Social Services - Associate Degree
60 credits
The Associate degree in Social Services prepares students for entry-level positions in a social services setting. Courses taken for this degree may be used to transfer to NMSU Las Cruces for students wishing to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Social Work or Sociology.
Students must complete all University degree requirements, which include: General Education requirements and elective credits to total at least 60 credits. Developmental coursework will not count towards the degree requirements and/or elective credits, but may be needed in order to take the necessary English and Mathematics coursework.
The New Mexico General Education course list an be found here.
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Area I: Communications | ||
| English Composition - Level 1 | ||
| ENGL 111G | Rhetoric and Composition | 4 |
| English Composition - Level 2 | ||
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences | 3 | |
| Technical and Scientific Communication | 3 | |
| Business and Professional Communication | 3 | |
| Oral Communication | ||
| COMM 265G | Principles of Human Communication | 3 |
| or COMM 253G | Public Speaking | |
| Area II: Mathematics | ||
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Statistics for Business and the Behavioral Sciences 1 | 3 | |
or MATH 210G | Mathematics Appreciation | |
| Area III/IV: Laboratory Science and Social/Behavioral Sciences | 10 | |
| Human Biology and Human Biology Laboratory | 4 | |
| Human Growth and Behavior | 3 | |
| Introduction to Psychology | 3 | |
| Area V: Humanities | 3 | |
| Select one from the following: | ||
| Literature and Culture | 3 | |
| Roots of Modern Europe | 3 | |
| Modern Europe | 3 | |
| Introduction to Early American History | 3 | |
| Introduction to Recent American History | 3 | |
| The Art of Wondering | 3 | |
| Introduction to Philosophy | 3 | |
| Area VI: Creative and Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Select one from the following: | ||
| Orientation in Art | 3 | |
or ART 110G | Visual Concepts | |
| An Introduction to Music | 3 | |
or MUS 201G | History of Jazz in Popular Music: A Blending of Cultures | |
| The World of Theatre | 3 | |
| Core Requirements | ||
| Second Language | ||
| Select 8 credits from the following: | 8 | |
Two semesters of a second language | ||
| Elementary Spanish I and Elementary Spanish II | 8 | |
| Other Course Requirements | ||
| OECS 105 | Introduction to Information Technology | 3 |
| PSY 274 | A Study of Substance Abuse through Service Learning | 3 |
| or PSY 290 | Psychology of Adjustment | |
| S WK 221G | Introduction to Social Welfare | 3 |
| SOC 101G | Introductory Sociology | 3 |
| Concentration Areas | ||
| Paraprofessional or NMSU School of Social Work Option - see options below | 6 | |
| Select a minimum of 5 credits to bring the total credits to 60. 2 | 5 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
| 1 | STAT 251G Statistics for Business and the Behavioral Sciences is required for the NMSU Las Cruces Bachelor of Social Work. If students are not planning to pursue a Bachelor's degree, MATH 210G Mathematics Appreciation is acceptable but does not prepare the student for higher level MATH/STAT. |
| 2 | Elective credit may vary based on prerequisites, dual credit, AP credit, and/or certificate coursework. The amount indicated in the requirements list is the amount needed to bring the total to 60 credits and may appear in variable form based on the degree. However students may end up needing to complete more or less on a case-by-case basis and students should discuss elective requirements with their advisor. |
Paraprofessional Option
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two from the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Anthropology | 3 | |
or ANTH 125G | Introduction to World Cultures | |
| American National Government | 3 | |
or GOVT 110G | Introduction to Political Science | |
| Courts and the Criminal Justice System | 3 | |
| Personal Health and Wellness | 3 | |
| Introduction to Women's Studies | 3 | |
or W S 202G | Representing Women Across Cultures | |
| Case Management | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
NMSU School of Social Work Option
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Cultural Emphasis Requirement | ||
| SPAN 211 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| SPAN 212 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |