Curriculum
The Master of Science in Human Services is a 37-credit hour program consisting of eight core courses and an additional 12 credits in Human Service Program Administration.
The program includes a foundations course, the sociology of human services, a graduate thesis, which serves as the program's capstone experience, and two practicum field courses as recommended by the Council for Standards in Human Service Education. The curriculum is as follows:
| Core Requirements | 25 crs. |
| Courses | Credits |
| HSV500 Sociology of Human Services
HSV500 Sociology of Human Services - 3 Credits An inquiry into the nature of social problems and a consideration of the efficacy of social service interventions and programs. |
3 crs. |
| HSV502 Human Services Ethics and Diversity
HSV502 Human Services Ethics and Diversity - 3 Credits Consideration of theoretical and practical standards for ethically dealing with individuals and information about them in a multicultural framework within a variety of human service settings. |
3 crs. |
| HSV504 Human Development Through the Lifecycle
HSV504 Human Development through the Lifecycle - 3 Credits Examination of theories that are important to the study of lifespan development. Approaches to physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development throughout the lifespan will be examined with a focus on the influence of context and culture on human development. |
3 crs. |
| HSV510 Human Services Policy
HSV510 Human Services Policy - 3 Credits A current examination of the social and public policies that impact the human service organization. The course will address how human service organizations design, implement, and manage human service programs in response to the political environment and changes in the social environment. |
3 crs. |
| HSV512 Applied Research Methods in Human Services
HSV512 Applied Research Methods in Human Services - 3 Credits An overview of frequently used research designs and quantitative and qualitative methods. Prepares students to apply theoretical understanding of methodology and measurement to develop analytical and research skills. Prepares students to evaluate relevant research studies in their field, analyze Human Service data with appropriate statistics and apply research methodologies to real world problems in their work settings. Prerequisite: Introductory Statistics Prerequisite: Undergrad Statistics* |
3 crs. |
| HSV593 Field Practicum I
HSV593 & HSV594 Field Practicum I & II - 3 Credits A two-module field placement designed to provide students with supervised human service experience in their particular areas of specialization. In addition to working in two field settings for a total of 360 hours, students are required to attend three online seminars for the first module of each field practicum. You are also required to contact your academic advisor prior to registering for these courses to insure that you have taken the necessary steps to secure a field placement prior to beginning these courses Prerequisite: Completion of at least one core course and one management course and be carrying a 3.0 GPA or better |
3 crs. |
| HSV594 Field Practicum II
HSV593 & HSV594 Field Practicum I & II - 3 Credits A two-module field placement designed to provide students with supervised human service experience in their particular areas of specialization. In addition to working in two field settings for a total of 360 hours, students are required to attend three online seminars for the first module of each field practicum. You are also required to contact your academic advisor prior to registering for these courses to insure that you have taken the necessary steps to secure a field placement prior to beginning these courses Prerequisite: HSV593 Field Practicum I |
3 crs. |
| HSV698 Readings, Research & Planning
HSV698 Readings, Research & Planning - 2 Credits In this course, students will apply an action research approach to the development of an applied research project proposal. Students will be required to design practiced-based projects based on the application of human services principles to specific real-life problems to demonstrate theory applied to practice. Based on an “area of interests” statement created at the culmination of HSV512 and a comprehensive literature search, students will submit a research proposal for review and approval. Prerequisite: HSV512, Applied Research Methods Prerequisite: HSV512 Applied Research Methods plus completion of at least 24 credits |
2 crs. |
| HSV699 Human Services Capstone Project
HSV699 Human Services Graduate Capstone Experience - 2 Credits This course represents the final, capstone experience for students ready to complete requirements toward an MS degree in Human Services. It takes the form of a comprehensive examination covering material from all core and specialization track courses required by the program. Students will be asked to submit responses to eight items, five essay questions covering core courses and three case studies or essays in their area of specialization (i.e., clinical or management). Successful completion of this course will lead to graduation from the program. Prerequisite: completion of all required coursework except HSV591. Prerequisite: HSV698 |
2 crs. |
| *If no undergraduate statistics, MAT220 Business Statistics1
MAT220 Statistics I - 3 Credits This course acquaints students with the fundamentals of modern statistics. It includes basic concepts of descriptive statistics and inferences about the mean, proportion, and variance of one population. The course also includes an introduction to probability and to linear correlation and regression. Prerequisite: MAT120 or placement examination. |
|
| Program Administration Concentration | 12 crs. |
| Students must choose 4 Management courses | |
| Courses | Credits |
| BUS501 Economic Foundations of Applied Accounting and Finance
BUS501 Economic Foundations of Applied Accounting and Finance - 3 Credits Knowledge of the fundamental concepts of finance, financial accounting and economics, including opportunity cost, the time value of money, and financial analysis. An investigation of financial decision making as it applies to business, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Emphasis is on the application of financial and nonfinancial information to a wide range of management decisions, from product pricing and budgeting to project analysis and performance measurement. Students will learn applications for a variety of decision-making tools (such as break-even analysis, activity-based costing procedures, linear programming, discounted cash flow techniques, and the balanced scorecard. Contemporary managerial techniques will be explored such as target costing and kaizen costing as a means of improving operational efficiency and economies. Disclaimer: The above syllabus is a sample only from the course, and is subject to change at the Professor's discretion. Please do NOT purchase books based on this syllabus. |
3 crs. |
| BUS505 Organizational Creativity, Discovery, and Innovation
BUS505 Organizational Creativity, Discovery, and Innovation - 3 Credits This course examines the processes involved in creativity, discovery, and innovation. Students explore the motivations involved in innovation both internal to the individual and external to the organization. The course provides strong focus on the creative process in a team environment, including managing and leading knowledge workers. Course content exposes students to the varied approaches and results of the creative process across disciplines such as psychology, marketing, leadership and general management. Disclaimer: The above syllabus is a sample only from the course, and is subject to change at the Professor's discretion. Please do NOT purchase books based on this syllabus. |
3 crs. |
| BUS508 The Future of Leadership and Management II
BUS508 The Future of Management and Leadership II - 3 Credits This course is designed to provide an overview of, and insights into management and leadership. Distinguishing between these two important concepts, and then providing a historical perspective will provide context to current management and leadership models as well as best practices and trends for the future. The course will focus on necessary basics such as decision-making and the use of analytics, vision development and deployment, communication, empowerment, risk-taking, managing conflict and leading innovation. The course will also look into other critical areas of management and leadership such as leading in a hyper-connected society, emotional intelligence, and thinking systemically and strategically, all in pursuit of managing and leading for the future. Disclaimer: The above syllabus is a sample only from the course, and is subject to change at the Professor's discretion. Please do NOT purchase books based on this syllabus. |
3 crs. |
| BUS510 Financial Modeling
BUS510 Financial Modeling - 3 Credits This course examines the fundamental principles of financial modeling techniques and introduces practical tools for financial decision-making in both entrepreneurial and innovative business environments. Students will build flexible financial models, which allow in-depth analysis to evaluate options and make informed recommendations. The class sessions will include exercises and implementation of modeling techniques. Assignments will require students to evaluate a business situation and make and support their decision based on their analysis. Because of the hands-on nature of the course, it is assumed that participants have a general knowledge of finance and accounting as well as a basic knowledge of spreadsheets. Disclaimer: The above syllabus is a sample only from the course, and is subject to change at the Professor's discretion. Please do NOT purchase books based on this syllabus. |
3 crs. |
| BUS525 Business Strategy and Planning
BUS525 Business Strategy and Planning - 3 Credits This course focuses on application of key strategic and managerial approaches necessary to implement the strategy of a firm in a changing world. It examines and discusses how firms develop and implement business, functional, and technology strategies. Emphasis is placed on the vision of the firm, the strategic planning process, and strategic management. Disclaimer: The above syllabus is a sample only from the course, and is subject to change at the Professor's discretion. Please do NOT purchase books based on this syllabus. |
3 crs. |
| BUS530 Project Management
BUS530 Project Management - 3 Credits This course focuses on one of the major growth areas in the field of management, the topic of project management. Projects are defined as temporary endeavors undertaken to create a unique product or service. The course points out that recent interest in project management is based on recognition that many organizational tasks do not fit neatly into business-as-usual. The significant differences between project management and general management are overviewed. The three interrelated objectives of budget, schedule, and specifications are also introduced. The course emphasizes scheduling various projects and concludes with a discussion of monitoring control and learning from projects. The course will also cover benchmarking, quantitative analysis and the voice of the customer. The design of the course involves case discussion, lectures, and problem solving as the primary vehicle for learning. In addition, a project is due at the end of the term, to give the class a laboratory in which the critical thinking skills, which will be sharpened in the class, can be used to initialize and analyze various projects. The class will use computer tools to track projects. Disclaimer: The above syllabus is a sample only from the course, and is subject to change at the Professor's discretion. Please do NOT purchase books based on this syllabus. |
3 crs. |
| BUS660 Leadership and Change Management
BUS660 Leadership and Change Management - 3 Credits This course will focus on individual, team, and organizational leadership and will provide learners with the foundation for examining and developing their own individual leadership style. The work of a leader is to constantly look forward and provide the necessary changes for the organization; being the visionary is critical to success in any organization, and a key attribute for any organizational leader. As a result, this course will focus on Leadership and Change Management. In doing so, the leader's role as a change agent will be a focus of the course. Understanding various methods of bringing about change will be provided and researched by learners, and then discussed in our time together. The course will also delve into and explore numerous aspects of leadership including but not limited to horizontal and vertical leadership, formal and informal leadership, team leadership, performance, ethics and authenticity. In addition, various models of change will be introduced and explored. Disclaimer: The above syllabus is a sample only from the course, and is subject to change at the Professor's discretion. Please do NOT purchase books based on this syllabus. |
3 crs. |
| BUS665 Unleashing and Sustaining Innovation in Organizations
BUS665 Unleashing and Sustaining Innovation in Organizations - 3 Credits The sweeping waves of technological breakthroughs supplemented by geopolitical and social changes, undermine the rigidity and viability of corporate structures, and usher in a new era of innovation and opportunities. The overall scope of this course consists of the analysis and evaluation of how organizations either adapt to or flourish under the constraints of bureaucratic inertia and resistance to change or relegate themselves to mediocrity and possibly extinction. Specifically, the themes of the course focus on technological breakthroughs and the groundwork that is necessary to render an organization amenable to creativity and change and on the process of establishing the right physical and psychological environments to foster successful and sustainable innovations. Disclaimer: The above syllabus is a sample only from the course, and is subject to change at the Professor's discretion. Please do NOT purchase books based on this syllabus. |
3 crs. |
1May be waived if a student has taken a business statistics or other statistics course at the undergraduate or graduate level.