Social & Human Services, AAS

120 CREDITS

Admission Dates: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Program Mission: The Social & Human Services AAS degree provides the generalist education for employment in a wide variety of social service agencies. The student will develop the professional values, skills, and knowledge to assist individuals and groups with personal, interpersonal, and situational problems.

In this occupational area students will be prepared for employment as case managers in rehabilitation, employment services, corrections, educational programs, and community based organizations serving youth, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.

Social & Human Services AAS degree graduates will:

• be prepared for a wide range of entry level positions in the social services field
• demonstrate highly effective communication skills with clients, both verbally and in writing
• apply theoretical psychological frameworks to client thoughts and behaviors
• maintain ultimate confidentiality of all client information
• employ advanced helping skills acquired from two community internships
• gather client information for social history and intake file
• facilitate client groups and effectively resolve conflicts
• interact with clients and coworkers with cultural mindfulness
• remain current with a variety of documentation processes and software
• assist clients in developing alternative strategies and informed choices for solving interpersonal problems
• guide clients to become aware of underlying issues impacting their behavior
• encourage client development of self-advocacy skills and techniques
• identify crises, diffuse immediate situation while following the protocol for referral and reporting
• Interview, assess, and appropriately refer clients to community resources
• demonstrate critical thinking, teamwork, communication, intercultural appreciation, and information literacy skills
• collaborate with clients and other service providers according to the professional code of ethics
• meet Social Science, Humanities, Written Communication, and Quantitative Reasoning distribution area outcomes

Lake Washington Institute of Technology does not offer every course each quarter. It is the student’s responsibility to consult the Class Schedule and work out an individual schedule with an adviser or counselor. Any developmental coursework a student may be required to complete may increase the program length.