Undergraduate Program in Human Services
Mission Statement
The George Washington University Human Services Program prepares undergraduate students to assume effective leadership roles in not-for-profit agencies supporting or serving people and communities who are experiencing need.
The program accomplishes this through its focus on providing enabling knowledge and service-learning experience, and encouraging high academic and ethical standards in its students. Furthermore, the program provides a broad and appropriate interaction with local human service projects as both a foundation of practical training and as an outreach to the University's urban neighbors.
We build upon the foundation of empathy, concern for others and a commitment to social justice that our students bring to the program, providing the skills necessary to maximize these selfless qualities. Through our emphasis on continuous high standards of academic and scholarly excellence we ensure that our efforts will endure beyond matriculation and enhance any human service program involving GW's Human Services graduates.
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 Amy Fishman with children she mentored during her study abroad in South Africa. |
Vision Statement
The George Washington University Human Services Program is committed to making a difference in the academic cultivation of undergraduate students preparing for careers in non-profit community based human services programs, or continuing graduate education in the human services fields. We accomplish this by maintaining a focus on social consciousness predicated in an excellent liberal arts education with broad exposure to human services. Through this focus our students gain a foundation in leadership, management, and policy formulation, grounded in the transformation of theory to application with service-learning experience.
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 Shajine Gregory, recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award. |
We develop our students through an emphasis on scholarly research, reflective learning, intellectual challenge, and active partnerships with the faculty and staff of the program. This active mentoring of students encourages acquiring life-long learning habits, incorporation of ethics, and development of a mature identity as a helping professional who is a critical element in the link between people and society in the building of community.
We believe mutual empowerment and growth of citizenship develops in our students and ultimately in the communities they serve through our emphasis on academic growth, while simultaneously stressing the development of leadership skills, and the frequent collaboration with human services agencies.
We actively encourage and foster respect of diversity, sense of community, and attainment of global perspectives through interaction with the many academic, government, and service agencies within the Washington, DC area. Our students are well prepared to enter the private sector in numerous services oriented capacities as well as to continue with graduate education. Toward that end, we offer an option of a 5 year BA (Human Services)/ MA (Public Administration) to qualified students.
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The Human Services Program at the George Washington University is designed to develop practical, academic skills for use in diverse service settings. It is an academic, service-learning program applying concepts learned in the classroom to contemporary societal problems. The program is designed for students who are entering into human services careers in settings such as:
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- Advocacy
- Assisted living facilities
- Childcare
- Community Development
- Correctional institutions
- Counseling
- Cultural instutitions
- Development and fundraising
- Educational institutions
- Governmental agencies
- Hospitals and health care agencies
- International development
- Ministry
- Non-profit organizations
- Public interest law
- Public policy and administration
- Residential centers
- Social work
- Substance abuse rehabilitation programs
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 Garima Bhatt and Jaime Spilken present their Human Services 152 class project for the Dinner Program for Homeless Women. |
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Our courses enable students to:
- Apply work in the classroom to contemporary social problems.
- Design, analyze, implement, and evaluate social programs and provide service to individuals.
- Work in the community against injustice, discrimination, and poverty, while making a focused impact on the people living here in Washington, DC.
Lifelong benefits include:
- Applied learning, service, and leadership opportunities.
- Development, research and entrepreneurial experience.
- Team building, cross cultural, and interpersonal interaction.
- Enhancement of skill and experience attractive to private sector and non-profit organizations.
- Documented leadership awards.
- Acceptance at top graduate schools.
- A supportive Alumni network.
Requirements
- Click here for a list of courses offered for Human Services majors and minors.
- Five-year Bachelor of Arts with a major in human services and Master of Public Administration
- Interested students should contact the five-year program advisor about this combined degree program by the end of the sophomore year.
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Sara Broome with children she mentored
during her study abroad in South Africa. |
Judah Ferst-Buzzing for Change--Judah Ferst spreads the word about his program, Buzzing for Change (which raises money and awareness for children with cancer), to students all over the country. |
As undergraduate Human Services majors, Liz Muller and Garima Bhatt work together to build DC Today and DC Tomorrow, a program that works with children promoting service learning in high school. |
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