Practicum Partnerships
As aspiring service providers, our students practice perspective taking, problem solving, critical thinking, and communication skills. Specifically, you’ll apply the skills related to observation and behavioral recording, interviewing, implementing treatment plans, employing research and evaluation, crisis intervention, and proper case management and referral procedures with ethical insight and professionalism.
Students have previously served at:
- Community Services at Children’s Hospital
- Milwaukee House of Correction
- Lighthouse Youth Center
- Ronald McDonald House Charities
- Make-A-Wish Foundation
- Milwaukee Christian Center
- Milwaukee Rescue Mission
- Safe Babies Healthy Families
- Walworth County Health and Human Services
- The Women’s Center, Inc.
Human Social Services Club
The HSS Club is a student-led organization that serves Wisconsin Lutheran College and the community by providing learning opportunities, creating an organized response to need, and lending a helping hand. All students majoring in human social services are welcome to join the HSS Club and assist in making the world a better place.
The difference between human social services and social work
Human social services is a diverse and broad area of study, centered around the goal of applying interdisciplinary knowledge toward meeting people's basic needs, while social work is focused on the particular areas of building skills and resource access to improve people's circumstances. Both require empathetic students with a desire to serve others.
Though the human social services major is not identical to a bachelor’s degree in social work, a student graduating with a human social services degree will be prepared to improve accessibility, accountability, and coordination among the multiple professionals and service agencies designed to provide support, education, resources, and/or assistance to diverse populations. Students are assisted in meeting human needs through an interdisciplinary knowledge base, focusing on prevention as well as remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to improving the quality of life of those with whom they serve.
Occupational outlook for social and human service assistants
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a much faster than average job outlook for social and human service assistants between 2021 and 2031, with an increase of 52,400 jobs within the ten-year period (a 12% rise).
Students may choose to work in any number of areas, including:
- Adoption and Foster Care
- The Aged
- Case Management
- Child Welfare
- Community Resources
- Community Recreation
- Crisis Intervention
- Delinquent/Court Youth
- Group Homes
- Mental Health
- Counseling
- Probation and Parole
- Addiction
