Bachelor of Social Sciences (Human Services)

Nicole Liles-Payn has progressed swiftly into a senior role. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

The course

People with human services qualifications work alongside people with disabilities, supporting their living, employment, residential lifestyle and recreational choices.

The Bachelor of Social Sciences (Human Services) degree provides the skills and knowledge required for people to take a leadership role in the field of supporting people with disabilities.

This three-year degree is the only one of its kind offered in New Zealand. It has a strong practical base with a different timetable to many degrees. Students spend two days a week on campus in their first year. Their second and third year lectures run between 4pm and 7pm Tuesday and Thursday.

Up to 98 per cent of the students are already working in the field. Those without human services employment are helped to find work.

Study covers a wide range of topics, including sociology of disability, communication and challenging behaviour, management and social services and networking and support for human services and psychology.

Learning occurs through workshops, small group tutorials and lectures and is highly practical and interactive. Students are also assessed through practical work experience in their workplace. There are no exams.

Applicants under 20 are required to have NCEA University Entrance or the equivalent (eg three C Bursary passes). People over 20 without NCEA, UE or equivalent can apply for special admission. Anyone with a diploma qualification in human services, teaching, social work, or nursing that includes New Zealand Qualifications Authority level five sociology and psychology papers, or the equivalent, can apply to enter the second year of the degree.

Personal references and an interview are normally required.

Graduates find employment in human services agencies and community settings, including IHC, Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind and various trusts. They enter as support workers, and move into team leader or house management roles.

The course is offered at the Education Faculty in Epsom (ex Auckland College of Education). Applications close in December but late applications are accepted if places are available.

Full-time tuition fees cost $3800 (2005 figures). There are Faculty of Education scholarships.

What graduates think

Nicole Liles-Payn
Senior Co-ordinator of Vocational Support Workers
Framework Trust

I graduated from the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Human Services) in February 2004.

I had returned from my OE in 2000 with the goal of gaining a bachelor qualification. Prior to travelling I had worked at a horse riding centre for the disabled for four years and wanted to return to the field with a qualification.

I started with Framework Trust in July 2004 as a full-time vocational support worker and became a senior coordinator in February.

My job involves co-ordination and supervision of staff and service users, case management of service users, and on-going monitoring of service adherence to policies and procedure.

The course set me up with a solid foundation of core values and beliefs that underpin theoretic research and academic application in the disability sector. The practical work experience offered hands-on opportunities.

The course has given me the mental tool-box to confidently evaluate, decision-make, and problem solve at short notice.

What employers think

Neil Kemp
Framework Trust

Framework Trust is a non-government organization (NGO), providing a range of community and residential services to people with mental health problems. It provides core and specialist services, which support recovery and participatory citizenship for people using our services.

Nicole was chosen because of her qualification and relevant life and work experience. The skills developed through the course are sound critical and analytical thinking, which encourages a systemic approach to problem-solving.

The service in which Nicole works is high-need and high-risk and requires staff that can assess and act on their knowledge, often within a short space of time. Nicole has demonstrated consistently her ability to meet this challenge and has progressed in the last six months into a senior co-ordinator role.

Qualification

Bachelor of Social Sciences (Human Services)
University of Auckland, Faculty of Education, Epsom Campus (formerly Auckland College of Education)
Ph 09 623 8899 or 0800 223 266
Starting salary: between $30,000 to $37,500