What Are the Best Schools for Human Services?
Find out what to look for in a school with a strong human services program. Read about three schools with top nationally ranked social work programs, and explore the variety of human services degrees each school offers.
What Are Some Characteristics of Top Schools for Human Services?
If you're seeking a top school for human services, you might choose a highly-ranked college or university that offers both academic and practical training supported by special programs and institutes in various disciplines. You also might look for schools that have programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education's Commission on Accreditation. Additionally, you might look for a school where you can study social work in combination with another discipline, such as public health, law or religion.
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Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you reach them. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you.
University of Maryland Global Campus
University of Maryland Global Campus provides affordable, achievable, and flexible pathways to a college degree for adult learners. With over 90 degrees and certificates, UMGC is built to fit your schedule and goals.
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina offers a wide range of online programs designed for working adults. Earn your degree from a nationally recognized institution with flexible scheduling and strong academic support.
Arizona State University
Arizona State University offers more than 300 online degree programs, certificates and courses. ASU Online delivers the same rigorous academic programs as on campus, with the flexibility you need to succeed.
What Are Three Top Schools for Human Services?
Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH
This school was ranked ninth best for its graduate social work program in 2019 and tied for 42nd among best national universities by U.S. News & World Report in the same year. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs that can prepare you for a human service career. The Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences and the Mandel Center for Non-Profit Organizations support development of human service researchers and leaders.
Case Western's Center for Interventions for Children and Families promotes the well-being of young children through enhanced social and community support and care-giving skills. Centers for substance abuse and mental illness, child studies and urban poverty and community development also support human services studies. These degrees are offered:
- B.A. in Gerontological Studies
- Master of Nonprofit Organizations
- Master of Nonprofit Organizations/Juris Doctor
- Master of Nonprofit Organizations/Master of Science (M.S.) in Social Administration
- M.S. in Social Administration/Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Social Welfare
University of Washington (UW) in Seattle, WA
UW tied for third best graduate social work program by U.S. News & World Report in 2019 and tied for 59th among best national universities by the publication in that same year. UW offers undergraduate and graduate human service degrees in social work and social welfare. Field placements are generally available or required in these programs.
The School of Social Work hosts a federal National Institute of Mental Health-funded research training program. The school is partnered with Cambodia's Royal University to mentor Cambodian students and provide study-abroad opportunities in a country experiencing reconstruction. Research centers for women's welfare, gerontological social work, social development and poverty prevention are available in the School of Social Work. These degrees are offered:
- B.A. in Social Welfare
- Master of Social Work (MSW)
- MSW/Master of Public Health (MPH)
- Ph.D. in Social Welfare
Washington University (WU) in St. Louis, MO
WU ranked second among best graduate social work programs and in 2019. The school also tied for number 19 in U.S. News & World Report's best national universities category in 2019. WU hosts centers for aging, violence and injury prevention, mental health services, social development and obesity prevention. These are a few degree possibilities:
- MSW
- Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management
- MPH/MSW
- MBA/MSW
- Ph.D. in Social Work
More Top Schools for Social Work
| College/University | Institution Type | Location | Estimated Graduate In-State Tuition* |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | 4 year, Public | Ann Arbor, MI | $23,000 |
| University of Chicago | 4 year, Private | Chicago, IL | $59,000 |
| Columbia University | 4 year, Private | New York, NY | $59,000 |
| University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill | 4 year, Public | Chapel Hill, NC | $12,000 |
| University of California - Berkeley | 4 year, Public | Berkley, CA | $14,000 |
| University of Texas - Austin | 4 year, Public | Austin, TX | $12,000 |
| Boston College | 4 year Private | Chestnut Hill, MA | $30,000 |
| Fordham University | 4 year, Private | Bronx, NY | $34,000 |
| University of Pittsburgh | 4 year, Public | Pittsburgh, PA | $23,000 |
| University of Southern California | 4 year, Private | Los Angeles, CA | $46,000 |
*Source: NCES, U.S. Department of Education
