Department Information
Department of Counseling & Human Services
P.O. Box 70701
Phone: (423) 439-7692
Web Address: www.etsu.edu/coe/chs/humanservices/
Coordinator: Julia Bernard
Advisors: Julia Bernard, Bill Garris, Mary R. Langenbrunner, Bethany Novotny, Teresa Brooks-Taylor
Email: bernardjm1@etsu.edu; garrisb@etsu.edu; langenbr@etsu.edu; novotny@etsu.edu; taylort@etsu.edu
Counseling and Human Services offers programs that focus on the application of development, learning, and other psychological principles in a wide variety of settings including home, school, and community. Courses in the behavioral sciences are provided both for majors and students in other academic areas. Areas of emphasis include developmental, educational and applied psychology, assessment, human services, counseling, early child development, and special education.
The Department of Counseling and Human Services offers one undergraduate program leading to the Bachelor of Science degree. In addition, minors in human development and learning and family studies are available through our department. Also offered are programs leading to the master of arts degree in school counseling, couples and family therapy, clinical mental health counseling, and college counseling/student affairs.
Students failing to demonstrate ethical and/or professional behaviors, as required by the appropriate professional associations, upon review and substantiation (with due process), may be denied continuance in departmental programs.
Human Services (HSER)
The program in Human Services leads to the Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) and is designed to provide a human and behavioral science background for persons interested in entering professions such as counseling, case management, teaching, program administration, and similar endeavors. Human service practitioners work in a variety of settings for a broad range of organizations dedicated to helping others transition through their developmental issues and processes.
Human service professionals compose the largest number and proportion of helping professionals, exceeding psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers combined. All these professions work together in providing the best of care for people as they grow and develop through life. The Bachelor of Science in Human Services program at East Tennessee State University has been accredited by the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE).
Many graduates of Human Services continue their education beyond the bachelor’s degree. Students often select the Human Services degree program in order to become licensed counselors, especially in school, marriage and family, community agency, or college/university settings. Students entering graduate programs in audiology and speech-language pathology, counseling, education, psychology, and related health professions regularly take Human Services coursework to prepare for their competencies.
Professional employment in Human Services is applied in treatment centers, hospitals, child and youth care facilities, community mental health centers, colleges/universities, schools, academies, governmental and non-governmental organizations, institutions, group homes, foster and transitional care, in-home counseling, homeless and runaway shelters, community action agencies, wilderness and adventure programming, or similar programs for social and personal development.
Admission Policy
- Students are not formally admitted to the program until they have completed 30 credits; however, interested students are encouraged to seek advising earlier. Students seeking advising or admission should see the program coordinator.
- A broadly based determination of the applicant’s potential for academic and professional success will be made by departmental faculty. Factors considered for admission will include the applicant’s academic record, entrance examination scores, career goals, and communication skills. The following indicators of academic performance will be given particular attention.
- Scores on either the ACT or SAT will be considered in the context of the applicant’s high school and college record. Students with ACT subscores of less than 19 (16 if the ACT was taken prior to 1989) or SAT subscores of less than 360 and students who have not taken the ACT or SAT may be required to complete a prescribed program of courses prior to a final decision for admission.
- A grade point average of 2.50 on all college-level courses completed at the time of admission is a minimum criterion.
- Effective communication skills are required. Students who lack acceptable communication skills but who are otherwise qualified for admission may be asked to complete certain courses or undergo other experiences in order to correct the noted deficiencies. Upon completion of the assigned remedial experiences, admission will either be granted, denied or additional work will be recommended.
- Certain students who fail to meet minimum requirements for admission may be admitted on a probationary basis provided they have acceptable communication skills as noted above. Those students who present evidence of significant work experiences with children or adults, or those students whose admission test scores and/or grades are determined to have been diminished by cultural, linguistic, or certain educational factors may be admitted with the written understanding that they maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.50. Students who also lack acceptable communication skills must satisfy the requirements described in item 2(c), above, prior to probationary admission.
Course and Graduation Policy
- Students majoring in HSER are required to complete the university’s general education core, a minor or second major, and electives chosen by the student and approved by the faculty advisor. In all, students must complete 120 credits (see typical program of study).
- Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.50 in order to enroll in HDAL 4710 Practicum and HDAL 4720 Internship .
- A cumulative grade point average of 2.50 is required for all work completed at the time of graduation.
- Provided they have satisfied all other university, college, and departmental requirements, students may be granted the Bachelor of Science degree if they have the approved general education core and the minor or second major, and met requirements described in the above listed items.
Degree Requirements: 120 credits
| General Education |
41-42 credits |
| Major Total Requirement |
39 credits |
| Major Core |
(27 credits) |
| Field Experience |
(6 credits) |
| Advisor Approved Electives |
(6 credits) |
| Minor |
18-24 credits |
| Free Electives |
15-22 credits |
| TOTAL |
120 credits |
Suggested Four-Year Program of Study: HSER-BS
GPA requirement: A 2.5 GPA is required for all work (overall GPA) completed at the time of graduation.
General Education Requirements
These requirements include earning 41-42 credits in Communication, Humanities and Fine Arts, Social and Behavior Sciences, History, Natural Sciences and Mathematics categories.
Major Specific courses listed in General Education Requirements:
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