Department Information
Department of Counseling & Human Services
PO Box 70701
Phone: (423) 439-7692
Web Address: www.etsu.edu/coe/chs/humanservices/
Coordinator: Audrey Besch; bescha@etsu.edu
All incoming Human Services majors will be advised by the professional advising staff in Clemmer College of Education and Human Development Office of Student Success.
All Human Services majors will have a faculty mentor, depending upon the student’s last name.
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, family studies, and trauma and resilience are available through our department. The Department also offers programs leading to the Master of Arts degree in School Counseling, and Clinical Mental Health Counseling, a graduate certificate in Nature Based Therapy, and a Master of Science in Individual, Family, and Community Sciences.
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.
Double Counting Course Restrictions
- Human Services Major and Family Studies Minor : One course (3 credits) from the following list can be double counted: HDAL 1110 , HDAL 2320 , HDAL 3110 , HDAL 4011 , HDAL 4950 , HDAL 4127 , or HDAL 4137 .
- Human Services Major and Trauma and Resilience Minor : One course (3 credits) from the following list can be double counted: HDAL 2000 , HDAL 3610 , HDAL 4127 , HDAL 4001 ,or HDAL 4137 .
- Human Services Major and Human Development & Learning Minor: It is advised that Human Services Majors not minor in HDAL.
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 and Continuance Policy
- Students who have earned admission to ETSU may declare their major as Human Services. Contact a Clemmer College of Education and Human Development academic advisor or your faculty mentor to declare your major.
- Success as a human service major and human service professional requires diligent study, personal maturity, and interpersonal skills.
- Reflecting diligent study, human service majors must have a GPA of 2.5 in the major to enroll in HDAL 4710 and HDAL 4720.
- The human service profession requires interpersonal skills, ethical and personal maturity, and respect of others. Students who fall significantly below program expectations in these areas, who receive negative feedback from a field experience supervisor, or violate the ETSU Honor Code or Ethical Standards for Human Service professionalism, may be sanctioned by the program. An elaboration of “fit for the profession” and the remediation and sanction process is located in the student handbook and is linked from the program homepage.
Graduating with a Degree in Human Services from ETSU requires the following:
- Students majoring in HSER are required to complete the university’s general education core. In addition, students must complete a minor or second major. In all, students must complete 120 credits (see typical program of study).
- Students must have a GPA of 2.50 in the major in order to enroll in HDAL 4710 Practicum and HDAL 4720 Internship.
- A cumulative grade point average of 2.50 (or higher) is required in the major at the time of graduation.
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