasis with this bachelor’s degree in sociology.
The MS in sociology education (non-licensure) degree at GCU prepares you to lead both on-campus and online sociology courses at the undergraduate level. As globalization and interconnection becomes more prevalent in our societies, it is important that our students have a greater understanding about societal structures. Learn how you can help bring the world of sociology to future students with a master’s in sociology education.
If you are passionate about the field of social work and wish to pursue a career as a social worker in areas such as community health, case management, child welfare, gerontology or military social work , then you should consider GCU’s Bachelor of Social Work degree.
Earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree provides the education you need to practice as a licensed social worker. Social work practitioners can help a variety of populations with a wide range of services designed to help them overcome different social and behavioral health issues. Do you already have a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)? Learn how you can apply your BSW education toward an MSW and graduate faster with an Advanced Standing MSW.
GCU's sociology and social work degree programs are designed for individuals who are interested in a career that focuses on supporting others in need. If you choose the social work path, your studies will explore the societal or socioeconomic issues existing within specific populations and the various methods of embracing and advocating for others. As a sociology student, you will use information derived from studies to produce theories and understandings on how a population functions.
Specialize Your Master’s in Mental Health Degree
An emphasis in one of the areas below prepares students to gain knowledge in a specialized area of the mental health field.
For those who are passionate about helping families determine and solve problems, the Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness with an Emphasis in Family Dynamics may be a great fit.
Gain a foundation in mental health and wellness with a focus on grief training and research with the Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness with an Emphasis in Grief and Bereavement.
A Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness with an Emphasis in Prevention can help you gain training in preventative mental health care to make a difference in a field like community health.
If you want to gain biblical knowledge as part of your mental health and wellness program, then consider the Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness with an Emphasis in Christian Ministry.
The Master of Science in Mental Health and Wellness with an Emphasis in Community Mental Health Administration is designed for those who are seeking leadership roles in social services settings.
If you hope to gain specialized education in an area of human services, you may want to consider one of our graduate certificates of completion. These certificates are designed to help students who already have a degree in a similar area continue their education through advanced courses targeted toward a specific field. If you aspire to advance in your career, a graduate certificate of completion may help you gain the skills and knowledge you need to continue progressing. Explore our offerings to see which one may be right for you.
Help others reach their goals and flourish through motivation, communication and observation with GCU’s Graduate Certificate of Completion in Life Coaching.
Advance your career in mental healthcare with a Graduate Certificate of Completion in Mental Health and Wellness with an Emphasis in Community Mental Health Administration.
Combine your passion for sociology and postsecondary teaching by earning a Graduate Certificate of Completion in Sociology.
Human services degrees are geared for those who want to work with others, perform research and educate the next generation of learners. If you are interested in a human services career, consider majoring in sociology, social work, psychology, counseling, mental health and wellness or behavioral health.
Human services covers a broad range of disciplines, so your career options are nearly endless. Depending on your degree, you may want to explore a career as a:
- Social and community service manager
- Social worker
- Rehabilitation or mental health counselor
- School counselor
- Probation officer
- Postsecondary social work teacher
The more education you earn, the more opportunities you may have to advance in your field.
- Government organizations
- Public or private organizations
- Healthcare facilities
- Schools
- Private practice
Human services is needed to assist individuals and communities with finding stability and harmony in their everyday lives. Professionals in the health services fields provide a number of services to advocate for and support people to be self-sufficient, productive members of society, which ultimately benefits the entire community.
A social work degree prepares you to get your license to work directly with clients and possibly teach or conduct research studies on societal issues. A human services degree is an interdisciplinary program that prepares you to work in health fields providing a variety of services, including advocacy, social programming and community outreach.