Human Services Education in Maryland

With its many schools, universities, hospitals and its major city of Baltimore, Maryland has tremendous opportunities for the human services worker. Maryland is in need of human services workers at its hospitals in the form of medical social workers helping people apply for Medicaid. Maryland is also in need of human services workers in its school system as vocational counselors guiding students in their career choices and school social workers helping troubled students. Human services workers are also needed in Maryland’s non-profit, government agencies, hospitals and as professors in its university system. There are plenty of opportunities for the well-educated human services worker in Maryland.

There are few decisions you will make during your life that will have as big an impact as choosing your career. Making a decision of that importance is one that deserves study and research. Here at humanservicesedu.org, you have access to a great resource and you can use it to help you make this critical decision. By examining our database of career overviews, you can learn about educational requirements, expected tasks, responsibilities, salary range and any required licensure. We have detailed licensure information for every state including Maryland. After studying all this information you can make a wise choice about what education you need. Below you will find a list of various jobs in the human services sector and their required education.

Once you have completed your studies and earned your Bachelor’s degree from a Maryland college or university human services program, you can look at starting your career in one of the following professions:

• Licensed Social Work Associate (Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE accredited program)
  • There are complex laws and regulations around licensure in Maryland and we have an in-depth article explaining the ins-and-outs here:
• Rehabilitation Case Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
  • An excellent information source as well as a potential employer, the Department of Rehabilitation Services is part of the Department of Education. You can view their website here:
• Community Outreach Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
  • Among other organizations, the Department of Housing and Community Development has a strong focus on Community Outreach which you can read more about on their website here:
• Behavioral management aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
• Working with children at one of Maryland’s 24+ school districts to help them modify behavior so they can focus on learning in school, is a wonderful and empowering career arc. One source of information on this career that is well-worth exploring is the state’s Department of Education website which you can find here:
• Probation Officer (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
  • The Maryland Department of Safety and Correctional Services is the largest employer of Probation Officers in Maryland, they are also a fantastic resource for those interested in jobs in the Criminal Justice career arc:
• Case Management Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
  • This position is the entry level position within the Case and Edibility Workers sphere of Human Services careers. You will be aiding Case and Eligibility Workers in their own jobs and learning the craft as you perform your job. With enough effort, initiative and professionalism you will quickly be able to promote within the organization to one of these positions. Here is a recent listing with the Department of Human Resources for a Case Worker so you can understand this position and what it entails, find more info here:
• Juvenile Court Liaison (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or Criminal
• Maryland Substance Abuse Counselor (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work or Psychology)
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If you continue your studies and graduate with a Master’s degree from a Maryland college or university human services program, you will be eligible to begin a career in one of the following positions:

• Licensed Graduate Social Worker Master of Social Work from a CSWE accredited school)
• Licensed Certified 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 – Clinical (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)

Some people have the desire to become an expert in their discipline and will want to continue their education and earn their Ph.D. With a doctorate you will have the full range of career options and you will greatly enhance your earning potential. Your choices for career can include such jobs as: clinical research as part of a team of psychologists learning about human behavior, teaching marriage and family therapy to a new generation of students at a Maryland university, or becoming part of the administrative team within a human services organization. Regardless of your career goals, having a Ph.D. in a human services field will give you the ability to craft your own career as you see fit.

The first thing you will need to do to start your educational journey is to determine what your end career goals are. You can browse our section on human services career overviews to learn about everything from what the job entails, to its impact on the community, and the educational and licensure requirements of the job. Once you find a career that sounds appealing you can use the information on educational and licensure requirements to find a program in our database of schools either online or in Maryland that meet your educational needs. It is always a good idea to contact your chosen school directly to find out any specifics about the application process. Often with graduate or doctoral programs you will need to apply several months in advance and meet specific requirements for acceptance. One last consideration you will want to include in your planning is post-graduate employment if you want a career that requires advanced licensure. Often field experience is required for some of the advanced licenses.