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What Is Human Service?

The Admissions Committee considers any direct service work as human service experience. This experience can be paid, voluntary, or educational.

“Human services” is broadly defined and includes direct service and clinical work as well as macro work. Micro and mezzo human service work includes direct service and clinical workers at the front lines.

Direct and clinical human service experience might include activities such as the following:

  • Referral, screening, or intake
  • Case management
  • Counseling
  • Psychoeducation
  • Supported living assistance for persons with disabilities
  • Residential treatment / group homes / wilderness programs
  • Teaching, tutoring, providing education, or direct care for children, adults, or families with diagnosed or undiagnosed physical, mental, emotional, behavioral, or developmental needs
  • Animal assisted therapy
  • School social work
  • Corrections / community corrections

 

Macro human service work is at the level of programs, policies, and research. These services help individuals in an indirect way. Macro human service experience might include activities such as the following:

  • Community organizing
  • Organizing fundraising
  • Grant writing
  • Policy analysis
  • Research support or assistance (e.g., research assistant on human service-related academic or program evaluation projects)
  • Program development or leadership (e.g., executive leadership or Board of Directors of a non-profit organization; participation in program planning or evaluation
  • Social service delivery (e.g., food and clothing banks, in-home senior services; refugee and economic immigrant integration; and teaching the basics of college education and/or employment)

 

Activities that do not count towards human service experience include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Volunteering at an animal shelter
  • Nannying or providing childcare to children unless with or for the benefit of children with physical, mental, emotional, behavioral, or developmental needs
  • General population school teaching
  • Administrative assistant, receptionist, or office manager
  • Accountant, bookkeeper, or data entry
  • Parent-teacher associations
  • Church or religious involvement/volunteering for the benefit of the religious congregation (i.e., faith-based non-profit work will count if the activities are with or for the benefit of vulnerable or marginalized populations)
  • Participant (not an organizer) at a community or fundraising events
  • Leader or counselor at a religiously affiliated summer or VBS (vacation bible school) camps or conferences.
Last Updated: 11/13/24