Social and Human Services - Activities Director Associate of Technical Arts Degree

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PGM Code – 349T

Program Description This program provides knowledge, skills and abilities required to design and implement activity programs for the elderly or disabled in group homes, senior centers, nursing care facilities, retirement communities, or adult day care facilities. Many Activities Directors are full-time employees of these facilities and may have responsibility for supervising Activities Assistants. Others work as independent consultants, providing fee-for-service activities to a range of facilities and, in some cases, employing their own staff of Activities Assistants.

The Activities Director ATA provides students with a strong foundation in communication skills, interpersonal relations, critical thinking and problem-solving to support professional growth and career management in this rapidly-growing field. An understanding of the principles underlying activity professional work provides the basis for hands-on skill development. The second year of this program includes the opportunity to apply and practice the skills, knowledge, and abilities developed during their course work by working under the guidance and supervision of professionals in an agency setting.

The course work for this degree may satisfy some of the educational requirements set forth by the National Certification Council for Activities Professionals for a certified Activities Director. Students are usually able to apply their supervised fieldwork towards the required hours for certification as well.

Common Course Numbering Please refer to www.edcc.edu/ccn for more information.

Credit/Grade Requirements This ATA degree requires successful completion of a minimum of 90 credits as outlined. A minimum of 30 credits or one-third of the required credits, whichever is less, must be earned at Edmonds Community College. Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all college-level courses.

Cultural Diversity Requirement All students earning degrees and certificates of 45 credits or more must meet a cultural diversity (CD) requirement by completing courses marked as “CD” on the requirement sheet and/or “Meets Cultural Diversity Requirement” in the quarterly class schedule. Those courses may also be used to fulfill other requirements of the degree or certificate.

Students Are Advised To

Plan their schedule several quarters in advance in order to accommodate courses that are offered only once or twice a year,
Review the college catalog for required course prerequisites and include these in schedule planning, and
Communicate with a faculty adviser.

Advising Note

This program requirement sheet is not a substitute for meeting with an academic adviser. Meeting the requirements to graduate with an Edmonds Community College certificate or degree is ultimately the responsibility of the student.

I. General Education/Related Instruction Requirements (12-14 credits)

Cultural Diversity Requirement

____Cultural Diversity Requirement met.

General Education/Related Instruction Requirements Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate General Education/Related Instruction Learning Outcomes in each of the following areas:

Communication Skills: Write in clear, effective ways, adapted to audience, context, and purpose.
Quantitative Skills: Apply mathematical, quantitative or symbolic models to solve problems, draw inferences, or support conclusions appropriate to an individual discipline.
Human Relations/Group Interaction: Identify and explain how to apply the skills needed to maintain effective working relationships in multicultural settings.
Cultural Diversity: Apply multiple perspectives when examining cultural differences and interacting in multicultural settings.

II. Program Requirements (57 credits)

SHS 103 - Introduction to Human Services:CD 5.0 Credits
SHS 107 - Time and Stress Management 2.0 Credits
SHS 113 - Law and Ethics for ACD and Human Services 3.0 Credits
SHS 117 - Crisis Intervention 2.0 Credits
SHS 121 - Case Management and Community Resources 3.0 Credits
SHS 145 - Introduction to Disabling Conditions 3.0 Credits
SHS 151 - Therapeutic Activities 3.0 Credits
SHS 161 - Aging in America 4.0 Credits
SHS 170 - HIV/AIDS Training for Health Professionals 1.0 Credits
SHS 185 - Human Growth and Development:CD 5.0 Credits OR
EDUC 185 - Human Growth and Development:CD 5.0 Credits
SHS 219 - Working with Diverse Populations 3.0 Credits
SHS 260 - Managing Difficult Behaviors 2.0 Credits
FSS 175 - Introduction to Family Support 3.0 Credits
FSS 195 - Building Partnerships 3.0 Credits
HLTH 105 - Emergency Response/CPR 4.0 Credits

Career Management (11 credits)

SHS 100 - Orientation in Human Services 1.0 Credits
SHS 210 - Pre-Practicum Seminar 2.0 Credits
SHS 211 - Beginning Field Practicum 4.0 Credits
SHS 212 - Advanced Field Practicum 4.0 Credits

Program Requirements Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Program Learning Requirements for this degree, students will be able to:

Demonstrate skills needed to design and conduct a comprehensive activities program that addresses the needs of the participants, including budgeting, recruitment, and supervising volunteers.
Describe a range of therapeutic and recreational activities appropriate for diverse consumer populations, such as those with disabilities and seniors.
Demonstrate ability to effectively work with consumers using communication skills, group interaction, problem solving, ethical procedures and crisis management techniques.
Demonstrate ability in case management tasks such as assessment, treatment planning, documentation, and referral procedures.
Career Management: Demonstrate the ability to research employment opportunities, prepare an effective employment package, and present oneself positively in a job interview.

III. Program Electives (to complete 90 credits)

ACD 140 - Survey of Alcohol and Chemical Dependency 5.0 Credits
FSS 186 - Home Visiting Skills 2.0 Credits
MGMT 107 - Event Planning 5.0 Credits
SHS 116 - Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies 3.0 Credits
SHS 140 - Rehabilitation in Society 4.0 Credits
SHS 162 - Aging and Health 3.0 Credits
SHS 165 - Grief and Loss 3.0 Credits
SHS 218 - Management of Adult Mental Illness 5.0 Credits
SHS 261 - Art, Music, and Movement Therapies 2.0 Credits

Course Note

Not all courses are offered every quarter. Some elective courses are offered only once a year. Students are strongly urged to consult with their faculty adviser regarding their career objectives, interests, and schedule planning.

Program Electives Learning Outcome

Students will demonstrate the following Learning Outcome from Program Elective courses:

Demonstrate a breadth or depth of knowledge and skill, according to the students’ independent selection of degree elective courses or according to the program’s specialized areas of focus.

Signatures

____________________________________________________________
Adviser’s Signature and Date

____________________________________________________________
Dean’s Signature and Date

Eff: summer 2012 | Rev: 06/12