Social Services

Overview

The Social Services degree at River Valley will prepare you for a meaningful and fulfilling career of changing lives. Social Services students learn the key skills needed to help others in a variety of clinical and educational settings. With our transfer and career partnerships, students can graduate and go straight to a Bachelor’s degree or start their passion as soon as possible!

Why RVCC?

Social services at River Valley is designed around family friendliness. Students can attend part-time or full-time, and can start in any semester. Courses are offered on campus and online to accommodate multiple different learners.

Career Options

• Head Start centers
• Area agencies
• Homeless shelters
• City and state offices
• Behavioral and mental health centers
• Crisis centers

Related Degrees

• Early Childhood Education,
• Early Childhood Education: Infant and Toddler Certificate,
• Early Childhood Education level I Certificate,
• Early Childhood Education level II Certificate,
• Social Services Certificate,
• Liberal Arts

The Social Services Program shares in the mission of River Valley Community College to prepare individuals to enter into the workforce, to advance in their chosen career as social services professionals, and to prepare for continued study, including academic transfer.  This program is also committed to inspire students to become change-agents.

We recognize and respect that students in the Social Services Program have varied career goals, both short-term and long-range.  We work to meet these varied student needs.

We believe that the overall design of the social services curriculum should reflect current interdisciplinary knowledge.  We strive to provide a strong foundation for our students.

Program Goals

RVCC’s Social Services Degree Program provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to provide quality services in varied settings and to prepare for continued study.

Program Outcomes

RVCC’s Social Services Program combines theory and practical experiences.  The curriculum includes core topics of study:

• Child and Human Development
• Diverse Populations of Communities
• General Psychology
• Sociology
• Systems Theory
• Service Coordination
• Interpersonal Communication Skills
• Ethics & Professionalism

Students then select four specialized program electives to develop focused intermediate-level knowledge and skills.  These may include courses in:

• Criminal Justice
• Early Childhood Education
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Other related fields

Social Services is an open enrollment program. This means we accept students once they are accepted to River Valley; no requirements necessary. At RVCC, we believe all students should be able to complete a degree and be able to transfer or start their career as smoothly as possible.

If you have any questions about Social Services, please do not hesitate to request information or reach out to the faculty.