Our degree and certificate programs in Human Services and Addiction Counseling prepare you to work with people in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, clinics and correctional institutes. Our faculty are active in the Human Services field so you will receive the most current and hands-on education possible.
AACC offers the following Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees. The state of Maryland refers to the A.A.S. as a career degree, because it's intended to provide you with skills to enter the workforce.
Addiction is the number one public health issue in the U.S. today, according to the National Association for Addiction Professionals. With this issue comes the ever-increasing demand for highly skilled rehabilitation, substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors. This degree will provide you with skills in counseling techniques for individuals, families and groups; assessment training; treatment planning; prevention and other topics related to addiction.
This degree offers you opportunities to pursue positions in counseling, mental health, children, families, the elderly and corrections. This two-year program provides you with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in areas such as counseling, psychology and social work.
The department also offers the following credit certificates.
AACC offers a certificate in Addiction Counseling which will enhance your skills in counseling individuals, families, and groups; assessment training; treatment planning; prevention and other topics related to addiction.
The Human Services (HUS) Certificate program gives you increased knowledge and upgraded skills in the human services areas. The certificate program is a great way for you to test your interest in the field before committing to the degree program. The requirements for the certificate can be applied toward the Associate of Applied Science degree in human services.
With a degree or certificate in human services, you may pursue higher degrees and careers in:
Addiction counselors work in a variety of settings, including:
Learn more about human services' career opportunities, median salaries and job outlook by checking out AACC's Career Coach:
If you decide to earn your A.A.S. degree in human services or addiction counseling, you can transfer to complete your four-year degree. We have partnerships and transfer agreements in place with many colleges and universities so you can easily transfer when you're ready. Transfer agreements (or “articulation agreements,” as they’re officially called) are formal arrangements between institutions that allow certain credits to transfer seamlessly from one school to the other. After completing one of our A.A.S. programs, you can seamlessly transfer to:
In addition to these colleges, you can work with a transfer advisor to set up a specific plan to transfer to the four-year school of your choice.
Paying for college should be simple! Scholarships are available for the human services specialists and addiction counselors of tomorrow:
Interests: Watching movies and playing board games with her family, spending time outdoors, serving at her church
A Little More: As a licensed social worker and associate professor of Human Services, a lot of Sara Meinsler’s work focuses on compassionate care and treatment of other people. But she’s also a big believer in self-care.
"I have done many online classes, however this class has given me something that I have never had before in an online class. In this class I was able to have a sense of connection with classmates, a sense of belonging, learn and build on my skills and have fun all at the same time. I have thought about the end of this class and I must say that I am not looking forward to it because I don’t think that I will get to experience another class like this.”
Bridget, student in Sara Meinsler's "Group Dynamics" (HUS 141)
In this episode of the podcast, Denise Akers shares the vision that brought her back to college. Nicole Williams, Ph.D., reflects on the care human services practitioners must provide: for their clients, students and themselves. Join us for Redefine U, Episode 2: A Continuous Journey.
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