Human Services Education in Montana
While Montana is one of the least densely populated states it still has need of well-educated and talented human services workers. Whether you want to work as a substance abuse counselor helping people deal with alcoholism, open a private practice as a marriage and family counselor or work as an eligibility worker for the state there are many ways you can help your fellow Montanans and make a difference in people’s lives. Well-educated human services workers will always be needed in Montana.
There are very few decisions in life that are as important as determining your career path. To make an informed decision it is important to research your career options thoroughly. Here at humanservicesedu.org we have created a resource that includes licensure requirements of all states including Montana, career overviews explaining job responsibilities, salary ranges and educational requirements. With this information you will have information that will make it much easier to make a decision with confidence.
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When you have completed your studies and earned your Bachelor’s degree from a Montana university or college human services program, you will be able to apply for one of following careers in Montana:
- Montana Substance Abuse Counselor (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work or Psychology)
- Every state has some level of regulation and laws surrounding Addiction Counseling, it is imperative that you understand the laws in your state which you can find for Montana here:
- Child Life Specialist (Bachelor of Science, Child Life Specialist)
- The Child Life Specialist works with children and families to help them overcome the emotional and mental adversity caused by long term treatment of chronic or acute conditions. They will find employment with one of Montana’s 72+ hospitals such as Shodair Children’s Hospital:
- Gerontology Specialist (Bachelor of Science, Gerontology)
- Community Outreach Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- There are quite a few different agencies and organizations that have issues they want feedback on from their local communities. They bridge this gap by hiring Community Outreach Workers to interact with and begin dialogues with their communities. One agency which frequently hires workers in this capacity is the local branch of HUD:
- Case Management Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services employs Case Management Aides to help Case Workers and Eligibility Workers with their heavy case-loads to become more efficient and put out a higher quality of work. The Aide’s in return gain experience with many aspects of Case Work and can look to promote into one of those positions:
- Juvenile Court Liaison (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
- The Montana Justice System is in need of capable people who can work with those within the system or who are attempting to re-enter society in order to help Juvenile and Adult offenders understand their legal rights and responsibilities. The Montana Department of Corrections hold a wealth of information for those who are seeking similar jobs in Criminal Justice:
- Behavioral Management Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- There are 350+ school districts in Montana many of whom have children in need of special counseling and help managing their behaviors so they can focus on learning. You can learn about this career and many others with young children at the Montana Department of Education:
- Probation Officer (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
- Rehabilitation Case Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
If you choose to go on to earn a Master’s degree from a Montana college or university, you will be able to choose a career from one of the following jobs:
- 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)
- Marriage and Family Therapist (Master’s in Counseling, Psychology or Marriage and Family Therapy)
- Social and community service manager (Masters in Business Administration, Social Work, Psychology or Sociology)
If a career in clinical research or academia sounds appealing to you, then you will need to earn your Ph.D. to pursue your goals. Once you have obtained a doctorate in your discipline you will be able to apply to join the staff at one of Montana many universities and train students in your chosen discipline. A doctorate is useful in many other career paths such as opening up your own mental health practice, leading a clinical research team, or joining a human services agency management team. Regardless of your desired career your options will expand tremendously with a Ph.D. in your field. The path to achieving the distinction of doctor within your discipline is a challenging one, but will you will be rewarded with expert status in your field and your choice of careers in your field.
By browsing our section on career overviews you can learn what duties different jobs will require. This will help you to take the first step on your academic journey and choose your career path. When choosing your career it is wise to find one that plays to your strengths and natural talents. If you are interested in the subject matter and tasks of a job then you can see if the salary range is one that works for your financial needs. When you find a career that interests you, makes use of your talents and also is financially rewarding, you have found a good fit. In our career overview section we also include educational and licensure requirements for the positions we cover. Once you know what your educational requirements are you can look at our database of schools both located in Montana and online to find an accredited program that meets your educational needs. Once you have chosen a school it is a good idea to contact your school and learn about the specific application requirements for the program you are interested in. One final thing to keep in mind is post-graduate field experience. If you are interested in advanced licensure you will usually be required to have a substantial amount of post-graduate professional experience.