Launch a fulfilling career in one of the fastest-growing fields in the country. Human services professionals help communities address life challenges and social issues by providing intervention, remediation, and prevention services to diverse populations.
HUMAN SERVICES
In an age of turbulent social change, there is a definite need for the skilled human services professional. Emphasizing competency and community, UAA’s Bachelor of Human Services (BHS) and AAS in Human Services degree programs prepare you to launch and advance a career in a high-demand field where you’ll use an interdisciplinary knowledge base to prevent and remediate problems, and to improve the quality of life for people coping with life-changing social issues. There is a growing need for human services professionals who work with individuals and groups to help them live healthy, fulfilling lives. As a student in the BHS program, you’ll learn to help others address life challenges, such as substance use disorders, incarceration, and interpersonal violence. You’ll develop skills in areas such as counseling, mediation, care plan development, and human services administration. The BHS and AAS programs combine classroom instruction with hands-on training through practicum placements at local social services agencies. We also offer a minor in Human Services.
Our degree programs prepare you for careers in settings such as:
WHY CHOOSE HUMAN SERVICES AT UAA?
The UAA Human Services degree programs are accredited by the Council for Standards in Human Service Education, which means they meet rigorous national standards for academic quality.
About 80% of UAA Human Services alumni residing in Alaska are employed in the field within one year of earning their degree.
Complete a practicum to gain direct work experience. Students train in more than 45 field-specialized agencies in Anchorage and throughout Alaska.
Complete your courses in person at UAA's Anchorage campus or entirely online! You also can take individual human services courses in person or online at the Mat-Su College and Kenai Peninsula College campuses.
NEWS & Stories
Jessica Ross, an alumni of UAA's dental hygiene program and current assistant professor in the Department of Human Services, was recently honored with the K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award. The award recognizes emerging leaders in higher education who demonstrate a commitment to innovation, equity, and community engagement.
Human Services alumna Billie Slaikeu knows a thing or two about what it means to start over. A retired certified nursing assistant, Billie returned to school in her sixties after being inspired by her daughter’s experience with mental illness. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 2025.
Human Services alumna Billie Slaikeu knows a thing or two about what it means to start over. A retired certified nursing assistant, Billie returned to school in her sixties after being inspired by her daughter’s experience with mental illness. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 2025.
UAA hosts its first Native Heritage Month celebration, inviting students and community members to honor Alaska Native culture and resilience.
When human services and social work alumna Cass Pook says she has always been a helper, she’s not just referring to her nature as an empathetic and compassionate listener. “Culturally, it's in my DNA to be a helper,” said Pook. “Looking back on it throughout history, 100 or 200 years ago I would have been doing the same thing. I was born to be a social worker.”
Message from the PROGRAM CHAIR
On behalf of the other human services faculty, I want to express how excited we all are in your interest in human services. We teach because we are passionate about education and hope that our enthusiasm translates to the classroom. Even if you are not sure you have an interest in human services, we encourage you to take one of our introductory courses to find out. And if you do choose to major in a different field, our Human Services program still offers a variety of thought-provoking courses (with easy to satisfy prerequisites) that might be helpful to your chosen degree or that you may just want to take because you are interested in the topic. Whatever your interest in human services, we are here and happy to help.
— Yvonne Chase, Ph.D.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Contact Us
Phone: (907) 786-6437
Email: uaa.humanservices@alaska.edu
UAA Dept. of Human Services
UAA Professional Studies Building
2533 Providence Dr., Suite 218
Anchorage, AK 99508
Mailing Address
UAA Dept. of Human Services
3211 Providence Dr., PSB 218
Anchorage, AK 99508
