The human services administration major addresses the needs of students who are moving into supervisory and administrative roles in the human services or in related settings such as education, health care, or human resource administration. A combination of knowledge and skills in both management and human development provides a strong foundation for enacting such administrative roles. The core of the human development component of the major is a series of three courses examining in detail the development of the individual from conception through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. The series provides an understanding not only of those receiving services, but also of employees and colleagues and their families.
All courses devote considerable attention to implications for intervention in the human services.
Principles of effective management and the functioning of organizations . Courses in management theory and practice, organization behavior and decision making, and human resource management contribute to the knowledge needed to function effectively and take a leadership role in one's organization. The wider social context of organizations . This theme is emphasized throughout the curriculum so that students become increasingly aware of the impact of social conditions and social policy on the human services. In addition, a professional development seminar specifically addresses issues of service delivery and social policy in the human services system.