Welcome from the Director
Welcome to the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education (BSED) at Penn State Harrisburg. Our school consists of a community of distinguished teacher-scholars who care about and enjoy working with students, are outstanding instructors, and are recognized authorities in their fields; friendly and professional staff members who take pride in assisting students; and students who are inspired to learn and want to make the world a better place.
In BSED, the faculty, staff, and students engage in the fulfilling process of learning from each other. Our shared mission is to foster an understanding of behavior, development, health, and learning across the life span, and the conditions and contexts associated with the major issues in our global society, including but not limited to climate change, disease, racism and other forms of prejudice, substance abuse, and violence. We are also dedicated to helping students develop skills to promote social justice and lifelong wellness and learning. We are committed to applying our knowledge and skills in service to the Greater Harrisburg area, Pennsylvania, the nation, and the global community. Accordingly, we offer a variety of undergraduate and graduate academic programs in three broad, academic domains:
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Health and Professional Studies, including biobehavioral health, health education, human development and family studies, kinesiology, lifelong learning and adult education, and nursing
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Social Sciences and Psychology, including applied behavior analysis, clinical and community psychology and social change, and sociology
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Teacher Education, including elementary, secondary, literacy and special education; curriculum and instruction; English as a second language; reading specialist; educational leadership and literacy leadership; principal certification; and endorsements in instructional and mathematical coaching
In BSED, we get to know our students personally on our beautiful campus or through our high-quality, distance-learning courses, and they get to know us while sharing in all of the resources of Penn State University, which is one of the world’s most acclaimed, public-supported, research universities. We achieve our mission through face-to-face and online course interactions, independent and collaborative forms of study and research, and practical placements and service in community organizations, health care and school systems, and business and industry. Our emphasis on combining education in theory and research with real-world learning provides students with strong preparation for the workforce and enhances the odds that they will find employment and success in their chosen fields.
If you are a prospective student, I encourage you to explore our website to learn more about the programs of study we offer at BSED, and to contact our faculty and staff if you have questions about our programs. I also invite you to visit our campus and meet our faculty and staff so that you can witness for yourself our caring and friendly BSED community at Penn State Harrisburg. We are eager to welcome you and to help you feel at home here.
Mark S. Kiselica, Ph.D., HSPP, NCC, LPC
Director, School of Behavioral Sciences and Education