To earn your Master of Human Services degree you must successfully complete 36 hours of online classes: 24 hours in core human services courses and 12 hours in one area of specialization.

Core Courses

HS 500 History and Foundations of Human Service Systems (3 credit hours)
This course examines from a broad perspective the philosophy, values, concepts, trends, challenges and opportunities of human service systems.

GERO 514 Policy, Programs & Services (3 credit hours)
Students become acquainted with human services policies and programs for an aging population, an emerging demographic in need of services.

HS 533 Intercultural Communication in Counseling, Health and Human Services (3 credit hours)
Designed to help students understand the uniqueness of cultures and their norms, this course covers differences in communication styles and strategies for successful communication across cultural and racial backgrounds.

MGMT 543 Leadership and Organizational Behavior (3 credit hours)
This course helps students emerge as leaders by analyzing and understanding organizational processes. Students examine concepts and theories of behavioral science through individual, group and structural behaviors. Learning outcomes include ethics, communication skills, analysis and problem solving, and cultural understanding.

HS 550 Issues in Human Service Administration (3 credit hours)
This course introduces basic theories, practices and relevant issues in human service agencies. As a result, students will develop skills to work effectively within an organization, hone their observational skills and understand political dynamics of service delivery groups.

PSY 555 Lifespan Development (3 credit hours)
Students examine the interdisciplinary development—physical, cognitive, psychosocial and spiritual—at each stage of growth in the individual and family life cycle. The establishment a spiritual foundation that supports family life ministry is discussed.  

PSY 560 Professional Ethics
This course emphasizes the integrity of the human service profession. The course begins with a brief introduction to theological ethics, and then moves to practical issues in personal morality, which will be discussed in relation to family and society. This course will also address contemporary issues faced by persons who work in the field of human services.

HS 599 Practicum in Human Services/Gero/Family Life (3 credit hours)
Students conduct programmatic research and implement an aging services project in their area of professional interest. An interview with the program director is required before enrollment is approved.

Gerontology Specialization Courses

GERO 502 Social Gerontology (3 credit hours)
The process of aging covers multiple academic and psychosocial disciplines. This course integrates social policy and professional practice into a broad knowledge base of science and research. Principles of gerontological research are reviewed.

GERO 503 Mental Health and Aging (3 credit hours)
This course provides students with a comprehensive study of mental health issues associated with aging.

GERO 520 Long-Term Care Administration (3 credit hours)
Students survey issues and best practices related to long-term care administration.

FL 533 Aging and the Family (3 credit hours)
This course offers a lifespan view of aging as experienced by individuals and within families. Students will examine theoretical frameworks, aging’s psychosocial aspects, public policy, and the generational issues faced by families and individuals. Students will assess organizations and agencies in their community in the context of ethical issues and ministry opportunities.

Community and Public Health Specialization Courses

MPH 500 Fundamentals of Public Health (3 credit hours)
Provides an introduction and historical overview of public health and its core concepts.
           
MPH 515 Principles of Health Behavior (3 credit hours)
Provides an overview of behavioral health and examines behavioral models and theories in order to understand behavior change, health risk behavior, and psychological/behavioral factors that affect physical conditions in individuals and populations. Students will apply theory to a variety of health concerns.

MPH 584 Community Health (3 credit hours)
Students study the nature, extent and causes of basic community health problems to build an understanding of the purpose, function, organization and administration of community health services at local, state and national levels.

MPH 585 Programming and Evaluation in Public Health (3 credit hours)
Emphasizes the design, implementation, assessment and program evaluation of community-based health interventions.

Human Services Leadership and Management Specialization Courses

GERO 520 Long-Term Care Administration (3 credit hours)
This course surveys issues and best practices related to long-term care administration.

MPH 500 Fundamentals of Public Health (3 credit hours)
Provides an introduction and historical overview of public health and its core concepts.

MPH 525 Health Policy and Management (3 credit hours)
Students study the health care system through population-based health care, health management concepts and methodology, and current health policy issues and their application.

MPH 588 Marketing Public Health (3 credit hours)
This course focuses on how marketing principles can modify individual behavior, improve social and economic conditions, and reform social policy.

MGMT 562 Organizational Resource Development (3 credit hours)
This course is designed to teach students how to acquire and manage resources for an organization. Students will learn about resource stewardship and what motivates individuals and corporations to support an organization or one of its projects.  Specific topics include fundraising, grant writing and budgeting.

Generalist Track Courses

Choose any four electives from the previous three specializations to build a broad knowledge base across career tracks.

Find out more about Concordia University, Nebraska’s curriculum of online human services courses. Request more information today or call us at 877-497-5848 to speak to an advisor about human services training.