Human Services, Education, and Social Sciences

The Human Services, Education, and Social Sciences Pathway is a good option for students who are compassionate, enjoy using research based methods to serve others, and want to help improve individual lives and society as a whole.  Academic programs in this pathway can lead directly to careers in education, public service, and the non-profit and government sector as well as those that require further education such as law, historic preservation, geographic information systems, financial planning, archeology, international studies, social work, psychology, and counseling. Graduates with these skills are in high demand by employers in a variety of fields and in graduate professional programs.

Pathway Program

The Pathway Programs are designed to help students who are deciding on their academic and career goals to identify an area of interest. 

• Pathway Degree with Human Services, Education, and Social Sciences Concentration, A.A.  

Transfer Programs

Transfer Programs are designed to prepare students to transfer to a college or university to complete a bachelor’s degree. 

Criminal Justice

• Pre-Criminal Justice, A.A. (General Transfer)  

English

• Pre-English (Elementary Language Arts Education Emphasis), A.A. (Grand Valley State University)  

Education

• Pre-Early Childhood Education, A.A. (3 + 1, Ferris State University)  
• Pre-Elementary Education with ZS Endorsement, A.A. (3 + 1, Ferris State University)  
• Pre-Elementary Education, A.A. (Ferris State University)  
• Pre-Elementary Education, A.A. (Western Michigan University)  

Psychology

• Pre-Psychology, A.A. (General Transfer)  
• Pre-Social Work, A.A. (General Transfer)  

Social Sciences

• Pre-Anthropology, A.A. (General Transfer)  
• Pre-Economics, A.A. (General Transfer)  
• Pre-Gender Studies, A.A. (General Transfer)  
• Pre-Geography, A.A. (General Transfer)  
• Pre-History, A.A. (General Transfer)  
• Pre-International Relations, A.A. (General Transfer)  
• Pre-Political Science, A.A. (General Transfer)  
• Pre-Sociology, A.A. (General Transfer)  

Career Programs

Career programs are designed to prepare students for employment or advancement in a specific career field. 

Criminal Justice

• Addiction Studies Certificate  
• Corrections Certificate  
• Corrections, A.A.A.S.  
• Juvenile Services, A.A.A.S.  
• Law Enforcement, A.A.A.S.  
• Police Academy Certificate  
• Sheriff’s Corrections Academy Certificate  

Education

• CDA Formal Training Hours Certificate  
• Child Development (MTA Eligible), A.A.A.S.  
• Child Development, A.A.A.S.  
• Fast Track CDA Formal Training Hours Certificate  
• Paraprofessional Education, A.A.A.S.    

Psychology

• Gerontology Certificate  

Career + Transfer Programs

Career + Transfer Programs are designed both to prepare students for entry into specific careers and to transfer to a college or university to complete a bachelor’s degree.  

Education

• Child Development, A.A.A.S. (Western Michigan University - Child & Family Development)  

Need Help Selecting a Career?

Below are two options which can assist with identifing careers and what programs GRCC has to align with these careers:

FOCUS 2 is an online tool that will help you to identify careers based on your personal strengths and interests, as well as additional online career exploration resources. 

Career Coach can help you determine what programs at GRCC best align with your already identified career interests or those identified by using FOCUS 2. This online tool also provides regionally based employment outlook information.