Social Work & Human Services

Enhance your skills as a supervisor or advanced clinician. You will explore major methods and practices as well as ethical and legal issues that you may encounter as a supervisor working with staff from diverse backgrounds.

Develop and assess the best possible strategies in practice interventions with individuals and families facing chronic or terminal illness, disability, and issues associated with aging

Explore the psychology of addiction and the various interventions available for individuals and families who are dealing with addictive behavior.

Explore the fundamentals of successful collaboration with legislators and lobbyists to create public policies that generate sustainable change.

Explore advanced qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method research methodologies. You will develop the skills to collect and analyze complex data and to apply this knowledge to the field of human services and the study of diverse populations.

Examine the theory and strategies to respond to the initial needs of a community in an emergency situation and how to assist victims and caregivers after the initial crisis has passed.

Create your own learning experience through the General Program. Explore topics of interest that align with your personal and professional goals.

Gain a broad understanding of the current educational environment and explore theories and best practices in adult learning.

Explore topics such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and vicarious trauma and learn about the emotional impact of parent-child separation, frequent family relocations, extensive deployments, and other issues experienced by military families.

Study strategies to promote well-being in a variety of settings, including schools, communities, and organizations.

Explore the impact of societal expectations on the elderly and demographic trends, including global cross-cultural issues in aging.

Develop the skills to help individuals navigate community mental health services. The program explores the role of mental health in health behavioral changes, and you will gain a solid understanding of the assessment and referral system for mental health intervention and support.

Understand the use of advanced clinical theory and research methodology within a unique, client-centered ecological context.

Study the nature of leadership in human service organizations, including the management of nonprofits

Explore traditional and contemporary intervention and rehabilitation approaches for both offenders and victims.

With this specialization, you can study best practices related to traditional forms of intervention for both offenders and victims, including individual and group therapy.

Explore current forms of intervention and help pave the road for advances in individual and group psychotherapy and processes such as restorative justice. Use this knowledge to inform your role as a scholar, educator, policy analyst, agency leader, or researcher.

In the Mental Health specialization, you will develop the skills to help individuals navigate community mental health services. The program explores the role of mental health in health behavioral changes and provides a solid understanding of the assessment and referral system for mental health intervention and support.

Do you aspire to take on a leadership role in the human services field? This specialization focuses on topics such as public management and leadership, program development and implementation, and staff development and training—the core competencies you will need to effectively lead a human services agency or organization.

Aging populations with special needs are creating a greater demand for professionals who can facilitate the integration of services for the older adult, including health and home care, financial and lifestyle, and issues of daily living. The Gerontology specialization prepares you to meet this growing need. In this program, you will explore the impact of societal expectations on the elderly and demographic trends, including global cross-cultural issues in aging.

Walden’s MS in Human Services General Program explores the full spectrum of human services competencies and strategies. As a student, you will gain insight into the history of the profession, learn best practices for human services delivery systems, and practice effective program planning and evaluation methods.

In this concentration, students will extend their knowledge of the role of social workers in the changing healthcare environment, the needs of clients and families, the issues faced by vulnerable populations, and how to work as part of a care team in a hospital, nursing home, or hospice facility. Students will gain knowledge in supporting individual clients, families, and communities around resources and services for populations dealing with acute or chronic illness, terminal illness, disabilities, and challenges of age.

This concentration prepares students for work in community social service agencies, child welfare agencies, and the juvenile justice system. Students will develop the knowledge and skills needed to effectively identify and address the critical needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged children, youth, and families.

The Advanced Clinical Practice concentration is designed for students who intend to become advanced social work practitioners providing services to individuals, families, groups, and communities.