There is some overlap when it comes to careers in human services and social work. In both career fields you’ll be helping individuals and/or communities solve problems and find better social outcomes. Degree programs typically cover introductory behavioral health and global topics relevant to both career pathways.

A BSW is a professional degree specifically preparing students for generalist social work practice, while a human services bachelor’s degree is an interdisciplinary degree focusing on case management, client advocacy, and program coordination in a variety of settings.

For instance, our Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services curriculum includes study of nonprofit organization management, grant writing and fundraising, program planning and development, and volunteer, board, and community development.

On the social work side, our Bachelor of Social Work curriculum zooms in on social services primarily for individuals and families, including counseling and communication skills, case management and crisis intervention, child welfare services and practice, and more.

The highest degree level we offer in health and human services is a master's degree (Master of Science in Health and Human Services Leadership).

If you are interested in an undergraduate degree and want to advance your education to the master’s degree level in the future, we have many additional pathways you may consider. You can potentially earn dual credit towards a Master of Social Work (MSW) or Master of Business Administration (MBA)—or choose to pursue more healthcare-focused options in healthcare administration or nursing.

The range of jobs you can potentially apply for with a bachelor’s in health and human services can make this number difficult to identify.

However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides figures for the occupational grouping Social and Community Service Managers, containing some of the most common types of professions in human services you can qualify for with a bachelor’s degree.

According to the BLS, Social and Community Services Managers earn an average annual salary of $86,100 per year ($41.39 per hour).* Pay can vary based on your education, experience level, and state of employment.

Psychology focuses on understanding individual human behavior and functioning, emphasizing an interpersonal skillset transferable to many different professions.

Human services focuses on the leadership and management of social service agencies designed to address social problems, emphasizing how to provide services.

In general, the difference is psychology more commonly regards individuals while human services more commonly regards communities. Our psychology and health and human services curriculums reflect this basic difference.

However, both fields are close neighbors in the field of behavioral health. Pursuing one major now does not necessarily mean you cannot advance in the other in the future!

Yes, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology is worth it!

You can develop skills relevant to all sorts of different types of jobs and pave the way for a unique career path tailored to your strengths and preferences.

To become a psychologist, such as a clinical, counseling, school, or developmental psychologist, you’ll need to advance your education to the master’s or doctoral level.

Specific degree requirements can vary by specialty, licensing laws in your state, and certification requirements.

Earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology can be a good steppingstone towards the longer educational pathway to becoming a licensed psychologist.

A bachelor’s degree in psychology is not enough education on its own to become a forensic psychologist.

Our degree program does include an Introduction to Forensic Psychology course, which covers basic concepts in the field, but will not fully prepare you to get certified or work in the field immediately upon graduation.

For instance, in order to apply for Forensic Psychology certification from the American Board of Professional Psychology, you’ll need to first earn a doctoral degree, among additional training and experience requirements.

However, you do need to start somewhere. If you have yet to earn an undergraduate degree, earning a bachelor’s in psychology is a logical first step down the educational pathway to specialized future studies in forensic psychology.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most psychology degrees across all levels are named as a general “Psychology” major or concentration.

Some psychology degrees feature concentrations in:

• Counseling Psychology
• Miscellaneous Psychology
• Industrial and Organizational Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Keep in mind many specialties in the psychology field may require a master’s degree education or higher.

Our psychology bachelor’s degree program offers a curriculum designed to teach a broad array of knowledge and skills. This can help you qualify for more types of jobs after graduation and position you for many different educational opportunities at the graduate level in the future.

Psychology coursework does not typically differ significantly for Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) programs.

As U.S. News and World Report describes, BA programs generally focus on liberal arts and humanities, while BS programs place greater emphasis on math and science.

Our program is a Bachelor of Science as our general education requirement includes Statistics and Science. Our career-focused curriculum emphasizes technical and vocational skills required to succeed in your work and advance in the future.

Our bachelor’s degree program can be completed in as few as 36 months to (3 years, 9 semesters).

You can potentially transfer credit from prior college coursework into our program and complete the program faster. Please contact admissions for additional information on transferring credit.