Earn Your BA in Human Services, Online, in 4 Years

Fully online. Built for working adults. NLU's BA in Human Services prepares you for careers in social services, advocacy, community organizations, and nonprofit management, with three concentration options that let you specialize in the population you want to serve.

  • 300+ Hours of Field Placement Experience
  • 3 Concentrations, Mental Health, Management, Entrepreneurship
  • Online, Chicago, or Tampa
  • $12,195/Year Tuition

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Why Choose NLU for Your BA in Human Services?

300+ Hours
FIELD PLACEMENT EXPERIENCE

The Human Services program requires three field placements totaling 300+ hours in real human services organizations before you graduate. By graduation, you'll have a professional portfolio of direct practice experience that sets you apart from candidates with only classroom preparation.

3 Concentrations
CHOOSE YOUR CAREER PATH

Specialize through three distinct concentrations: Mental Health (for direct support and counseling access work), Human Services Management (for nonprofit and program leadership), or Entrepreneurship (for those who want to create and scale solutions to social problems). Your concentration shapes your electives and trajectory.

$12,195/Year
ACCESSIBLE TUITION

NLU's BA in Human Services offers an affordable pathway to a mission-driven career. Multiple start dates, flexible online and on-campus delivery, and financial aid options make it easier to earn your degree without putting your life on hold.

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BA in Human Services at a Glance

HOW LONG?
4 Years
Bachelor's degree with flexible scheduling, transfer students may finish faster
HOW MUCH?
$12,195/yr
Annual tuition for first-time freshmen (2025-2026 rate)
FIELD HOURS?
300+ Hrs
Real-world placements across three field experiences
CAREER OUTCOME?
$61,330
Median annual wage for social workers (BLS, May 2024)

What You'll Learn

  • Apply social work theory and human behavior knowledge to direct service and case management
  • Advocate for systemic change using policy analysis and community organization skills
  • Design, implement, and evaluate human services programs
  • Navigate diversity, ethics, and professional practice standards in social services
  • Build practical skills through 300+ hours of supervised field placement experience

Full Course List

Gateway Courses
Survey the history, values, and scope of human services, from social welfare policy to direct practice, and explore career pathways across the field.
Major Core
Examine how biological, psychological, and social systems shape individual development and behavior across the lifespan, the theoretical backbone of direct practice.
Analyze the policy frameworks that govern social services in the U.S., from public assistance programs to child welfare systems, and their impact on the communities you'll serve.
Learn the core tools of case management: intake assessment, service planning, referral, coordination, and advocacy, applied across healthcare, social services, and nonprofit settings.
Apply ethical frameworks and professional standards to real-world dilemmas in human services, mandatory reporting, confidentiality, dual relationships, and cultural competency.
Capstone
Final 5-credit field placement integrating coursework with supervised direct practice. Present a professional portfolio demonstrating readiness for employment or graduate study.

Next start: September 21, 2026 — seats filling fast.

Admissions Requirements

  • High school diploma or GED from an accredited institution.
  • Transfer students welcome, prior college coursework reviewed for applicable credit.
  • Personal statement describing interest in human services and career goals.
  • Two letters of recommendation.
  • Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions.
  • No minimum GPA cutoff, all applications reviewed holistically.
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I chose NLU as my university because when I did the research and listened to previous graduates from NLU, they always mentioned how NLU worked with all students.

Yaritza Rodriguez Human Services Student, Class of 2021
300+ Hours of Field Experience

Three field placements (HSM 291, HSM 292, HSM 493) totaling 300+ hours in real human services organizations. You complete actual casework, direct support, and program coordination before you graduate, building a professional portfolio employers value highly.

Three Concentrations, One Degree

Choose Mental Health (for direct support and behavioral health settings), Human Services Management (for nonprofit and program leadership), or Entrepreneurship (to create and scale social impact organizations). Your concentration aligns your coursework with your specific career path.

Advocacy and Systems Change

NLU's program goes beyond case management to teach the policy, advocacy, and systemic analysis skills needed for structural solutions, preparing you for roles from frontline case manager to organizational leader to policy advocate.

Where Will Your BA in Human Services Take You?

$61,330
Median salary for social workers (BLS, May 2024)
Social Services Coordinator
Case Manager
Community Health Worker
Nonprofit Program Director
Behavioral Health Technician
Juvenile Justice / Recovery Caseworker

The BA in Human Services opens doors across the full range of direct service, case management, advocacy, and community-based roles. Graduates work in nonprofits, government agencies, healthcare systems, schools, and community organizations. The combination of strong theory, practical skills, and real supervised field hours means graduates are job-ready, not just degree-ready, on the day they graduate.

Get Started Now

Just 3 Steps to Your BA in Human Services

  1. Request Information

    Fill out the short form on this page. An NLU advisor will reach out within one business day to answer questions about admission requirements, transfer credits, and the three concentrations.

  2. Talk to an Advisor

    A 15-minute conversation. Ask anything about online vs. on-campus options, financial aid, the field placement sequence, or how the program fits your schedule. We'll be straight with you.

  3. Start Your BA

    Begin your program on September 21, 2026. You're one decision away from a career that makes a real difference in people's lives.

Get Started

Online. Affordable. Built Around the Work You Want to Do.

Connect with an NLU advisor to discuss concentrations, transfer credits, and your next start date.

Take the First Step
  • 300+ Hours of Field Placement Experience
  • Three Specialization Concentrations
  • $12,195/Year, Affordable Tuition
  • 74,000 Annual Job Openings (BLS)

** Median annual wage for Social Workers (SOC 21-1020), BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2024.