Mission Statement
The Human Services program is dedicated to providing the community with graduates that are prepared for employment in the helping profession. The curriculum provides both a theoretical and a hands-on, experiential foundation for the development of professional helping skills. The curriculum focuses on areas including effective communication, self-management, assessing client needs, client interviewing and problem solving, providing direct care, understanding documentation, and ethical practices. During the final two semesters, students complete field placements in a working agency where they integrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes which have been taught throughout the program. The program adheres to the development of multicultural competence and values diversity.
Program Overview
The Human Services Program at FDTC is accredited through CSHSE, the Council for Standards in Human Services Education.
The status of our program today is good. For the academic year 2020-2021, we had a total of 55 students. Most full-time students complete the program in seven (7) semesters. The curriculum provides fifteen semester hours of general education courses, six hours of sociology content, and forty-eight hours of content that blends theories, skills, and experience from courses that are human service grounded and psychology based. Our retention rate is showing to be 38%. In 2021, we graduated 16 students and 96 percent of them are working in the field or continuing their education. Being a generalist program, our students are prepared to pursue advanced degrees in human services, psychology, social work, etc.
The Human Services program is relevant to the needs of the community. Research shows that our field is growing fast. There is an average annual opening of 840 Human Service jobs in South Carolina every year. Feedback from community professionals indicates that the content of our program meets the current needs for entry level professionals in the field of Human Services. Ninety-three percent of our students are placed in jobs or choose to further their education in the field.
Advisory board members report that they often choose to hire our students over four year degree candidates, as our students demonstrate a mastery of the critical skills needed for the workplace. In addition, advisory board members report being very satisfied with the skills based knowledge that our students demonstrate as entry level professionals. In regard to advisory board/DACUM recommendations, our most recent committee expressed that no action be taken at this time for the program. They expressed that our graduates meet the requirements of employers for entry level positions.
The Human Services Program at Florence Darlington has active articulation agreements with Coker College and Limestone College, the two private four year institutions in the area that offer a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Limestone College also offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. In addition, there is a common state wide agreement between the two year and the four year state institutions that lists the courses that are transferrable between the two entities.
Disclaimer: The Human Services program does not require background checks for students entering the program. Students should be aware, however, that factors such as prior convictions may disqualify them from field placement and/or employment in this field. Your entrance into or completion of the Human Services program does not guarantee that you will be employable in this field. Students are encouraged to research what is required to be employable in their desired area of human services.
***Please see Fitness for Profession for additional information.
General