Human Services Education in Indiana

For a well-educated human services worker, there are many career opportunities in the state of Indiana. From its famous universities such as Notre Dame, to its many hospitals, schools and government agencies, Indiana has many organizations in need of human services workers. Whether you want to work as a Gerontology specialist helping the elderly, or help high school students discover their career path as a vocational counselor there are many different ways you can help your fellow citizens of Indiana.

When planning for your future, few choices are as important as determining your career arc. A decision that is this important requires due diligence. At Humanservicesedu.org we are committed to creating an excellent resource to help you make this critical decision. We have compiled a database of career overviews, state licensure regulations, salaries ranges and educational requirements for many of the most common human services jobs. You will find below a list of some of the jobs you can do in Indiana and their educational requirements.

Upon completion of your studies and being awarded your Bachelor’s degree from an Indiana university or college human services course of study, you will be able choose from one of the following careers:

• Indiana Substance Abuse Counselor (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work or Psychology)
  • You will want to learn about the process for professional certification in Indiana which you can learn about here:
• Community Outreach Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
• Case Management Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
  • Case Management Aide’s assist Case Workers and Eligibility Workers with the process of moving clients through the system. This takes the form of helping with paperwork, filing and acting as a liaison and first point of contact with the client. You will find that the Family and Social Services Administration is an excellent resource for learning more about this career as well as being the leading employer of this occupation. Find more info here:
• Juvenile Court Liaison (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
  • You will be part of a Criminal Justice team that specializes on working with youth to help reduce recidivism and also work with the legal system to relay expectations to juveniles. You can find out more information about this career path on the Indiana Department of Corrections website and can see a related position description here:
• Behavioral Management Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
  • This occupation is one that works with children to help them modify behaviors so they can excel at learning and within the school system in general. You will likely be working for the Department of Education within one of Indiana’s 275+ school districts. Find more info here:
• Probation Officer (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
  • This position works with convicts to ensure that they continue to meet their parole and/or probation requirements as part of their efforts to remain outside of prison. Here is a job description from the Indiana Department of Corrections:
• Rehabilitation Case Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
  • As a Case Worker specializing in Rehabilitation you will almost certainly be working for the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and will find their website an invaluable resource:
• Child Life Specialist (Bachelor of Science, Child Life Specialist)
• Gerontology Specialist (Bachelor of Science, Gerontology)
• liaison (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or Criminal Justice)

Some will want to continue their studies and earn their Master’s degree from an Indiana college or university. Once you have your Master’s, you will be not only eligible for the above listed jobs, but also these careers:

• Licensed Social Worker (Master of Social Work from a CSWE accredited)
  • You can learn more about licensure in Indiana here:
• Marriage and Family Therapist (Master’s in Counseling, Psychology or Marriage and Family Therapy)
• Child welfare case manager (Masters in Business Administration, Social Work, Psychology or Sociology)
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Master of Social Work from a CSWE accredited school + field experience)
• You can learn more about licensure in Indiana here:
• Social and Community Service Manager (Masters in Business Administration, Social Work, Psychology or Sociology)

If you wish to maximize your earning potential and have expert status in your field, you will want to go on to get your Ph.D. Once you have your doctorate a whole world of possibilities opens up. From starting your private practice as a psychologist, to entering directly into an administrative position in a human services agency, you will be able to pick and choose the job that best meets your goals. One of the biggest distinctions of getting your doctorate is that you can go on to a career in academia and teach students within your discipline. The challenges of earning your doctorate are many, but the rewards are even greater.

Even the longest journeys begin with a first step. To start your educational path you must first determine its end point. By browsing our section on career overviews you can get a great idea not only of the jobs available out there, but also their salary ranges and educational requirements. Once you know what education will be required, you can look at our database of schools to find an online university, or one that is located in Indiana with an accredited program that meets your educational needs. It is always a good idea to contact your school directly to learn about their particular application process. Remember, most schools require that you apply a few months in advance of starting classes. This is especially true of graduate and doctoral programs. One final thing to consider is that if you wish to attain the highest levels of licensure, there are often post-graduate field experience requirements. Keeping these in mind for after your graduation will help you set up the next step in your career path.