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Human Services - Evening
Human Services - Evening
Take online and evening courses to start working in crisis assessment, intervention, counseling strategies, program evaluation and grant writing
Learn the skills you need to work in service of others, in a program designed in service to you.
Gain knowledge and practice to help today’s most vulnerable populations
Our curriculum, guided by a strong emphasis on issues of social justice and human rights, will prepare you to address the needs of a range of diverse communities, groups, families and individuals in our society.  We focus on crisis intervention as well as problem solving and improving overall quality of life for all by building your knowledge base and best practices skills.
Through core coursework, you’ll gain an understanding of the connections between theory and research and their application to analysis and policy development. Once you’ve earned junior or senior standing, we’ll help you find community agency placements to earn practical skills and build your professional resume and network. A final-year course reviews ethical standards of professional behavior in this important field that’s facing challenging new demands every day.
HSV 101: Introduction to Human Services
This course addresses basic social service structures, both public and private as they serve families, individuals, and communities to meet the needs of citizens. The field of human services as a profession will be examined. The nature of how to build a professional helping relationship will be examined, along with the techniques and skills to avoid discouragement and burnout within the helping profession. Students will examine personal values and how those will influence a career in human services. 4 credits
SCJ 340: Race and Ethnic Relations OR CJ 335: Inequality and Justice
SCJ 340: Race and Ethnic Relations
This course explores the dynamics and results of inter-group relations. Prejudice and discrimination are examined in both historical and international perspective. Among the concrete topics discussed are affirmative action, multiculturalism, institutional discrimination, and the interrelationship of sex, class, and ethnicity. (DIVRSTY). 4 credits
CJ 335: Inequality and Justice
This course will introduce students to criminological thought on the intersection between crime and multiple social constructs such as race/ethnicity, gender, class, and sexual orientation. The course will consider how these areas impact people's interactions with the criminal justice systemas offenders, victims, and workers, as well as how issues of inequality are related to crime and criminal behavior. Prerequisites: CJ 101, CJ 343 or SOC 101. (DIVRSTY). 4 credits
HSV 250: Grant Writing and HSV 301: Counseling Strategies
HSV 250: Grant Writing
This practical grant writing course will provide the student with the fundamental skills needed to research, develop, write and submit grant proposals. Students will learn concepts of grant development, the components of a grant, how to research and identify funding sources, and how to develop and submit a complete grant proposal. Additionally, students will learn about different types of program evaluation, including needs assessment, process evaluation, monitoring of outputs and outcomes. Prerequisite: HSV 101. Offered once every other year.
HSV 301: Counseling Strategies
The goal of this course is to provide information about the theories and practice skills used in counseling, especially with non-voluntary clients or consumers. Emphasis will be placed on short-term therapy, reality therapy, mediation, cognitive therapy and counseling skill-building. (COLLABLDR). 4 credits
SCJ 341: Crisis Intervention and HSV 342: Human Behavior in the Social Environment
SCJ 341: Crisis Intervention
This course is designed to present conceptual frameworks and useful methods of intervention to help us understand and address a variety of crises confronting people in families and within their communities. We will examine numerous situations and have student study and practice responses to various crisis situations. Such topics as family violence, divorce/separation/desertion, sexual abuse of children in families, loss of family members through death, chemical abuse, criminal victimization, hostage situations, suicide, and community disasters will be examined. (ORALCOM). 4 credits
HSV 342: Human Behavior in the Social Environment
Survey course designed to introduce the student to various theoretical conceptualizations of the levels of human behavior (societal/cultural, community, organization, group, family, and individual). Students will examine issues related to social, cognitive and environmental factors that contribute to personal choice and decision-making. 4 credits
HSV 343: Social Welfare Policy and SCJ 352: Standards of Professional Behavior
HSV 343: Social Welfare Policy
An examination of the response of American society to people in need from the colonial period to the present. Social welfare programs in the United States will be studied within the contextual framework of social, economic, political and ideological influences. Students will learn methods for analyzing social welfare policy in light of social justice issues and methods for impacting social welfare policy. Prerequisite: one prior sociology or human services course, and junior/senior standing. (CIVIC). 4 credits
SCJ 352: Standards of Professional Behavior
Ethical concerns in human services professions will be examined. Dilemmas involving confidentiality and privacy, conflicts of interest, deception, coercion and control, and human subjects review will be explored within the broader context of the concepts of justice, fairness and respect. In addition to theoretical constructs of ethical issues that arise in social science disciplines, various written codes of conduct (such as National Association of Workers, American Corrections Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, American Bar Association and American Psychological Association) will be explored. Senior Standing required. (ETHICS, WRITCOM). 4 credits
HSV 348: Field Experience in Human Services
Required Capstone in the department. Placement in a court, planning agency, or other human services agency for a minimum of 120 hours of supervised fieldwork. Open to majors with Junior or Senior standing. (WRITCOM). 4 credits
Human Services Electives (2 total)
Select 8 credits of electives. Elective options include:
SOC 101: Intro to Sociology (CE)
SOC 204: Modern Social Problems
SOC 211: Sociology of the Family
SOC 311: Women: The Struggle for Equality (DP)
SOC 321: Methods of Social Research (IL)
ANTH 210: Cultural Anthropology (WC)
ANTH 310: Indians of the Americas
NOTE: One course (4 credits) can be from a related area outside of the department, with departmental approval.
How is this program offered?
When can I start?
Coursework Requirements for Minor
This path is part of Simpson College's convenient and flexible evening program, which enables you to complete four to eight credits every eight weeks.
By attending class just one to two nights a week, you may earn an average of 30 credits in one year and complete your bachelor's degree in four years. You can go as fast or as slow as your schedule and learning style requires: Study one night a week, two nights a week or even faster.
Classes are available online and in the evening at the Simpson College West Des Moines Campus.
Summer Start Dates: May 24, 2022  (Summer 1 and full summer semester) and June 28, 2022 (Summer 2)
Fall Start Dates: August 29, 2022 (Term 1 and full fall semester) and October 24, 2022 (Term 2)
Spring Start Dates: January 9, 2023 (Term 3 and full Spring Semester) and March 6, 2023 (Term 4)
We're committed to ensuring this program is accessible for busy working adults. You can start your studies during any of our Fall, Spring or Summer semesters. There are six start times a year, so you never have to wait to get going.
View the Continuing & Graduate Academic Calendar
Search for Classes within this program.
2021-2022 Tuition: $425/credit hour
Adult Student Scholarships and Aid
We know that adult students have a number of concerns when deciding whether or not to finish their degree. Chief among these concerns is affordability. At Simpson, we understand.
HSV 101 Intro to Human Service Systems
HSV 343 Social Welfare Policy
HSV 348 Field Experience in Human Services
SCJ 352 Standards of Professional Behavior
HSV 250 Grant Writing and Program Eval
HSV 342 Human Behavior
or SCJ 341 Crisis Intervention
or HSV 301 Counseling Strategies
Transform genuine care into successful career
As an adult student in our undergraduate Human Services program, you can expect the same individualized attention from faculty and academic and career advisors as you would in a more traditional setting. You’ll work one-on-one with an advisor who will help you stay on track and make sure you’re taking the correct courses, with your career goals front and center.
You’ll analyze social forces, policies and human service delivery systems at the micro and macro levels, while applying theories to concrete situations through case studies and experiential real-world work. This major is part of our Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, which means you’ll also learn how to uncover and articulate why issues of power and inequalities in the U.S. impact social relationships between groups.
Upon completion of your bachelor’s degree, you’ll be ready for graduate study or entry level jobs in the human service field to work with marginalized people experiencing crisis.
We're committed to making sure our graduate programs are accessible and affordable for all students.
Students in this program are eligible for federal financial aid, and we allow an interest-free grace period for students receiving employer reimbursement.
How to Apply for Financial Aid
We accept transfer credits from other accredited institutions. Transcripts are evaluated to determine how many credits will transfer, as well as how a student’s former coursework meets Simpson’s degree requirements.
Human Services provides a broad range of opportunities for students to engage with the community around them and better understand how they can impact the lives of vulnerable populations.
Watch as students who have experienced the program, and their professor, explain why Simpson is a great place to study Human Services.
Take Advantage of Every Opportunity
Save up to $9,000 on tuition
We value the work you've already done and think it should count toward your degree. If you’re at least 25 years of age and classified as a freshman or sophomore at Simpson, you can submit a Life Experience Portfolio during the admissions process. The LEP can earn up to 24 credits free of charge.
Employer Reimbursement Cuts Interest Costs
Many employers reimburse their employees’ tuition after a class has been completed, and we offer the chance to delay payment until 45 days after the term ends. You won’t have to pay until after the course ends.
During the application process, you'll submit transcripts of previous undergraduate work from other accredited institutions if applicable. Transcripts are then evaluated to determine how many credits will transfer, as well as how your former coursework meets Simpson’s degree requirements.