Human Services Counseling

Short Description

The A.A.S. in Human Services Counseling prepares students for a variety of career options in the related fields of human service, social work, and behavioral health counseling.  Students in the degree and certificate programs will be prepared for entry level career opportunities in a variety of helping professions, including child and youth care, elder care, and alcohol and drug counseling. This program also provides opportunities for working professionals to enhance or specialize their knowledge, skills, and abilities.

This program has two Areas of Concentration (AOCs): Behavioral Health Counseling, and Human Services Generalist. Courses in the first two semesters are core classes. In the third and fourth semesters, students will take specialized courses for their AOC.

Students who elect the Behavioral Health Counseling track will be eligible for the Certified Supervised Counselor-Alcohol and Drug (CSC-AD) credential from the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists and will be required to pass the NCAC-1 examination in the application process.

Type of Credential

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.)

Program Code

720

Contacts and Additional Information

Program Director:

Ted McCadden, D.Ed., LCADC
443-840-3783 or tmccadden@ccbcmd.edu

Additional Information:

• Statewide program (Note: The Human Services Generalist Certificate is not designated as a Statewide program.)
• The Human Services Counseling A.A.S. degree and all related certificates are offered both face to face and fully (100%) online.
• Opportunities for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) - see Portfolio, Departmental Exam, and DSST Examination. Several General Education classes also have PLA opportunities.
• Articulation and Transfer Agreements
• Graduates of the Behavioral Health Counseling Area of Concentration are academically eligible to apply for certification as a Certified Supervised Counselor-Alcohol and Drug and will be required to pass the NCAC-1 Exam in their application process.

Semester 1*

• ENGL 101 - College Composition I 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 101 - Introduction to Human Services Counseling 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 139 - Interviewing and Counseling Techniques 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 141 - Introduction to Psychopharmacology 3 Credit(s).
• Gen. Ed. Elective - Mathematics (MATH 153  recommended) 3 Credit(s).

Semester 2

• CMNS 101 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 104 - Developing Cultural Proficiency in a Diverse World 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 142 - Counseling Clients with Substance Use Disorders 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 205 - Group Counseling 3 Credit(s).
• PSYC 101 - Introduction to Psychology 3 Credit(s).

Semester 3

• Behavioral Health Counseling AOC:

• PSYC 103 - Principles of Human Growth and Development 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 224 - Delivery of Addiction Services 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 233 - Ethics in Human Services Counseling 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 240 - Supporting Clients Experiencing Psychopathology  3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 246 - Applied Theories of Counseling 3 Credit(s).

•  

  Human Services Generalist AOC:

• HUSC 103 - Introduction to Elder Care 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 106 - Empowering Underserved Youth and Families 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 211 - Case Management in Human Services 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 233 - Ethics in Human Services Counseling  3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 240 - Supporting Clients Experiencing Psychopathology 3 Credit(s).

Semester 4

• Behavioral Health Counseling AOC:

• HUSC 210 - Behavioral Health Counseling with Families 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 244 - Counseling Clients with Co-Occurring Disorders 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 266 - Clinical Field Placement in Behavioral Health Counseling 6 Credit(s).
• Gen. Ed. Elective - Biological and Physical Sciences (BIOL 108  recommended) 3-4 Credit(s).

•  

• Human Services Generalist AOC

• HUSC 250 - Crisis Intervention 3 Credit(s).
• HUSC 273 - Internship: Human Services Counseling 3 Credit(s).
• Gen. Ed. Elective - Biological and Physical Sciences (BIOL 108  recommended) 3-4 Credit(s).
• Program Electives 6 Credit(s).

General Education Requirements and Electives – 18-20 Credits

Program Requirements and Electives - 42 Credits

Additional Outcomes - Behavioral Health Counseling AOC

Upon completion of the Behavioral Health Counseling Area of Concentration, students will be able to:

1. apply the core functions of Behavioral Health Counseling with diverse clients in a variety of work settings;
2. accurately assess, diagnose, and provide a treatment plan for people with behavioral health needs, within the counselor’s scope of practice;
3. demonstrate treatment interventions appropriate to clients’ needs, diagnoses, desired treatment outcomes, and cultural experiences;
4. recognize the impact of psychoactive substance use in all facets of the individual’s experience, including the physical, social, and familial impacts; and,
5. work within ethical guidelines and the professional expectations of the fields of counseling.

Additional Outcomes - Human Services Generalist AOC

Upon completion of the Human Services Area of Concentration, students will be able to:

1. demonstrate standards of professional conduct including oral and written communication;
2. assess and document a client’s current status utilizing basic counseling skills;
3. collaborate as an active member of a multi-disciplinary case management team that implements the individualized treatment plan;
4. explore the differing career paths available within the human services fields; and
5. work within ethical guidelines and the professional expectations of the fields of counseling.