Massachusetts

Human Services Education in Massachusetts

The State of Massachusetts has many universities, hospitals, a vast school system and non-profit agencies that need human services workers. Whether you work as a child life specialist in a hospital or as a marriage and family counselor in Boston, there are tremendous opportunities for the well-educated human services worker in the State of Massachusetts. Finding your niche and giving back to your community will require you to have a solid educational plan.

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 the appropriate due diligence. You have access to a great resource here at humanservicesedu.org and you can use it to your advantage. By examining our database of career overviews, you can learn about potential earning power, educational requirements, expected tasks and responsibilities and required licensure. With this information you can make a wise educational choice that will greatly help you in your future career. Below you will find a list of various jobs in the human services sector and their required education.


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Once you have earned your Bachelor’You can learn more about the state’s licensure requirements here:s degree from a Massachusetts college or university human services program, you can apply for one of the following professions:

  • Licensed Social Work Assistant (Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE accredited program)
    • You can learn more about the state’s licensure requirements here:
  • Licensed Social Worker (Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE accredited program + LSWA tenure)
  • Rehabilitation Case Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
    • A vital resource and potential employer for this career is the office of Vocational Rehabilitation Resources which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. You can find their website here:
  • Community Outreach Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
  • Behavioral Management Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
    • Massachusetts has over 300 school districts, many of whom will be in need of the services of Behavioral Management Aides. You may want to visit and explore the Department Elementary and Secondary Education website for more information on this career track:
  • Probation Officer and Juvenile Court Liaison (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
    • For those who are interested in Criminal Justice careers such as these, a hugely helpful source of data is the Department of Corrections. You can find their website here:
  • Case Management Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
    • The Department of Children and Families is the employer for the majority of Case Management Aides who are helping Case Workers and Eligibility Workers to perform their functions at a high degree of efficiency. The best source of information on this career path is the Department of Children and Families website which is here:
  • Juvenile court liaison (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or Criminal
  • Massachusetts Substance Abuse Counselor (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work or Psychology)
    Justice)

    • The state of Massachusetts has specific rules and regulations around Substance Abuse Counseling and certification which you can find here:

If you decide to continue your schooling until you graduate with a Master’s degree from a Massachusetts college or university human services program, you will be eligible to begin a career as one of the following professions:

  • Licensed Independent Clinical 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 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)

You may wish to continue your studies until you earn a doctorate in a human services discipline. If you do, you will open up many incredible opportunities for yourself. Whether you want to open your own private mental health practice, go directly into management or teach in academia, a Ph.D. can give you the training you need to create the career of your choice. One of the key differences between a doctorate and other levels of education is your expert status in your field. With a Ph.D. you can train new generations of Psychologists, Sociologists, Social Workers or Marriage and Family Therapists depending on your specialty. For some, a career in academia or research is appealing and worth investing the considerable time and effort to earn a Ph.D. The rewards for such an investment are total career freedom and a large increase in earning power.

Your journey towards the career of your dreams will have to start with accumulating information to help you make an informed decision. We have created a resource here at Humanservicesedu.org with the sole goal of helping students understand the career and educational paths that are offered in human services. Examining our database of job overviews along with educational and licensure requirements can really help you to find a career that fits your innate skills and talents. Once you have decided on a career and know what education is required, you can use our database of schools to find the right accredited Massachusetts or online college or university that meets your needs. You will want to contact your school to find out about your schools particular application process. . It is important to keep in mind that for many of the advanced licenses in human services there are not only educational requirements but also post-graduate field experience. You will need to take this into consideration when planning out your career.