Human Services Education in Michigan
Michigan is a state with many opportunities for a Human Services career. With its vast school system, many universities, hospitals, non-profits and government agencies, Michigan has great need of well-educated human services workers. Whether you want to become a hospital social worker, a Gerontology social worker, or a licensed marriage and family therapist there are many ways you can help your fellow citizens of Michigan and give back to your community.
Deciding on your career path in human services is one of the most important choices you will ever make. Determining your career path is also a choice that should be carefully researched and considered. We here at humanservicesedu.org have compiled a database of career overviews, educational and licensure requirements with specific information on the state of Michigan. From job duties to impact on community and salary ranges we have given you a great deal of information to help you make this critical decision. This resource can help you make an informed decision on your career plans and the education required to meet them. You will find a sampling of possible careers in Michigan below.
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By earning your Bachelor’s degree from a Human Services program, you will be able to apply for work in the following positions in Michigan depending on your degree:
- Licensed Bachelor Social Worker (Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE accredited program + field experience)
- Each state has complex laws around Social Work licensure. We have created an article to help guide you through the process of licensure which you can find here:
- Child Life Specialist (Bachelor of Science – Child Life Specialist)
- The primary employer as well as being a tremendous information source, is the Michigan Rehabilitation Services :
- Rehabilitation case worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- You will find employment helping children at one of Michigan’s 200+ major hospitals such as the Helen Devos Children’s Hospital:
- Community outreach worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- A tremendous diversity of organizations participates in Community Outreach and employ people to connect with their local communities on a variety of issues. One example is Molina Healthcare in Michigan that frequently employs Community Outreach Workers:
- Gerontology Social Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Gerontology)
- Gerontology Social Workers tend to work at Hospitals and long term care facilities helping their clients adjust to the realities of aging and connecting them with Social Services. To learn more about Long Term Care in Michigan visit the Ombudspersons website:
- Behavioral management aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- Behavioral Management Aide’s give children the chance to flourish in schools by helping them overcome emotional and behavioral problems so they can complete their schooling. You can find out more about this and other educational careers at the Department of Education website here:
- Case management aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- The Case Management Aide should be seen as a way to get your foot in the door at a Human Services Agency so you can continue to advance in your career and become a Case or Eligibility Worker. This career path is one where you work as part of a Case Management team for the Department of Human Services, you can find out more about these careers here:
- Juvenile court liaison (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or Criminal
- hese careers are both about helping offenders learn about their responsibilities and rights within and after being incarcerated by the Justice System. A valuable resource and likely employer is the Michigan Department of Corrections:
- Michigan Substance Abuse Counselor (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work or Psychology)
- Every state has different regulations and laws concerning licensure or certification, you can learn about Michigan’s here:
- Probation officer (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
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If you go on to earn your Master’s degree from a Human Services program, you can start a career in one of the following positions
- Licensed Master 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)
- Licensed Master Social Worker – Clinical (Master of Social Work from a CSWE accredited school + field experience)
- Child Welfare Case Manager (Masters in Business Administration, Social Work, Psychology or Sociology)
If you want to take your education to its conclusion and earn your Ph.D., you will open up a whole world of career possibilities. From entering directly into a management position in a human services agency to starting your own private independent mental health practice your career choices are many and varied. If you are interested in clinical research you could lead a team to study a psychological issue in a clinical setting. You can also decide to move into an academic career and train a new generation of human services professionals at one of Michigan’s many universities and colleges. Once you have earned your Ph.D. you will have the maximum number of career options within your field from research and teaching, to management.
The first step on your educational journey is to study various careers until you find one that fits your personality, natural talents and financial needs. You will then need to plan out the relevant education you will need. You may find it very useful to take advantage of the resources here at Humanservicesedu.org. You can find in our database overviews of many careers along with their educational and licensure requirements to help inform your decision. Once you know what education is required, you can look at our section on schools in Michigan and online, to find an accredited program that meets your needs. Contacting your school to find out about the application process is a good idea, as different schools and programs can have very different requirements. If you are interested in attaining advanced licensure you will also need to plan for post-graduate field experience.