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Human Services at BHSU

The Black Hills State University Human Services program provides students with the knowledge necessary to understand and address the needs of various human populations. This program allows students to study the psychology and sociology of human behavior, while our human services classes provide hands-on learning opportunities. The BHSU Human Services program also offers three emphasis options: Justice Studies, Family Studies, or Community Studies. These options allow students to focus their studies within the field best suited to their professional goals. Faculty and staff are here to help students identify their goals and navigate a path to achieve them. This includes personal guidance and support with internships, employment, and graduate school opportunities.

Get Involved

Internships are service experiences for students who have already attained considerable academic preparation related to a professional field. Internships involve advanced undergraduate or graduate students working in professional settings under the supervision of practicing professionals. Not only does an internship provide an amazing learning opportunity, and many internships earn students academic credit. To learn more about internship credit at BHSU, please view our Internship Manual. Internship experiences may also involve some type of income. There are many internship opportunities available for students wanting to gain practical experience.

Possible Internship Opportunities:

Human Services Faculty

Faculty within the BHSU Human Services program have a wide-range of experience in human services related research and work. Our faculty includes licensed clinical psychologists, professional counselors, former youth programming workers, sustainability scholars, and community development researchers. Faculty are well connected with human services agencies and organizations within and beyond South Dakota.

Professional Organizations

Stay connected in the realm of Human Services by joining a professional organization.

Curriculum

Beginning with the very first Human Services course, the BHSU Human Services curriculum is designed to help you envision your goals and build a path to achieving them. The interdisciplinary core curriculum delivers a well-rounded understanding of human behavior from our sociology and psychology faculty, while the human services courses focus on applying this knowledge to important practical skills. Three emphasis areas allow you to focus your studies within the coursework most closely aligned with your professional goals, including: Justice Studies, Family Studies, and Community Studies. Our faculty and advisors will help you tailor your curriculum in a way that reflects your unique professional goals.

BHSU HMS Core Curriculum – 30 credits

• HMS200: INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN SERVICES

• HMS351: Case Management

• HMS400: Program Planning & Evaluation

• SOC100: Introduction to Sociology

• SOC150: Social Problems

• SOC307: Research Methods I

• SOC350: Race & Ethnic Relations

• SOC400: Social Policy

• PSYC101: General Psychology

• PSYC451: Psychology of Abnormal Behavior

• PSYC452: Psychology of Trauma

BHSU HMS Emphases – 12 credits

BHSU Human Services consists of an interdisciplinary core curriculum of Human Services, Psychology, and Sociology courses. The core curriculum is supported by electives from three emphasis areas, including: Community Studies, Family Studies, and Justice Studies. With these emphases, advisors and students choose courses to build a path toward the student’s professional interest. (See curriculum below, for full course listing please see official university catalog)

BHSU HMS Core Curriculum – 36 semester hours

3 SOC 100: Introduction to Sociology OR SOC 150: Social Problems
3 HMS 200: Introduction to Human Services
3 HMS 300: Interviewing/Crisis Intervention
3 HMS 351: Case Management
3 HMS 400: Program Planning & Evaluation
3 PSYC 101: General Psychology
3 PSYC 451: Psychology of Abnormal Behavior
3 PSYC 452: Psychology of Trauma
3 SOC 307: Research Methods I
3 SOC 308: Research Methods II
3 SOC 350: Race & Ethnic Relations
3 SOC 400: Social Policy

BHSU HMS Emphasis – 12 semester hours

Justice Studies Emphasis

Justice Studies coursework is designed to prepare students for careers in law enforcement, criminal justice casework services, probation and parole services, and more.

1-3 HMS 492 - Topics
1-6 HMS 494 - Internship
3 POLS 210 - State & Local Government
3 POLS 320 - Public Administration
3 POLS 402 - Judicial Process
3 POLS 430 - Constitutional Law
3 PSYC 481 - Psychology, Law, and Order
3 SOC 201 - Introduction to Criminal Justice
3 SOC 326 - Mediation and Conflict Resolution
3 SOC 351 - Criminology
3 SOC 402 - Social Deviance
3 SOC 416 - Drugs and Society
3 SOC 422 - Issues in Contemporary Indian Life
3 SOC 455 - Juvenile Delinquency
3 SOC 456 - Community Corrections

Family Studies Emphasis

Coursework within the Family Studies emphasis provides foundational knowledge for students who wish to work in child and family services, serving older adults, or other positions requiring knowledge of family dynamics.

1-3 HMS 492 - Topics
1-6 HMS 494 - Internship
3 PSYC 221 - Lifespan Developmental Psychology
3 PSYC 266 - Psychology of Women
3 PSYC 325 - Child and Adolescent Development
3 PSYC 368 - Psychology of Sexuality
3 PSYC 417 - Health Psychology
3 PSYC 425 - Gerontological Psychology
3 SOC 326 - Mediation and Conflict Resolution
3 SOC 382 - The Family
3 SOC 416 - Drugs and Society
3 SOC 422 - Issues in Contemporary Indian Life
3 SOC 458 - Sociology of Aging
3 SOC 471 - Medical Sociology
3 SOC 483 - Sociology of Gender Roles

Community Studies Emphasis

Students pursuing the Community Studies emphasis will find classes suited to working in local or state government services, nonprofit organizations, and other positions suited to serving communities.

1-3 HMS 492 - Topics
1-6 HMS 494 - Internship
3 POLS 210 - State & Local Government
3 POLS 250 - Introduction to International Relations
3 POLS 319 - Civic Engagement and Activism
3 POLS 320 - Public Administration
3 SOC 151 - Social Issues in Sustainability
3 SOC 326 - Mediation and Conflict Resolution
3 SOC 422 - Issues in Contemporary Indian Life
3 SOC 440 - Urban Sociology
3 SOC 463 - Environmental Sociology

Supportive Electives

**Take 1 course from each group below. Courses must be different than those used to satisfy Gen Ed & Major requirements**

3 Social Science: AIS/LAKL, ANTH, CMST, GEOG, HIST

3 Humanities: ART, ARTH, ENGL, FREN, GER, HUM, MCOM, PHIL, RUSS, SPAN, THEA

General Education Requirements – 32 credits

ENGL 101
ENGL 201
CMST - Gen Ed - Speech (1 class) - 3 semester hours
MATH - Gen Ed - Mathematics (1 class) - 3 semester hours
Gen Ed - Social Science (2 classes from different subjects) - 6 semester hours
Gen Ed - Arts & Humanities (2 classes from different subjects or a foreign language sequence) - 6 semester hours
Gen Ed - Natural Sciences & Lab (2 classes/corresponding labs) - 6-8 semester hours

A minor is required with this major plus electives to total 120 hours, of which 36 hours must be 300-400 level courses.

Notes: This program guide serves as a resource for you. For official program requirements, please check with the official catalog.

**Current students, please refer to the DegreeWorks Dashboard in MyBHSU to confirm your major requirements.**

Required Core - 24 semester hours

3 HMS 200 Introduction to Human Service
3 HMS 300 Interviewing/Crisis Intervention
3 HMS 351 Case Management
3 PSYC 101 General Psychology
3 PSYC 451 Psychology of Abnormal Behavior
3 PSYC 452 Psychology of Trauma
3 SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology (Gen Ed) OR 3 SOC 150 Social Problems (Gen Ed)
3 SOC 400 Social Policy

Select one emphasis & take 6 hours

Justice Studies

1-3 HMS 492 Topics
3 POLS 210 State & Local Government
3 POLS 320 Public Administration
3 POLS 402 Judicial Process
3 POLS 430 Constitutional Law
3 PSYC 481 Psychology, Law, and Order
3 SOC 201 Introduction to Criminal Justice
3 SOC 307 Research Methods I
3 SOC 326 Mediation and Conflict Resolution
3 SOC 351 Criminology
3 SOC 402 Social Deviance
3 SOC 416 Drugs and Society
3 SOC 422 Issues in Contemporary Indian Life
3 SOC 455 Juvenile Delinquency
3 SOC 456 Community Corrections

Family Studies

1-3 HMS 492 Topics
3 PSYC 221 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
3 PSYC 266 Psychology of Women
3 PSYC 325 Child and Adolescent Development
3 PSYC 368 Psychology of Sexuality
3 PSYC 417 Health Psychology
3 PSYC 425 Gerontological Psychology
3 SOC 307 Research Methods
3 SOC 326 Mediation and Conflict Resolution
3 SOC 382 The Family
3 SOC 416 Drugs and Society
3 SOC 422 Issues in Contemporary Indian Life
3 SOC 458 Sociology of Aging
3 SOC 471 Medical Sociology
3 SOC 483 Sociology of Gender Roles

Community Service

1-3 HMS 492 Topics
3 POLS 210 State & Local Government
3 POLS 250 Introduction to International Relations
3 POLS 319 Civic Engagement and Activism
3 POLS 320 Public Administration
3 SOC 151 Social Issues in Sustainability
3 SOC 307 Research Methods
3 SOC 326 Mediation and Conflict Resolution
3 SOC 350 Race and Ethnic Relations
3 SOC 422 Issues in Contemporary Indian Life
3 SOC 440 Urban Sociology
3 SOC 463 Environmental Sociology

General Education Requirements

ENGL 101
ENGL 201
CMST - Gen Ed - Speech (1 class) - 3 semester hours
MATH - Gen Ed - Mathematics (1 class) - 3 semester hours
Gen Ed - Social Science (1 class) - 3 semester hours
Gen Ed - Arts & Humanities (1 class) - 3 semester hours
Gen Ed - Natural Science & Lab (1 class/corresponding lab) - 3-4 semester hours
Gen Ed Elective - Take one additional General Education course from Natural Science/Lab, Social Science, or Arts/Humanities. Must be from a different disciplinary prefix.

Additional Electives required to total 60 credits

**Current students, please refer to the DegreeWorks Dashboard in MyBHSU to confirm your major requirements.**

Human Services Plan of Study

Career Opportunities

Professional opportunities include:
» Caseworker
» Employment Specialist
» Probation/Pretrial/Parole Officer
» Child and Family Services Specialist
» Human Services Administration
» Social Service Assistant
» Graduate and Professional Programs

Colton Taylor

Class of 2021

Colton double majored in Human Services and Sociology.
Today Colton is a Deputy Sheriff in Williston, North Dakota.

Beyond the Classroom

After Graduation

Graduates of the BHSU Human Services enter in-demand careers within the criminal justice system, child and family services, mental health care, nonprofit administration, and other related fields. Our graduates have the necessary skills to advance beyond entry level positions. They also have the knowledge to become leaders within their field. BHSU Human Services maintains strong relationships with employers within and beyond South Dakota. This includes law enforcement agencies at the local/state/federal levels, state social services departments and agencies, nonprofit human and social services agencies, and more. From their very first human services course, students begin exploring professional opportunities and building their path toward achieving their career goals. The Human Services curriculum and high-quality mentorship from faculty and professional advisors help guide students wishing to further their education beyond BHSU. Many of our Human Services graduates attend graduate and professional programs, including social work (MSW), school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, addiction studies, public health (MPH), and more.

Job Outlook

Through 2030, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the field of human services to grow faster than average. From careers in child welfare services to law enforcement, the BHSU Human Services program provides students with the foundational skills and knowledge necessary to pursue any professional career in the field.

Contact Info

Dr. Trenton Ellis
Associate Professor, Human Services and Sociology
Trenton.Ellis@bhsu.edu
Jonas Skywalk 207 Map
Phone: 605-642-1283

Black Hills State University
1200 University St.
Spearfish, SD, USA 57799