Major code AA5201 

College of Health Sciences and Professions
Social Work, Department of
Morton Hall 416
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1269
Fax: 740.593.0427

Mary Jane Preece,  Human Services Technology, System Coordinator, contact person
preecem@ohio.edu

Available at the following locations:

• Chillicothe
• Lancaster
• Southern

Program Overview

The Human Services Technology (HST) program offers a two-year course of study leading to an Associate of Applied Science degree. Courses are offered online or via videoconference.  The program offers a generalist approach, which provides knowledge and skills applicable to the provision of help to diverse people in various settings (e.g., mental health, social services, corrections, etc.).

The HST practicum courses provide the opportunity for first-hand experiences with a wide range of human needs and problems. Placements are available in a variety of settings and programs such as: mental health, chemical dependency, social services, domestic violence, adult and juvenile corrections, prevention services, children services, Goodwill, and community action programs.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the human service technology major, students will have:

• Learned skills applicable to diverse settings, including mental health facilities, prisons, social service agencies, and nursing homes.
• Completed a practicum that demonstrates the development of their professional and ethical helping attitudes, values, and beliefs.
• Gained a greater understanding of the culture and diversity of clients.
• Learned how to help, educate, and interact with clients using intervention techniques and strategies.
• Developed the necessary academic skills to pursue additional degrees and certifications.

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

This program may require that students participate in a BCI background check in addition to the Ohio University admission requirements.

Change of Program Requirements

No selective or limited admission requirements are required of Human Services Technology majors.

External Transfer Admission

Students are encouraged to meet with Mary Jane Preece, the Program Coordinator, or an Academic Advisor to discuss the transfer of coursework from another institution.

Opportunities Upon Graduation

The Human Services Technology program (HST) offers a two-year course of study leading to an Associate of Applied Science degree. The program offers a generalist approach, which provides knowledge and skills applicable to a diversity of settings (e.g., mental health, social services, corrections, etc.). Students may be eligible to apply for a Social Work Assistant certification in the State of Ohio and/or a Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant license in the State of Ohio dependent upon current licensure or certification laws, practicum work experience, and supervision specifications.

Secondly, by supplementing technical training with a broad academic background in the traditional liberal arts areas, students are well prepared to pursue various various four-year degree options, some of which can provide the necessary academic background for graduate study in human service-related fields such as counseling or social work. The HST curriculum allows graduates to further their education by completing a bachelor’s degree in social work, communication, criminal justice, technical and applied studies (B.T.A.S. in a social service track) or in specialized studies with as few as two additional years of full-time study. Students are also encouraged to progress to either a Master of Education degree majoring in counseling or a Master of Social Work degree.

Graduates may find employment in areas such as human service worker, case manager, chemical dependency counselor assistant, social work assistant, community support worker, mental health technician, prevention specialist, community outreach worker, life skills counselor, children’s advocacy worker, or gerontology aide. The social service agencies in which our graduates may expect to find employment are too numerous to list (i.e., wide ranging from child protection services, case management services, mental health centers, adoption agencies and foster care services).

Requirements