Human Services

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of individuals and make an impact in communities? Human services organizations need passionate professionals well versed in both the administrative and client-centered aspects of solving social problems. The Certificate in Human Services, administered by WSU’s Department of Human Development, explores multiple aspects of the human services field, ranging from finance and grant writing to psychological disorders and family dynamics.

Potential Careers

This certificate program is designed to assist students in building a theoretical and applied understanding of working with people in a variety of human service settings including, but not limited to, social service agencies, health care agencies, non-profits, and educational institutions.

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Program of Study—18 semester credits

All courses are 3 credits, unless noted.

A cumulative GPA of 2.6 or better is required in all courses used to fulfill this certificate.

An asterisk (*) indicates courses not offered through WSU Global Campus.

Required Courses

Nine credits:

  • H_D 385 – Perspectives in Human Services
  • H_D 479 – Program Development and Evaluation
  • One course from: H_D 300: Child and Family Violence, Abuse, and Neglect, H_D 301: Family Stress and Coping, H_D 403 [CAPS] Families in Poverty, or H_D 406: Work and Family.

Nine credits from:

  • H_D 101[SSCI] – Human Development Across the Lifespan
  • H_D 300 – Child and Family Violence, Abuse, and Neglect
  • H_D 301 – Family Stress and Coping
  • *H_D 315 – Leadership Theories and Practice
  • *H_D 334 [EQJS] – Principles of Community Development
  • H_D 341 – Guidance in Early Childhood Programs
  • H_D 350 [DIVR] – Family Diversity
  • H_D 360 – Death and Dying
  • H_D 384 – Prevention and Intervention in Human Development
  • H_D 403 [CAPS] – Families in Poverty
  • H_D 406 – Work and Family
  • H_D 410 – Public Policy Issues in Human Development
  • *H_D 415 [CAPS] – Peak Experiences in Leadership
  • H_D 418 [CAPS] – Health Equity
  • H_D 430 [M] – Professional and Grant Writing Skills 
  • H_D 482 – Child Assessment and Evaluation
  • PSYCH 110 – Introduction to Addiction Studies
  • PSYCH 306 – Industrial Psychology
  • PSYCH 308 – Organizational Psychology
  • PSYCH 309 – Diversity in Organizations
  • PSYCH 310 – Work, Stress, and Health
  • PSYCH 333 – Fundamentals of Psychological Disorders
  • CRM J 365/SOC 367 – Juvenile Justice and Corrections

Awarding of the Certificate

At the beginning of the student’s final semester of coursework, the student should apply to graduate with the certificate through myWSU. This will notify the Registrar’s Office to confer the certificate. Here’s how: From the myWSU  Student Homepage, select Academic Advising, then Apply to Graduate. The certificate should display as an option to select to Apply for Graduation. Certificates require a separate graduation application and are mailed separately from diplomas.