Human Services

The Degree

Associate in Science (A.S.)

The Outlook

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 expanding employment opportunities.

The Program

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.

Technology: 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.

Honors Courses: 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.

The Experience

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.

Internships: Field placement and internship opportunities are many and varied. In 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.

The Graduates

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.

The Scholarships

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.

The Faculty

Human Services faculty hold advanced degrees and credentials in their field and bring a wealth of experience to the Human Service Degree Program. With advanced degrees in education, social work and mental health, and clinical and agency experience, our professors strive to create a challenging learning environment for the students. This environment is both practical and experiential, as well as knowledge based. Human Services faculty are dedicated to helping students achieve their academic and career goals in the ever-expanding field of human services.

Human Services

Curriculum Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 64 credit hours with a grade point average of not less than C (2.0).

All associate degree programs require English 101 Freshman English and English 102 Introduction to Literature. Students must pass skills assessment for entrance into these courses. Students who are well prepared may substitute ENG 104 English I Honors and ENG 105 English II Honors for ENG101 and ENG102. Students who are considering the English Honors sequence should consult the Director of Honors.

Students must successfully complete:

Humanities

  • ENG101 Freshman English and ENG 102 Introduction to Literature
    or
    ENG104 English I Honors and ENG105 English II Honors
  • COM 110 Public Speaking OR COM 115 Interpersonal Comm.

Social Science

  • PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology
  • SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology
  • PSY 150 Interviewing and Counseling
  • SOC 110 Social Problems and Deviant Behavior
  • 3 credit hours of history electives
  • 3 credit hours of social science electives

Mathematics/Science

  • 9 credit hours of mathematics/science credits determined through advisement (must include at least one math and one science course)

Human Services

  • HUS 102 Human Services in Contemporary America
  • HUS 204 Field Experience I
  • HUS 205 Field Experience II

Information Management

  • 3 credit hours of computer science electives based on individual student’s background and determined through advisement

Health/Physical Education

  • PE 214 First Aid - Responding to Emergencies OR PE 212 Health
  • 1 credit hour of health/physical education elective

Electives

  • 10 credit hours of general electives

Students who are transferring to four-year institutions should follow the general education course requirements for transfer to SUNY and non-SUNY schools. View the general education requirements for more details.

Human Services

Sample Schedule

The schedule below shows how the requirements for the A.S. Human Services degree may be met in four semesters. This schedule is an example of one of many possible schedules. It is included here only as an illustration of the type of schedule that might be followed by a full-time student. Many students attending Finger Lakes Community College who have work and/or family obligations choose a different sequence of courses and take more than four semesters to fulfill the requirements for the A.S. Human Services degree. Similarly, students who find they need to take some additional course work to prepare them to do well in the types of courses included in the A.S. Human Services degree program may plan a schedule that takes more than four semesters to complete the degree. All students should consult their advisor when they plan their schedule.

* Specific elective courses will be based on student's background and selected with faculty advisement.

First Semester (16 Credit hours)

  • ENG 101 Freshman English (3)
  • HUS 102 Human Services in Contemporary America (3)
  • PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology (3)
  • MAT 121 Statistics I (3)
  • Computer Science Elective* (3)
  • Health/Physical Education Elective (1)

Second Semester (15 Credit hours)

  • ENG 102 Introduction to Literature (3)
  • SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology (3)
  • PSY 150 Interviewing and Counseling (3)
  • MAT 122 Statistics II (3)
  • PE 214 First Aid-RTE OR PE 212 Health (3)

Third Semester (16 Credit hours)

  • HUS 204 Field Experience I (4)
  • COM 110 OR COM 115 (3)
  • SOC 110 Social Problems (3)
  • General Elective (3)
  • History Elective (3)

Fourth Semester (16/17 Credit hours)

  • HUS 205 Field Experience II (4)
  • **Science Elective (3/4)
  • *Social Science Elective (3)
  • *General Elective (3)
  • *General Elective (3)

*Specific elective courses will be based on student's background and selected with faculty advisement.

**Science elective based upon discussion with advisor.