Ph.D. in Human Services
Earning an online Ph.D. in human services creates career opportunities. A Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree opens the holder to a level of opportunities, but with a doctorate, the chances increase and get better.
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An online doctorate in human services grants flexibility, convenience, and essential practical workplace skills. They go through advanced training that qualifies them for executive and director roles in organizations and enables them to make policies and decisions that contribute to social services development.
Why Should I Pursue an Online Ph.D. in Human Services?
An online Ph.D. in human services has a lot of benefits. These benefits are often exclusive to doctorate owners. These are some reasons to pursue an online doctorate in human services.
Career Growth
More professionals are needed in the human services field as the years go by, so the demand for people with expertise in the area is rapidly increasing. The scarcity of experts in the field ensures job security as well as career growth.
Career Flexibility
Human services is a versatile field that touches so many professions in various sectors. Ph.D. allows for specialization in a selected area. However, because of the versatility of human services, graduates can transition between fields.
Teach
Naturally, a doctorate in health services is a qualification to work in educational institutions like colleges and universities. With this degree, one can teach students who are in or interested in the human services field.
Leadership Positions
People with Ph.D. in health services are qualified to take management and leadership roles because of the advanced training and in-depth knowledge while training. This way, graduates can make a difference in their field.
Salary Expectations
Ph.D. graduates are handed more responsibilities as a result of their advanced degree and, for this reason, are paid higher for this knowledge and experience. Doctorate holders earn considerably higher salaries than people with average degrees.
Available Careers With an Online Doctorate in Human Services
An advanced degree in human services is a passageway for career-boosting opportunities. Degree holders can work as researchers or work in clinics. Doctorate owners are focused on improving human services worldwide and making care providers easily accessible to the masses.
The following are some of the careers available to graduates upon graduation.
Mental Health Counselors
With mental health issues on the rise, professional mental health counselors are needed. They help with managing and treating mental health issues and disorders. Getting a doctorate in human services gives graduates access to managerial and executive positions. A mental health counselor earns an average of $44,600 annually.
Social Workers
Social workers manage and treat mental and emotional challenges. A master’s degree is usually a requirement before forging ahead to get a doctorate, but with a doctorate, a social worker can advance to a manager or director. They earn $49,500 per year.
Rehabilitation Counselors
One can get a job as a rehabilitation counselor, but with a doctorate and specialization in the area, the opportunity to be an executive or manager earning more arises. Rehabilitation counselors help people who have disabilities overcome personal challenges, hence ensuring independent and happy living. They earn $36,000 per year on average.
Postsecondary Teachers
Postsecondary teachers work at colleges, universities, and research centers to impart knowledge on students carrying out research. These are the people who use their degrees in academia. Their average annual salary is $78,500.
School and Career Counselors
These professionals are based in educational systems and help students and their families envision and actualize their educational and career goals. They serve as a guide to these people. Their salary on average per annum is $56,300.
Requirements for a Human Services Ph.D. Program
The admission requirements for enrolling in an online Ph.D. in human services depend on the school of choice, but some requirements are common to most instructions.
Potential graduate students are required to have a master’s degree to apply. For students focused on the clinical aspect of human services, a minimum of 3.0 GPA is required. Research proposals are also required.
Additionally, depending on the school and program chosen, online students may have specific in-person requirements.
The program length and requirements may vary among degree types. For instance, an online Ph.D. in human services requires 50-60 credits to graduate, and it takes 5-7 years to complete, while a clinically-based doctorate in human services requires 60-75 credits, which takes 4-6 years to complete.
These two degrees may require an internship, but practical requirements are more common for clinical doctorates. For clinical doctorates, graduates need to perform a research project while the Ph.D. requires a dissertation. Online students will likely be required to defend their dissertation and dot their internship at specified locations.
Apart from coursework, students are also required to complete specific components to graduate. Students need to meet certain requirements towards the end of their Ph.D., depending on their program and degree of choice. Some of these requirements are; a dissertation, which takes about two years to complete, a research project, and an internship that will enable them to practically apply all that has been learned in real-life situations.
Commonly Required Courses for a Human Services Ph.D. Program
Most human services programs have some standard core courses that students will come across to get their doctorates.
Conflict Management
While studying, students learn the interpersonal and leadership skills needed for effectively approaching disputes and negotiations. In the workplace, these skills are useful for working with counseling agencies, organizations, and governments.
Advanced Research
With advanced research, students absorb scholarly research strategies and ethics and observe how their research findings can help healthcare facilities and workers assist those who need help.
Social Policy Analysis
With an understanding of this course, graduates can successfully read and understand social laws and policies. They can study laws affecting healthcare and work with legislators and policymakers to shape public policies in such a way that helps non-profits, social organizations, and healthcare facilities.
Global Social Services
This course examines countries and cultures and studies the differences between policies and card strategies. Graduates with this area as a career focus work in immigration and international human services organizations.
Nonprofit Administration and Management
Graduates learn activities like financing, marketing, and legalities in non-profit organizations. They then use this knowledge to explore management positions with international human services organizations or non-profit organizations.
Skills
Among the myriad of skills gained from earning an online Ph.D. in human services, the most sought after and useful ones include critical thinking, counseling, leadership, communication e.t.c.
Counseling
Students gain counseling skills along with skills like conflict management, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
Communication
These skills are useful for communicating with people and bodies like clients, organizations, lawmakers, and the government.
Critical Thinking
This skill is gained from advanced training, skills gained from previous research, and understanding human operations. With this skill, graduates solve problems by putting their knowledge to use and reasoning.
Leadership
Leadership training is usually a part of doctorate programs, and it enables graduates to take on managerial and executive roles.
Social Awareness
Social awareness and perception are developed and useful in connecting and understanding people and their opinions, positions, and perspectives.
Conclusion
Having discussed the fundamental knowledge required to enroll, the benefits, and things to expect while in the program, the importance of a Ph.D. in human services is evident. Take a step and apply for an online doctorate in your school of choice.
