Human Services (AA)

What is A Human Services (AA) Degree?

The field of Human Services is about helping people, usually groups of people, to have better, more comfortable, healthier, and happier lives.  It’s a very broad field that draws from various disciplines to find strategies for helping. The groups of people helped may be people struggling with addictions, abused spouses, mentally challenged, or homeless. Human Services are different from Social Work in that Human Services professionals work with groups or populations of people—like a particular ethnic group or age group or in a location–with one concern or another.  Social workers work with individual clients.

To work in the Human Services means that you may have an administrative role, an organizing role, or a reference role in which you may set-up or recommend services within a particular community for a certain population.  The AA degree in Human Services will prepare you to work in an entry-level position in an agency or association that helps populations in need. It’s possible that you may specialize in a specific concern like drug or alcohol abuse. Coursework, in addition to general education, will include subjects like addiction treatment, psychology, diversity, and interviewing skills.  You may also have a practicum experience as part of your AA degree work.