Human Services
HDFS Undergraduate Option
Enhance quality of life for all
Corvallis Campus
Fulfill your desire to help others with a degree in human services
Be the reason someone gets access to the social services they need.
Get started on your path to becoming a social worker.
Advocate for those typically overlooked.
With the human services option, within the human development and family sciences major at Oregon State, you’ll help individuals, families and communities survive and thrive.
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Sample human services courses
- Children and youth with disabilities
- Family violence and neglect
- Family policy
- Professional helping skills
With the human services option, you’ll ...
- Learn culturally aware techniques to promote human dignity, social justice and empowerment.
- Develop helping skills such as empathy, rapport building and active listening.
- Learn about barriers and access to social and human services.
- Complete at least two internship experiences in the human services field.
Human services internship
As a human services student, you’ll complete two human services internships while earning college credit.
Careers in human services
All human services careers are concerned with meeting human needs and improving quality of life on an individual and community level.
Want to become a social worker? Starting with an HDFS-human services degree is the perfect foundation.
Once you graduate, you’ll be prepared to pursue a career and/or graduate work in fields such as human development and family sciences, counseling, marriage and family therapy, nonprofit administration, social work and more.
Start with the human services degree and become:
*These roles may require post-baccalaureate/graduate/professional education to qualify.
- Activity director
- Adoption agency counselor
- Caseworker
- Child, family and school social workers
- Child life specialist
- Counselor
- Crisis intervention worker
- Emergency relief worker
- Family advocate
- Housing service worker
- Human service specialist
- Juvenile probation officers
- Marriage and family therapist
- Mental health and substance abuse social workers or counselors
- Neighborhood outreach worker
- Parent educator
- Residential treatment center worker
- Social service specialists
- Social worker
- Volunteer coordinator
- Youth program specialist
Future social worker
A degree in HDFS-human services is the perfect place to start.
“I was concerned and disturbed by the living conditions of my unhoused neighbors, so I pursued the HDFS program.
What keeps me moving forward on my human services and social work path is the knowledge that as communities and individuals we can make changes that improve the lives of our most vulnerable neighbors.”
Marie Quist-Plamer, HDFS – Human Services, ’23
Master of Social Work, Portland State University
Plans to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Other HDFS major options
Explore other human development and family sciences major options
Select an option that matches your interests and career goals, whether it’s working with children, the elderly or providing services for families and communities.
- Child development
- Early childhood (OSU-Cascades campus only)
- General option (also available 100% online through Ecampus)
Contact us
Have questions about classes, clubs or campus life? Our peer ambassadors are happy to help. Call or email them.
For program or admissions info, email the College of Health recruitment team.