The U.S. Labor Department expects employment for human service workers to grow faster than the average due to the expansion of facilities and programs for the elderly and disabled and services for families in crisis. The Human Services degree program at Finger Lakes Community College is designed to prepare you for these growing employment opportunities.

The Associate in Science (A.S.) degree in Human Services is designed for students interested in careers in human services, working with children, youth, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and those in need, and for those who want to develop skills for employment in community agencies providing health, education, and welfare services.

The program requires you to use Internet search techniques, with several classes held in FLCC's new technology-enhanced classrooms. The classroom structure in this degree program is conducive to small group and cooperative learning.

In addition, the College offers honors courses that provide enhanced educational experiences for students who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability. Enrollment in honors courses is open to qualified students enrolled in this degree program, as well as all other qualified FLCC students. Successful completion of honors courses or an Honors Certificate may increase student transfer options to four-year
institutions.

Field placement and internship opportunities are many and varied. Any given semester, the program utilizes 25 different sites such as Hillside Children's Center, Rape Crisis Centers, Department of Social Services, Community Action Program, and the American Red Cross. The program supports travel to conferences and seminars for students.

As a member of the Human Service/Social Science Club at Finger Lakes, you will actively participate in activities such as food and clothing drives, Gleaner's Community Kitchen, Oxfam Hunger Banquet, CROP Walk, March of Dimes Walk, and the Adam Walsh Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Graduates from this program are employed as residence counselors, child care-givers, day care teachers, resident advocates, sociotherapists, and other entry-level human service positions. Those transferring to baccalaureate programs in the areas of social work, special education, and psychology have found success at Nazareth College of Rochester, SUNY Colleges at Brockport and Geneseo, Keuka College, and St. John Fisher College, among others.*

*This is a sampling of some of the four-year colleges and universities to which our students have transferred. Please consult your advisor or the Center for Advisement and Personal Development for a complete listing of transfer agreements between Finger Lakes Community College and four-year institutions.

Students in the Human Services degree program meeting specific criteria may qualify for a number of scholarships including the Kiwanis Human Services Award, Alice B. Southgate Home Bureau Scholarship, Donald Burgan Community Scholarship, and the Ontario County Council of Social Agencies Members (OCCSAM) Scholarship. For details, contact a member of the Social Sciences Department or the Financial Aid Office.