Human Services and Social Justice (HSSJ)

HSSJ 1000. Dean's Seminar. 3 Credits.

The Dean’s Seminars provide Columbian College first-year students focused scholarship on specific intellectual challenges. Topics vary by semester; see department for more details.

HSSJ 1099. Variable Topics. 1-36 Credits.

HSSJ 1100. Introduction to Human Services and Social Justice. 3 Credits.

Introduction to the field of human services from a social justice perspective. Using a “city as text” framework, the District of Columbia becomes a case study for examining social, cultural, racial, and economic inequalities. Restricted to first-year students and sophomores.

HSSJ 1177. Social Justice and Public Policy. 3 Credits.

How individuals, groups, and organizations work for social change. Advocacy and action examined through historical cases of the labor, women’s, and civil rights movements. Same As: HSSJ 2177.

HSSJ 2160. Role of NGOs in International Humanitarian Assistance. 3 Credits.

The increasing role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as providers of service and care for vulnerable individuals and communities in need; development of NGOs, the place they hold in international interventions, and the types of services they provide.

HSSJ 2170. Professional Relationships in Human Services. 3 Credits.

Professional communication skills in the human service field. Students learn to engage professionally with individuals and groups. Topics include understanding personal and cultural bias and listening skills, among others.

HSSJ 2171. Human Interactions: Child and Adolescent Development. 3 Credits.

Human development from infancy to young adulthood. Dominant psychosocial, cognitive, and physical competencies; motivational changes; coping styles; and normative and non-normative behaviors. Three hours per week of service learning in an appropriate agency setting are required in addition to lectures.

HSSJ 2172. Human Interactions: Adult Development. 3 Credits.

Human development from young adulthood to old age. Dominant psychosocial, cognitive, and physical competencies; motivational changes; coping styles; and normative and non-normative behaviors. Three hours per week of service learning in an appropriate agency setting are required in addition to lectures.

HSSJ 2177. Social Justice and Public Policy. 3 Credits.

How individuals, groups, and organizations work for social change. Advocacy and action examined through historical cases of the labor, women’s, and civil rights movements. Same as HSSJ 1177.

HSSJ 2200. Principles of Ethical Leadership. 3 Credits.

Students learn components of effective and ethical leadership by examining theory, research and practice of ethics while developing leadership skills and professional ethics for the field of human services.

HSSJ 3100. Program Evaluation. 3 Credits.

Covers planning and evaluation, which are essential to programming in nonprofit organizations, government, and business. Students design and conduct a research program evaluation for a nonprofit organization. Restricted to majors and minors in the human services and social justice program or with the permission of the instructor. Prerequisites: HSSJ 1100, SOC 1000, SOC 1001, and SOC 2101. Same As: HSSJ 3100W.

HSSJ 3100W. Program Evaluation. 3 Credits.

Covers planning and evaluation, which are essential to programming in nonprofit organizations, government, and business. Students design and conduct a research program evaluation for a nonprofit organization. Restricted to majors and minors in the human services and social justice program or with the permission of the instructor. Prerequisites: HSSJ 1100, SOC 1000, SOC 1001, and SOC 2101. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement. Same As: HSSJ 3100.

HSSJ 3110W. Nonprofit Management. 3 Credits.

Principles and practices of nonprofit organizations. Foundational overview of the nonprofit sector; legal as well as management fundamentals, including strategic planning and grant writing. Restricted to students in the BA and minor programs in human services and social justice. Prerequisites: HSSJ 1100 and HSSJ 2177. Recommended background: Prior completion of SOC 2101. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement.

HSSJ 3152. Fact/Field/Fiction: Intersections in HSSJ. 3 Credits.

Seminar taken in conjunction with an internship in SOC 3153. Critical analysis of literature, experiential learning, and community-informed research in the field of human services and social justice. Restricted to majors and minors in the human services and social justice program. Prerequisites: HSSJ 1000, HSSJ 1177 and SOC 2101.

HSSJ 3153. Internship in Human Services and Social Justice. 3 Credits.

Internship with an approved agency or organization in the criminal justice field taken in conjunction with HSSJ 3152. Restricted to majors and minors in the human services and social justice program. Prerequisites: HSSJ 1000, HSSJ 1177 and SOC 2101.

HSSJ 4133. Supervised Experience in HSSJ. 3-6 Credits.

Students deepen their theoretical, research, or practical knowledge and skills through instructor (and where appropriate community) supervised independent work on an issue within the field of Human Services for approximately 100 hours. Meet regularly with supervisor(s), readings, anecdotal records, and research paper. Permission of the program director and supervising instructor required prior to enrollment. Restricted to HSSJ majors and minors. Prerequisite: One HSSJ course beyond HSSJ 1100.

HSSJ 4193. Research and Independent Study. 1-6 Credits.

Students explore a topic relevant to human services in depth by designing, conducting, evaluating, and presenting original research. Required for honors in HSSJ.

HSSJ 4195. Senior Capstone. 3 Credits.

Philanthropy and grantmaking and community-engaged research practices. Students engage in a philanthropy project through community partnerships with nonprofit organizations in the District of Columbia and surrounding areas. Restricted to students in the BA in human services and social justice program in their final spring semester.

HSSJ 4198. Special Topics. 1-3 Credits.

Topics to be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit provided topic differs.

HSSJ 5099. Variable Topics. 1-99 Credits.