Is a Human Services Associate Degree Even Worthwhile?

Question by Gottcha: Is A Human Services Associate Degree even Worthwhile?
I’ve had previous experience counseling adolescents sometime ago within a small AODA treatment center. Now am thinking about going back into this field after obtaining an associates degree in human services and becoming a certified AODA counselor.

Does a human services associates degree provide a livable salary?

Best answer:

Answer by Old School Hero
If you want money, I’d suggest something else. The most successful counselors (in terms of helping people and personal satisfaction) are those who refuse to do anything else, and adjust their standard of living accordingly.

Answer by jannsody
An associate degree in human services may be a starting off point to further education in counseling or social work. If you’re also getting your certification as an Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor, you may up your chances of finding work in the field, however, some jobs may require at least a bachelor’s degree or even a master’s (about six years of college if attending on a full-time basis) degree to possibly find a job. The certification for addictions counseling usually involves a lot of clinical field experience with an actual patient caseload.

For general career info: http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search ‘social and human service assistants’, ‘counselors’ (most have master’s degree), ‘social workers’ (most have a master’s, too) or such.

This site has accredited programs in ‘human services’: http://www.cshse.org/accredited.html

You may have more job opportunities if getting a degree in social work. For accredited programs in the field: http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation.aspx

This other site has accredited programs in counselor education: http://www.cacrep.org/directory/directory.cfm

The Association for Addiction Professionals should have more information about becoming a certified addictions counselor: http://www.naadac.org/ and can click ‘education’ and/or ‘state affiliates’ or such.

With schooling, please steer clear of those online, For-profit schools (though may have ‘brick and mortar’ buildings and may be ‘accredited’) such as penn foster, ashworth, devry, ITT tech, keiser, anthem, strayer, argosy, pima institute, kaplan, ashford, grand canyon, everest, walden, university of phoenix, capella, high tech, remington, brown mackie, ashwood, regis, colorado tech, sanford brown, aiu, stratford career and others as they are merely out to ‘make a profit’ ( ** and course credits may NOT transfer to other schools ** ). These consumer sites have negative posts by former students about those online, for-profit schools, and please heed the students’ warnings:

– http://www.ripoffreport.com

– http://www.pissedconsumer.com

– http://www.complaintsboard.com and can type into search.

For U.S. colleges: http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ

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