Overview
Contact: Dr. Thomas J. Zirpoli
The Human Services Management program is a community-based special education program designed to prepare middle to upperlevel managers for community-based agencies and organizations serving children and adults with disabilities. Course work for the program is a mix of special education, psychology and management classes. Students also have the option of adding special education teaching certification to their graduate degree. However, this will require extra course work and student teaching.
Graduate students in the Human Services Management program must participate in a full-time, two-year, live-in internship with Target Community and Educational Services, Inc. (Target). The Target program provides residential, vocational, recreational and family support services to children and adults with disabilities in Carroll and Montgomery Counties in Maryland. The Target internship consists of serving as a Community Living Manager (CLM) for one of Target’s residential sites. Students in the program receive six academic credits for the successful completion of their internship. Individuals who currently work full-time for other agencies serving the disabled in Maryland may be allowed to participate in this academic program if approved by the program’s coordinator.
Students who participate in the Target internship are provided with a 75% tuition scholarship, an average annual graduate stipend of $23,000, free room and board, a generous health and dental care package, and a variety of other benefits.
Candidates for this program must be accepted as a graduate student by McDaniel College and as a graduate intern by Target, Inc. Dismissal from either the Human Services Management graduate program or the Target, Inc., internship will be grounds for an automatic dismissal from the other (the graduate program or the internship). Interested students should contact Target, Inc., as their first step in entering this academic program. The contact number for Target, Inc. is 410-848-9090.
Admissions Requirements
Canidates are required to interview with the management of Target Community & Educational Services, Inc. prior to completing an application to the graduate program.
Candidates required to submit:
- application for graduate study with non-refundable fee
- official transcript conferring bachelor’s degree (minimum 2.7 GPA) from an accredited institution
- program plan developed in consultation with program coordinator
Note: Other requirements will be necessary for students seeking special education teaching certification.
Five-Year Master’s Degree Program in Human Services Management
The Master’s Degree in Human Services Management: The graduate program in Human Services Management at McDaniel College provides students with the knowledge and experience to serve in a leadership position within a non-profit organization.
The Combined Five-Year Undergraduate & Graduate Program: This program provides the opportunity for a limited number of McDaniel students to complete their undergraduate and graduate studies within a five-year period resulting in an undergraduate degree in their major and a Master’s degree in Human Services Management.
How to Apply: Email a letter of interest to the program coordinator of the Human Services Management graduate program at McDaniel College and be recommended in writing by a full-time McDaniel faculty member or administrator from their undergraduate major. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.70 by the end of their third year to apply. Applicants will then be interviewed by the HSM program coordinator and other employees of Target, Inc..
Admission Requirements: Candidates offered positions will be asked to complete an application for admissions into the McDaniel College HSM graduate program and complete a background check, including a driving record check. Candidates must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.70 and have less than three points on their driving record by the end of their fourth year. Other program requirements are outlined in the HSM Program Handbook which will be distributed during the interview process.
Course Requirements: Students must complete all undergraduate degree requirements in their major to secure a McDaniel College undergraduate degree by the end of their senior year. In addition, during their fourth year, students accepted into the HSM graduate program must complete an additional six (6) graduate credits in Medical & Physical Disabilities (SED 506) and Introduction to Research Methodology (RSM 550).
During their fifth year, students will complete a minimum of an additional 24 graduate credits, plus all internship requirements, during the summer, fall, and spring semesters as outlined by the HSM Program Handbook. Thus, students must complete a minimum of 30 credits for the Master’s Degree in Human Services Management.
Internship Requirements with Target Community & Educational Services: During the fifth year of this program (May to May), the students in this program must complete a 12-month live-in paid internship at one of the residential sites of Target Community and Educational Services (TCES) and be employed by TCES as a Community Living Manager (CLM). The CLM serves as a house manager, along with a second graduate student, and supervises the care of three adults with disabilities. The CLMs live in the house or apartment and enjoy the comforts of their own fully furnished apartment with private bedroom. Students must successfully complete this 12-month internship during the fifth (5th) year of the program in order to graduate from the HSM program.
Target Scholarship and Stipend: Target Scholars receive a 75% Target scholarship during the fifth-year of their studies, an $23,000 graduate stipend (varies by county), free housing, and a generous health and dental care package.
Program Handbook: Details of other program requirements are outlined in the HSM Program Handbook available at Target Community & Educational Services, Inc.
For more information: Candidates may visit the Target Community & Educational Services website at www.targetcommunity.org or call 410-848-9090 and ask for Ms. Lauren Minnich, Director of Recruitment and Training, or Dr. Tom Zirpoli, HSM Program Coordinator, Target Community & Educational Services, Inc.
Graduate courses to be completed during fourth year of Undergraduate Program
Courses to be completed during fifth year (24 credits minimum)
McDaniel College and Stevenson University Articulation Agreement
McDaniel College has developed a formal articulation agreement with Stevenson University that gives students at Stevenson University an opportunity to earn a B.S. in Human Services Management from Stevenson University and a M.S. in Human Services Management from the Graduate and Professional Services Program at McDaniel College in five years.
The following general principles guide the operation of this agreement:
1. This articulation is designed for students in the Human Services Program at Stevenson University.
2. A maximum of nine credit hours from Stevenson University will be accepted toward fulfillment of the 30 credit hours required for completion of the Master of Human Services Management at McDaniel College.
3. All course credits delineated in this articulation plan will be accepted as transfer to fulfill McDaniel College’s requirements for Master of Human Services Management Program.
4. Only courses in which the student earns a grade of “B” or better are eligible for transfer.
5. All students interested in this program must be interviewed and accepted for an internship position with Target Community and Educational Services, Inc. prior to being accepted into the Master of Human Services Management Program at McDaniel College. All participants in this program participate in a live-in internship as a Community Living Manager (CLM) in a residence for adults with developmental disabilities operated by Target Community and Educational Services, Inc. In return for their internship as CLMs, students receive a 75% tuition scholarship for graduate courses taken at McDaniel College, a graduate stipend ($23,000 in 2012), health care benefits, and free room and board.
Students from Stevenson University intending to transfer should complete the admission application for McDaniel College following the sixth semester of their Bachelor Degree Program. For preliminary admission into the program, candidates must meet the admission requirements (GPA of 2.70 or greater, three letters of recommendation, and a background check required by Maryland State law) for the Human Services Management Graduate Program at McDaniel College and be recommended by their faculty advisor at Stevenson University. For full admission into the McDaniel College graduate program, candidates must successfully complete all requirements of the undergraduate degree program in Human Services at Stevenson University, and meet all the admission requirements for the Human Services Management Program at McDaniel College. In addition, all internship placements at Target Community and Educational Services, Inc. require an interview and acceptance by the agency prior to admission into the five-year program.
Stevenson students accepted into the Master of Human Services Management Program at McDaniel College should enroll in HSR 540 instead of HSR 340. Students should also enroll in McDaniel College’s RSM 550, Introduction to Research Methodology, during their senior year at Stevenson University. Accepted students participating in HSR 440 will be required to complete a minimum of 50% of their field placement hours with Target Community and Educational Services, Inc., usually during the spring semester of their fourth year at Stevenson University. This field placement is coordinated with the agency administration after the candidate has been accepted into the five-year program.
Interested students must submit (1) a letter of interest and (2) a recommendation by a full-time faculty member in the Stevenson University Human Services Department. Minimum criteria for the program are (1) 2.70 GPA and (2) acquisition of a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services prior to beginning the fifth year of their graduate studies at McDaniel College.
If students transfer three credits (HSR 540) and complete RSM 550 during their senior year, they will be able to complete the Master of Human Services Management at McDaniel College in one additional year (six credits-summer; nine credits-fall, and nine credits-spring) as outlined in the program plan below. Only courses in which the student earns a grade of “B” or better are eligible for transfer.
Graduates with an M.S. in Human Service Management typically work as directors, managers, and coordinators for non-profit agencies, usually working with children and adults with disabilities, but also with the elderly population. Some work for state or federal government agencies, for example, the Developmental Disabilities Administration or other state service providers.
Stevenson University Undergraduate Program
Courses to be completed during students’ undergraduate program at Stevenson University and McDaniel College (6 Credits):
HSR 540 Administration of Human Services (for Issues in Human Services Management) - Stevenson University
RSM 550 Introduction to Research Methodolgy - McDaniel College
Contact
Students who are interested in this five-year program should contact Dr. Thomas J. Zirpoli, Coordinator of the Human Services Management Program at McDaniel College.
