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BSHS/305

Historical Development of Human Services: An Introduction

3 credits

Total credits

5 weeks

Course length

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Take this course on its own, or as part of a degree or certificate program.

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Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

Course level: Upper Division

In this course, students will learn the historical roots of human services and the creation of the human services profession. An investigation of current and historical legislation and how legislation is influenced by public and private attitudes provides a foundational understanding of basic human services ideology. A deep exploration of economic and governance systems affecting service delivery serves to develop essential skills for understanding and interpreting historical dynamics related to advocacy and social change initiatives in human services. Analysis of historical data and exposure to the range of political perspectives facilitates a general introduction and integration to the overall experience of the human service worker’s investment in the multidimensional field. (3 credits)

Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

What you'll learn

Course skills and outcomes

  • Identify the four themes of human services.
  • Identify professional disciplines that influence human services.
  • Explain how societal viewpoints have influenced human services over the past three centuries.
  • Explain how political and legislative changes have affected client care.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the behavioral standards for human services students and professionals.
  • Describe the qualifications for licensed and unlicensed careers in the field of human services.

  • Compare human service delivery models.
  • Describe why professionals choose to enter the helping field.
  • Identify the characteristics human service professionals typically possess.
  • Identify the various types and roles of human services professionals.
  • Describe the role of mental health facilitators in human services.
  • Demonstrate interpersonal and collaborative skills.

  • Identify the range of problems facing human services clients.
  • Describe the stages of the helping process.
  • Explain how human service professionals engage clients and the community in the helping process.
  • Explain how client personal history and perceptions influence access and engagement of services.
  • Identify the specific helping skills that can be used with clients.

  • Describe the role of collaboration in human services.
  • Explain how collaboration in human services promotes social, political, and economic change.
  • Summarize the role legislative policies have on human services codes of ethics.
  • Describe how to use the ethical decision-making model as a human services professional.
  • Identify client rights that human service professionals must protect.

  • Explain how human service delivery settings are influenced by evolving client needs.
  • Explain how client services are changing due to trends in technology.
  • Relate economic and political events to current trends in the human services field.
  • Identify demographic trends that will influence future needs in the delivery of human services.

Why UOPX

Why take courses at University of Phoenix

Accreditation that matters

We’ve been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) for more than 40 years.

Real-world instructors

Learn from instructors who bring an average of 25 years of working experience to the classroom.

Affordable and potentially reimbursable

Our tuition and fees are competitive and fixed. Also, check to see if your employer will cover you for this course.

Next Steps

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Transfer Credits

Credit Transfer

Need to transfer credits to another college or university?

Before you enroll in a course, check with your school of choice to make sure they will accept our transfer credits and to understand any requirements or limitations. Then you can complete your course, and request your official transcript be sent to your school. That’s it!

How to request your transcripts

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. Although our continuing teacher education courses are accepted by some state agencies in the United States toward teacher certifications and endorsements, this may not be the case in all states or foreign jurisdictions. If you plan to use courses for certification or endorsement, please check with your own state agency and your school district for applicability. Continuing teacher education courses are not eligible to apply to degree programs at University of Phoenix. These courses are not eligible for federal financial aid. Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.