About the Program
As a Behavioral Science student at UMFK, you’ll benefit from faculty who are work in the field, enjoy small classes, and have hands-on learning that prepares you for the career you want. Many of our graduates enter the field in jobs doing social work, counseling and other roles, often times receiving jobs offers from your internship site. There is also an active Behavioral Science Club that does service-learning trips with opportunities to network with professionals in the field.
You have the option of pairing your degree with a minor or with one of our two concentrations that lead to much needed licenses and credentials in the field.
Concentrations
Customize your Behavioral Science degree to match your career goals with one of these concentrations.
Potential employers include:
- Northern Lighthouse
- Wings for Children and Families
- Catholic Charities Maine
- Maine Family Planning
- Maine Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
- Child Development Services
- Community Health and Counseling
- Hope and Justice Project
- Sweetser
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- TRIO Programs
- University of Maine System
License and certification opportunities include:
- Conditional Social Work License (LSWX)
- Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)
- Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician Community Certification (MHRT/C)
Graduates have careers as:
- Adult & Child Case Manager
- Community Integration Specialist
- Substance Abuse Counselor
- Mental Health Counselor
- Clinical Therapist/Counselor (Advanced Study)
- Family Support Counselor
- Crisis Counselor
- TRIO Counselor
- Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
- Social Worker Academic Counselor/Advisor
- Foster Care
- Program Administration/Coordinator Advocate
Career Outlook and Earning Potential
Bureau of Labor Statistics – Potential Occupations and Employment Outlook
| Job Code | Job Title |
|---|---|
| 21-1021.00 | Child, Family, and School Social Workers |
| 33-9099.00 | Protective Service Workers, All Other |
| 39-9041.00 | Residential Advisors |
| 21-1011.00 | Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors |
| 21-1014.00 | Mental Health Counselors |
| 21-1015.00 | Rehabilitation Counselors |
| 21-1093.00 | Social and Human Service Assistants |
| 21-1091.00 | Health Educators |
| 21-1092.00 | Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists |
| 21-1094.00 | Community Health Workers |
| 43-4061.00 | Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs |
| 21-1023.00 | Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers |
Program Requirements
- PSY 100: Introduction to Psychology
- SOC 100: Introduction to Sociology
- SOC 110: Introduction to Human Services & Community Mental Health
- PSY 232: Trauma and Resiliency
- PSY 270: Case Management
- PSY 308: Life Span Human Development
- PSY 332: Substance Abuse Counseling
- SSC 340: Research Methods
- PSY 360: Social Psychology
- PSY 362: Abnormal Psychology
- PSY 497: Community Behavioral Health Internship OR
- SSC 440: Research Methods and Theory Seminar (Capstone I) AND
SSC 441: Senior Research in Social Sciences (Capstone II)
Required Support Courses and Additional Credits
- SSC 241: Writing and Critical Analysis in the Social & Behavioral Sciences
- MAT 251: Statistics I
18 Additional credits required through one of the following 3 options:
- Complete Behavioral Health MHRT-C Concentration
- Complete Substance Abuse Counseling Concentration
- Complete a Minor (other than Behavioral Science)
Maine Department of Health and Human Services
An example of where our graduates work today
100%
Students who complete internships before graduating
1:16
Faculty to Student Ratio
Behavioral Science Spotlight
Meet the faculty, alumni, and students who make this program so successful.