Social Work & Human Services

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

In diverse populations, human services professionals must be in tune with the special needs of underrepresented or marginalized groups such as low-income, single-parent, gay and lesbian families, bisexual, and transgender.

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.

This specialization prepares you to work in community social work in non-licensure roles. You will study the prevention, intervention, and promotion of well-being in a variety of settings, including schools, communities, and organizations.

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.

From combat-related injuries to addiction, members of the armed forces may face a multitude of challenges both on the front lines and when they return home. In this specialization, you’ll deepen your understanding of military culture; explore topics such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and vicarious trauma; and examine how frequent relocations, parent-child separation, and extensive deployments impact military families.

From homelessness to substance abuse to poverty, there are a variety of factors that contribute to criminal behavior in modern society. In the Criminal Justice specialization, you will explore both traditional and contemporary intervention and rehabilitation approaches for offenders as well as their victims.

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.

Whether it’s an act of nature or an act of terror, effective crisis management leaders are needed to curtail the effects of the disaster and implement relief efforts. This specialization focuses on theories and strategies to meet the needs of individuals, families, and communities in crisis.