HSAD 300
The Human Service Administrator
3 Credits          Weekly (3-0-0)

Students are introduced to the roles and responsibilities of managers in human service organizations, primarily in the nonprofit sector, and address issues related to leadership, organizational culture, planning, management controls, financial management, working with staff and boards, and resource development. Students explore a range of skills needed to successfully assume management responsibilities through an examination of recognized literature in the management field including, but not limited to, discipline-specific resources and journals.

HSAD 305
Interpersonal Communication Skills for Human Service Administrators
3 Credits          Weekly (3-0-0)

Students explore the interpersonal dimension of the role of leaders, managers, and supervisors in human service agencies. Students gain an understanding of leadership roles in human service agencies and develop skills for creating effective interpersonal environments in their workplaces. Students have the opportunity to review and extend their communication skills, to learn strategies for time and stress management, and to explore and practise skills required for team building, setting directions, action-planning, managing meetings, problem-solving, and resolving conflict.

HSAD 310
Managing Human Resources
3 Credits          Weekly (3-0-0)

Students are introduced to a strategic set of systems and practices of human resource management that focus on creating diverse and inclusive human service organizations. Utilizing a humanistic approach to human service management while operating within a legal framework, students begin to acquire the skills to recruit, select, orient, train, develop and retain staff. Students learn to develop job descriptions by analysing and defining work, appraise staff with the goal of improving performance, and establish creative approaches to reward and recognize staff. Additional topics studied include supervision and leadership, labour relations, and occupational health and safety.

HSAD 315
Managing Financial Resources in Human Service Agencies
3 Credits          Weekly (3-0-0)

Students are introduced to financial accounting and bookkeeping in human service organizations.  Students develop the skills required to manage an organization’s financial resources, including budget analysis, payroll, preparing for audits, and managing endowment funds and charitable donations.

HSAD 325
Research Practices in Human Service
3 Credits          Weekly (3-0-0)

Students gain knowledge of the research process and research methods commonly employed in the social sciences. Students examine how research is conducted and discuss a number of research methods including qualitative, quantitative, action, and narrative. Students develop the knowledge and skills required to read research reports critically and participate in research in an ethical and thorough manner.

HSAD 330
Managing Physical Resources in Human Service Agencies
3 Credits          Weekly (3-0-0)

Students become familiar with important aspects of managing physical resources in human service organizations. Students learn to develop business plans, assess and address facility needs, and plan for improvements, including finding space in the community, renovation, new construction, and financing. Strategies for risk management and facility and equipment management, including maintenance procedures, leasing, and the security of information technology resources, are introduced as important tools for the human service administrator.

HSAD 335
Managing Change in Human Service Agencies
3 Credits          Weekly (3-0-0)

Students cultivate the knowledge and skills necessary to respond to organizational change in a strategic and proactive manner.  Students develop strong strategic planning skills and are able to develop and implement strategic and proactive responses to manage uncertainty and change.

HSAD 345
Community-Based Practice in Human Service Agencies
3 Credits          Weekly (3-0-0)

This course is designed to introduce students to the theory and practice of community work. The key role healthy, sustainable communities play in enhancing the health, education, and social programs delivered by formally organized institutions is explored. Students learn that community practice is a process of collaboration within a network of individuals and other service providers and will develop the skills and knowledge to be an effective part of this process.

HSAD 350
Trends and Issues in Human Service Administration
3 Credits          Weekly (3-0-0)

This course examines trends, issues, and innovation as they relate to human service organizations. Students learn to anticipate events, changes, or evolutions that may impact the organization or profession, identify issues that arise as a result, and formulate appropriate responses. This course explores a variety of political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal trends and issues to determine the impact they may have on the human service field in general and on your organization in particular. Innovation, with a particular emphasis on social innovation, will be explored as a response to the issues, and you will learn about approaches that foster human service innovations at an organizational level. The interplay of social policy and trends and issues will be explored along with the increasing emphasis on accountability in the social service sector.

HSAD 459
Directed Field Study in Human Service Administration I
15 Credits          Total (0-0-537)

Students build on the skills and knowledge attained in previous program courses as they explore leadership development and managerial practice within the directed work situation. In consultation with the instructor, supervisor and/or a mentor, students set learning and development goals and use reflection to evaluate and guide their progress as human service managers and leaders.  Project management theory is introduced.  Students identify and do initial research on the project they will complete in their final directed field study.  Team roles and functioning are explored in the context of seminar activities.

Prerequisites: HSAD 300, HSAD 305, HSAD 310, HSAD 315, HSAD 325, HSAD 330, HSAD 335, HSAD 345 and HSAD 350.

HSAD 499
Directed Field Study in Human Service Administration II
15 Credits          Total (0-0-537)

Building on their experience in Directed Field Study I, students establish learning goals to further develop and demonstrate leadership capacity and managerial practice in the field study agency. Students work with their supervisor to identify an appropriate project; then they plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate the project. They learn characteristics of a culturally competence workplace and create a plan for increasing cultural competence in their organization. Students use reflective practice to guide their development as human service managers and critically analyze the project they managed in a Capstone assignment that shows their ability to integrate theory and practice and present their findings in an academically and professionally competent manner.

Prerequisites: HSAD 459.