About the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education

Education, the School also offers education programs in the following areas: the Adult Education Doctoral Program, Health Education, Nursing, Training and Development. The head of the School and its programs is the School Director, who is charged with administrative oversight. All program areas have a designated director and/or coordinator to provide general oversight of each program, its faculty, staff, and candidates.

Recently, the School Director and faculty updated the BSED strategic plan, which is aligned with that of the campus as a whole. By imparting the valuing of multiple academic views of scholarship and thought, the vision of our academic unit is to:

be a recognized authority on issues related to behavioral sciences and education;
cultivate intellectual growth, personal and community health and well-being, and a respect for individual differences; and
promote the understanding and improvement of social and educational systems.

As an academic unit within the Capital College of Penn State, the mission of the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education is to actively foster critical thinking skills, cultivate diversity, and ensure excellence in:

teaching and advising through innovative academic programs in adult education, teacher education, health education, psychology, the social sciences, and training and development for both traditional and non-traditional students;
basic and applied research that contributes to a growing body of knowledge and to peoples’ quality of life;
original scholarship and creative accomplishment;
a dynamic, student-centered environment for teaching and learning;
service and outreach in behavioral sciences and education to the local community, the capital region, the Commonwealth, and beyond;
the use of appropriate technologies for instruction and assessment;
the preparation of students for advanced graduate study and life-long learning; and
collaborative learning and research opportunities for students.

About Our NCATE Accreditation

The Teacher Education Unit of the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education at Penn State Capital College is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), www.ncate.org. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs and advanced educator preparation programs at Penn State Harrisburg. However, the accreditation does not include individual education courses that the institution offers to P-12 educators for professional development, re-licensure, or other purposes.

Mission

As an academic unit within the Penn State Harrisburg, the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education actively fosters critical thinking skills, celebrates diversity, and provides excellence in:

teaching and advising through innovative academic programs in adult education, health education (including kinesiology), nursing, psychology, the social sciences, teacher education, and training and development for both traditional and non-traditional students;
basic and applied research that contributes to a body of knowledge and to peoples' quality of life;
scholarship and creative accomplishment;
providing a dynamic, student-centered environment for teaching and excellence;
service and outreach in behavioral sciences and education to the community, the region, and beyond;
the use of appropriate technologies for instruction and assessment;
the preparation of students for advanced graduate study and life-long learning; and,
providing collaborative learning and research opportunities for students.

Vision

By imparting the valuing of multiple academic views of scholarship and thought, the Vision of our academic unit is to:

Be a recognized authority on issues related to behavioral sciences and education.
Cultivate intellectual growth, personal and community health and well-being, and a respect for individual differences.
Promote the understanding and improvement of social and educational systems.

In the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education, we endeavor to:

Provide high-quality academic programs in the fields of education, nursing, psychology, the social sciences, and training and development.
Provide programs that meet the needs of both traditional and non-traditional students.
Contribute to the social, intellectual, cultural, and economic development of the region.
Acknowledge and respect people's total identity and social existence based on their individual social values and beliefs to ensure social justice for everyone.
Prepare students for on-going educational, personal and professional development.
Prepare students for employment in their chosen fields.

We believe that the unique blend of disciplines represented within the School, when coupled with the expertise of our faculty, the talent of our students, and the commitment of our staff, allows us to meet the mission of Penn State Capital College.