Human Services Associate
Associate Degree
61 Credits | 2 Years
Financial Aid-Eligible
Ashland, New Richmond, Rice Lake, Superior
Hybrid instruction
Career Cluster: Human Services
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Program Overview
For over 16 years, our graduates have been making a real difference in their communities—working in schools, treatment centers, county agencies, and nonprofit organizations. This program prepares you to provide care, advocacy, and support for individuals and families from diverse backgrounds. You’ll gain practical skills in counseling techniques, resource navigation, and ethical practices while completing specialized training in substance use disorder counseling. Employers and university partners consistently recognize our graduates as well-prepared for both meaningful careers and continuing education. Join a program with a proven track record and start building a career that changes lives.
Program Outcomes
Human Services Associate graduates will be able to:
- Model a commitment to multicultural competence
- Uphold the ethical standards and values for human service professionals
- Demonstrate professionalism
- Utilize community resources
- Apply human services interventions and best practices
- Cultivate professional relationships
Follow your calling and transform yourself.
Learn by doing.
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Academics
Full program course offerings are now available at Ashland, New Richmond, Rice Lake and Superior. Take courses via hybrid instruction.
Convenient for You
Full program course offerings are available at the Ashland, New Richmond, Rice Lake and Superior campus locations. Take classes via hybrid instruction.
Community Connections
You'll develop community connections with courses that immerse you in the community. Engage in 300+ hours of supervised community-based fieldwork, network with human service professionals and participate in service-focused activities.
Career-Enhancing Credentials
Graduates will meet the educational requirements for Wisconsin’s Substance Abuse Counselor credential.
Required Courses
Coursework addresses the scope, values, and principles of the human services profession. Emphasis is placed on ethical practice, professionalism, individual, group and family counseling/casework and substance abuse assessment and treatment. Learned knowledge and skills will be applied through counseling simulations, community-based observation and field experiences within area organizations and agencies
Featured Human Services Associate Courses
Human Services Associate is Part of a Career Pathway
As a Human Services Associate student at Northwood Tech, you can earn credentials each step of the way!
* Career qualifications vary based on licensure application, examination and supervised practice/employment hours as specified and approved by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
You could take this first and get a credential.
This is the program you’re looking at.
Transfer your credits to earn your bachelor's degree.
Admissions and Tuition
Northwood Tech has an easy admission process that can be completed in one visit. Please see the details under the "Requirements and Application" section to get started.
Tuition and Fees
Northwood Tech breaks down the cost of education, so you'll have a good idea of how much your education will cost.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to help you pay for your education. It can come in the form of grants, loans, federal work-study, military and veterans benefits, division of vocational rehabilitation benefits, and scholarships.
Learn More About Paying for College
Cost of Attendance
The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of the costs that you may incur while attending Northwood Technical College.
Estimated Total Program Tuition 2025-26*
Human Services Associate
61 Credits | 2 Years
$10,554
*Tuition is an estimate and does not include any miscellaneous fees for various courses, tools, books, supplies or uniforms. Program book costs are in addition to tuition and fees and vary depending on course selection and where the books are purchased or rented.
After the Northwood Tech Human Services Associate Program
Upon completion of the program, you will earn a technical diploma in Substance Abuse Education and an associate degree in Human Services Associate.
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Transfer Center
Transfer your Northwood Tech credits to a four-year college to earn your bachelor's degree and beyond.
Career Outlooks
Northwood Tech's graduates experience success. Learn more about the types of careers you can get after graduation.
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Professional Licensure and/or Credential Information
Due to the embedded technical diploma of Substance Abuse Education within the Human Services Associate program, Northwood Tech’s Human Services Associate program is designed to meet the State of Wisconsin’s 360-hour educational requirements needed for Wisconsin Substance Abuse Counselor credential, as preapproved by the Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services. (Credential also requires state application, examination, and supervised counseling experience outside of this program). Northwood Tech does not guarantee its required courses meet the requirements for preparation, examinations, or licensure for other states/territories. For determination whether this program meets licensure requirements in states/territories other than Wisconsin, please refer to the licensure and certification disclosure webpage. Students who may be seeking professional licensure or credentials in states other than Wisconsin should contact the appropriate licensing board in that state/territory to verify that the Northwood Tech program meets licensure or credential requirements. To be eligible for testing and/or licensing in the state of Wisconsin, you may be required to obtain a social security number.
Out-of-State applicants sign a Professional Licensure Disclosure Form.
For more information, visit:
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
Get the Northwood Tech experience
Attend an event or schedule a campus tour/program shadow.
Download the Catalog
Learn more about programs, courses, tuition and fees, services and more.
Finding the class you want to take has never been easier.
