Human Services Education in Mississippi

From its hospitals to its universities and government agencies, Mississippi has a wide variety of human services positions in search of quality workers. For a well-educated human services worker, there are many career opportunities in the state of Mississippi from Biloxi to Jackson. Whether you want to work as a child welfare case worker in the states department of human services, or as a vocational counselor in one of Mississippi’s high schools, there are many human services that Mississippi needs. By getting your education in a human services field, you can marry together your career ambitions with a desire to give back to your community.

When planning for your future few choices are as important as deciding on your career goals. When you are making such an important decision you want to be informed and thorough. We here at Humanservicesedu.org we are committed to providing an excellent resource to help you make this decision. We have compiled a database of career overviews, salaries ranges, educational requirements and state-by-state licensure regulations for some of the most common human services jobs. We have created a list below of some of the jobs you can find in Mississippi and their related educational requirements.

Once you have finished school and been awarded your Bachelor’s degree from a Mississippi university or college human services course of study, you will be able choose from one of the following careers:

• Case management aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
  • This position is one that will put you in a great position to learn Case and Eligibility Work and be able to promote rapidly within the organization if you show effort and professionalism. You can learn more about this Human Services cluster here:
• Juvenile Court Liaison and Probation Officer (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
  • Working in the Justice System is a noble career and you will find more information about these and other Criminal Justice related professions at the Department of Corrections Website:
• Licensed Social Worker (Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE accredited program)
  • Each state has its own laws surrounding Social Work licensure, you will want to familiarize yourself with the licensure process for Mississippi which you can find here:
• Behavioral Management Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
  • With over 140 school districts , there are plenty of opportunities for Behavioral Management Aides to find work through Mississippi’s Department of Education
• Probation Officer (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
• Rehabilitation Case Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
  • One of the places you are most likely to find work and also simply an excellent source of information on the profession is the Department of Rehabilitation Services:
• Mississippi Substance Abuse Counselor (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work or Psychology)
  • The rules for certification for this career can be found here:
• Community outreach worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
• Volunteer Mississippi is an example of one of the many non-profits and other organizations that are looking for skilled Community Outreach Workers to fill their ranks. You can find out more about Volunteer Mississippi here:
• Child Life Specialist (Bachelor of Science, Child Life Specialist)
  • There are over 121 major hospitals in Mississippi and many of them have need for well-educated Child Life Specialists to help children and their families adapt to the realities of medical care. Such as the Batson Children’s Hospital:
• Gerontology Specialist (Bachelor of Science, Gerontology)
  • The Gerontology Social Worker helps people process their emotions around changing circumstances due to aging and also helps them to gain access to Social Services. You can learn more about Gerontology related information at Mississippi’s Office of Aging and Adult Services
• Liaison (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or Criminal Justice)

If you decide to continue your education and earn your Master’s degree from a Mississippi college or university you will be able to add the following career options to those presented above:

• Marriage and Family Therapist (Master’s in Counseling, Psychology or Marriage and Family Therapy)
• Licensed Master Social Worker (Master of Social Work from a CSWE accredited school + field experience)
• Child welfare case manager (Masters in Business Administration, Social Work, Psychology or Sociology)
• Licensed Certified Social Worker (Master of Social Work from a CSWE accredited school + field experience)
• Social and community service manager (Masters in Business Administration, Social Work, Psychology or Sociology)

If you want to become an expert in your field, maximize your earning potential and open up the full spectrum of career opportunities in your field, then you will want to continue your studies until you have earned a doctorate. Having a Ph.D. will allow you to do everything from lead clinical research teams, to entering directly into management and teaching your discipline at one of Mississippi’s universities. When you have a doctorate you will be considered an expert in your field and will gain all the prestige that goes with that distinction. Obtaining a Ph.D. is no easy task, but the rewards upon completion are many indeed.

To plan for your educational journey you must first know where it will end. That is, you must know what career you want to attain before you begin your schooling. By browsing our content on career overviews you will be able to make an informed decision. You will find job descriptions that include not only your day to day duties and your impact on the community, but also salary ranges, educational and licensure requirements. With this information it should become clear which career paths play to your personal strengths and talents. You can then examine our database of schools including online and schools based in Mississippi, to find an accredited program that meets your educational needs. Once you have found a school that is a fit, you will want to contact that school directly to get up to date information on their application process. If you are interested in a career that involves advanced licensure you will also want to think about post-graduate employment to gain the required field experience.