Each student is required to identify an area of human services that is of interest to them and research the history, career options, training, education and preparation required, and employment outlook for that area of interest. The objective is to develop an understanding of possible career choices and paths within the human services profession. Your paper will be graded using the following criteria.
Provide the history of the area and/or profession, i.e., when did it emerge, why did it emerge, what need was it seeking to fill.
Hint: If your interest can best be stated, “I want to work with mentally ill people (or some other population or problem area).” your research is on careers working with the mentally ill. If your interest can best be stated, “I want to be a social worker.” your research is on the profession of social work. You may or may not have narrowed down your interest; choose the one that you are most interested in.
Provide a detailed overview of the current roles available in that area/profession, settings and locations where services are provided, population served, etc.
Explain the career path for that area and/or profession, in terms of training, education, certification, licensure, etc.
Provide information regarding professional organizations and associations linked to the area/profession, including ongoing training requirements, ethical codes and guidelines, etc.
Provide employment data for the area/profession, i.e., employment outlook, salary range, etc.
Provide a summary of your learning from your research.
As an emerging human service professional your paper should be written in APA format, including title page, introduction, body of paper, summary/conclusion, and references. Your references should be documented consistent with APA guidelines. The paper should be written at a college level containing acceptable grammar, punctuation, and spelling. As noted on the syllabus your completed paper should run 6 to 8 pages in length. The paper must have a minimum of 3 acceptable (academic) references. You are to submit a short description of your paper topic on the midterm exam.
