Human Services (HS) Department

The Department of Human Services within the College of Education and Allied Professions consists of 10 academic programs, both distance (online) and residential (at the main campus in Cullowhee and at the Biltmore Park Instructional site in Asheville) and one Federal Trio Program. We offer a wide range of undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate degrees in fields intended to meet a variety of human needs. Careers in human services focus on improving quality of life for individuals and communities and preventing and remediating problems. Our programs include:

Undergraduate Programs:

• Birth-Kindergarten Major and Post-Bach Licensure (Distance)
• Parks and Recreation Management Major & Minor (Cullowhee)
• Leadership Minor (Cullowhee)
• Social Justice Minor (Cullowhee)

*All minors are open to anyone except those majoring in the same concentration or program and offer an excellent complement to a range of majors.

Masters Programs: 

• Counseling - School and Clinical Mental Health (Biltmore Park)
• Experiential & Outdoor Education (Hybrid - Cullowhee & Biltmore Park)
• Higher Education Student Affairs (Cullowhee)
• Human Resources (Distance)
• NC School Executive Leadership/School Administration/Principal Fellows Program (Hybrid - Biltmore Park)
• Post-Masters-Certificate in Public School Leadership (Hybrid - Biltmore Park)

Doctoral Program:

• Educational Leadership – EdD (Hybrid - Biltmore Park)

Federal Trio Grant Program:

• Project Discovery – Talent Search (Cullowhee)

We are a values-based department. While diverse and broad in academic offerings, modality, location, and expertise, we have common values that bind us together, including: 

(What) WE support, maximize, help, and develop self-aware, ethical, and competent leaders… 

(How) THROUGH theory and research-informed practical application and professional experiences by focusing on community, connection, belonging, collaboration, and relationships…

(Why) BECAUSE we are educators who are motivated by justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, change, advocacy, and empowerment.

Mission Statement

The Department of Human Services within the College of Education and Allied Professions offers programs of study at the baccalaureate through doctoral levels. These programs prepare candidates for rewarding professions in early childhood education, parks and recreation management, community and educational leadership, human resources, school and clinical mental health counseling, and higher education student affairs. The Department includes Project Discovery, which works directly with youth in western North Carolina public schools to encourage attendance and completion of post-secondary education. 

Our mission is to create collaborative educational environments that support our students’ professional development. We prepare students to be professionals engaged in lifelong learning who embrace diversity and inclusion, design and implement evidence-based initiatives, and promote social justice. Our programs are guided by ethical, professional standards for best practice, which includes community service and internship experiences. In addition to preparing students, we serve communities through leadership, scholarship, and service.