Human Services Education in Rhode Island
While Rhode Island is the geographically smallest state in the union, it is also the 2nd most densely populated. Rhode Island has need for well-educated human services workers throughout the scenic Northeastern state. Whether you are teaching at one of Rhode Island’s universities with a Doctorate of Social Work, or opening a private mental health practice, there are a variety of employment opportunities in human services. Rhode Island’s school system, university system, hospitals, government and non-profit agencies all need human services workers who have the desire to give back to their community.
Deciding on your career is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Such an important decision is worthy of diligent research and discernment, so that you can make the best choice possible. We here at humanservicesedu.org have compiled a database of careers in human services and provided overviews that include factors such as: job duties, impact on your community, salary ranges, educational and licensure requirements. We also have a state-by-state licensure requirements section that you may find very helpful. Take advantage of this valuable resource we have created. It was made to help you find your way through all the career options in the human services field. Below you will find some potential careers in Rhode Island sorted by required educational background.
You have at your hands a great resource for navigating your way through your career and education choices.
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Once you have earned your Bachelor’s degree from a Rhode Island university or college human services program, you will be able to apply for work in the following positions:
- Case Management Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- There are several jobs in the Case Management cluster and this is the entry level career that helps you learn the ropes of Case and Eligibility Work so you can go on to a career in one of those tracks through the Department of Human Services:
- Juvenile Court Liaison (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or Criminal
- Both of these occupations work with offenders in the Justice System to help them understand their legal obligations as well as their rights within the legal and correctional systems. A great source of info for these careers and other similar ones is the Department of Corrections:
- Rhode Island Substance Abuse Counselor (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work or Psychology)
- As a protected job title in the State of Rhode Island, you will need to learn the rules around certification within the state here:
- Licensed Social Worker (Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE accredited program)
- You will want to familiarize yourself with the various legal requirements to earn this title at our in-depth article on the subject here:
- Rehabilitation Case Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- A career in rehabilitation case work can be found through the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation:
- Community Outreach Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- Behavioral Management a Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- With over 60 school districts Rhode Island employs many Behavioral Management Aide’s to help ensure that the children in its schools will be able to enjoy the maximum educational achievement through support of those children who have emotional and behavioral barriers to education. You can learn more through the Department Elementary and Secondary Education:
- Probation officer (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
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After graduating with a Master’s degree from a Rhode Island college or university human Services program, you will be eligible to begin a career in one of the following positions:
- Social and community service manager (Masters in Business Administration, Social Work, Psychology or Sociology)
- Marriage and Family Therapist (Master’s in Counseling, Psychology or Marriage and Family Therapy)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Master of Social Work from a CSWE accredited school)
- Child welfare case manager (Masters in Business Administration, Social Work, Psychology or Sociology)
- Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (Master of Social Work from a CSWE accredited school + field experience)
If maximizing your earning potential, being seen as an expert in your field, taking on leadership or teaching roles and expanding your overall career options sounds appealing to you, then you may want to consider getting your doctorate. If you want to open a private practice in mental health, teach at a university, lead a clinical research team or train new generations of human services workers, then a doctorate will help you to realize your career goals. While earning a Ph.D. is a tremendous commitment, it will help you reap tremendous rewards and benefits.
The first step on your educational journey is to consider all your career options and to determine which one best matches your goals, interests and natural strengths. By studying our section on human services career overviews, you can learn about some of the most commonly available careers in the field. Once you have discovered a career that seems like a great fit for you, then the next step is determining what school and program meets your educational needs. We have compiled a database of schools, both online and located in the state of Rhode Island, that have accredited programs to meet your needs. It is always a good idea to contact your school and find out about their specific application process. If you wish to have a career in a licensed capacity it is also a wise idea to plan out your post-graduate field experience as many advanced licenses require field experience in addition to degrees.