Bachelor of Professional Arts in Human Services

The Bachelor of Professional Arts in Human Services (BPA-HSRV) is a degree-completion program designed to meet the career and professional needs of workers in the human services fields of

• child and youth care
• corrections
• counselling
• early childhood education
• personal support services
• rehabilitation
• social services
• other related fields

Athabasca University’s BPA-HSRV brings together your knowledge and experience with theory and research from the human services fields. You will learn about:

• helping others respond to challenges in an ethical manner
• advocacy, human rights and policy-making
• interpreting clients’ situations in a rapidly changing environment
• initiating an activist stance in professional activities

When you graduate, you will have a sound knowledge of the multiple contexts that shape your practice:

• cultural
• economic
• historical
• political
• theoretical

You will also be prepared to take on leadership positions, including performing greater administrative, counselling, supervising and managing functions in your field.

Why take the Bachelor of Professional Arts in Human Services (BPA-HSRV)?

AU’s Bachelor of Professional Arts in Human Services (BPA-HSRV) program lets you turn your diploma into a degree while still being able to work and meet personal commitments. You bring your knowledge and professional experience, and we engage with you in understanding the broader contexts that inform your life and work.

Graduates from the Bachelor of Professional Arts–Human Services (BPA-HSRV) program will demonstrate the ability to:

• Synthesize the foundational knowledge of human services concepts, theories, principles, models, practices and competencies in social policy development, communication theory, political science, organizational behaviour, Indigenous issues, and in the support of vulnerable populations.
• Evaluate the merits of various policies and practices, existing and emerging social, ethical, global, political, and legal concerns relevant to the field of human services and other related disciplines.
• Appraise qualitative and quantitative data drawn from disciplinary and interdisciplinary sources, to make appropriate judgements and recommendations to improve policy and practice in the human services field.
• Utilize effective decision-making and problem-solving skills to create solutions to social problems within the scope of their practice.
• Synthesize theory, research, and evidence-based practice, within a framework of social justice, while working with individuals, communities, human service organizations and governments, consistently following legal, ethical, professional and academic codes of conduct, acknowledging the influences of the limits to one’s knowledge and ability.
• Formulate beliefs, concepts, propositions and arguments that are well-informed with respect to the delivery of human services in coherent, concise, technically correct forms, adapted according to the purpose, audience, occasion and technology used.
• Execute, competently and professionally, the required duties of a human services worker, independently or collaboratively, with accountability and integrity, while maintaining confidentiality.

Program outcomes

The general program outcomes, categorized by areas of study, are as follows.

A. Interpersonal Communications

1. Express self clearly: demonstrate effectiveness in speech and in writing.
2. Be attentive to the framing of problems: contextualize problems using sophisticated analysis.
3. Nurture value-based learning: use values to guide theory and practice.
4. Work well with others in a variety of settings: demonstrate values, skills and knowledge for successful team-building.

B. Relating Practice to Theory

1. Employ skills related to practice.
2. Succeed in intervention and/or advocacy efforts: demonstrate effectiveness in intervention and/or advocacy.

C. Using Critical Perspectives

1. Recognize, critically evaluate, and analyze arguments and theories: demonstrate critical perspectives and analytical thinking related to the human services sector.
2. Use strategies for inclusive personal and social change: demonstrate effectiveness in the use of strategies to achieve inclusiveness in personal change as well as social change.

D. Familiarity and Understanding of the Human Services Sector

1. Know emergence and breadth of the sector of human services: demonstrate familiarity with the history and evolution of the human services sector, along with several of its fields.
2. Contribute to the developing professional character of the human services sector and one’s place/role within it.

E. Professionalism

1. Demonstrate ethical professional conduct and attitudes.
2. Relate self to the role of the human services provider in broad contexts: demonstrate the impact of contexts and exhibit ethical professional conduct and attitudes.
3. Use continuous learning to integrate knowledge of related concepts, theories and policies.

F. Demonstration of Success as Human Services Educator

1. Continue learning from experiences for personal growth and development through self-reflective practices.
2. Display evidence of professional effectiveness such as lobbying, policy-making, protest and advocacy

• Completion of high school in an English-speaking country.
• Completion of 15 university credits from a recognized English-speaking university, or 1 year at a non-university post-secondary institution with an overall average of 75% (GPA of 3.0).

English is the language of instruction and communication in SCIS graduate programs.

Proficiency in English is an essential requirement for admission to SCIS graduate programs. Although working and studying online requires a different level of English language skills than does the classroom situation, students must nevertheless be able to communicate effectively with faculty, administration, and with other students.

For more information on the English Language Prociency Requirements for Graduate Studies please refer to the AU graduate calendar.

• Minimum score of 6 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
• Minimum score of 60% on the Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL).
• Minimum score of 80 on the Michigan English Language Battery (MELAB) test.
• Minimum score of 59 on the Pearson Test of English (PTE).
• Minimum score of 213 on the computer- or paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT), with 4.5 on the Test of Written English (TWE).
• Minimum score of 80 with an essay score of 20 on the Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT).
• Successful completion of AU’s English Language Proficiency Program with an overall average of 75% (GPA of 3.0).
• See the English Language Proficiency Requirements Policy for further details.

How to apply

You can apply to AU online, anytime. Once you’ve completed the online application form and paid the one-time general application fee (and transfer credit evaluation fee, if applicable), you’re officially an AU student and can start registering in courses.

• How to enrol in an undergraduate program

Once we receive your transcripts the transcripts related to your previous post-secondary education can be evaluated for transfer credit. Make sure your transcripts reach us.