Human Services & Restorative Justice

Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.)

With a degree in Human Services and Restorative Justice, you’ll have an opportunity to help and make a true difference. Your work will empower others, inspire change, contribute to healthy communities, and promote advocacy.

At Penn College, you’ll join a community of tomorrow-minded students and instructors dedicated to transforming tomorrow. In coursework and internships, you'll learn how to apply a well-rounded approach to enhance services for those who need them most. And thanks to small class sizes, an immersive approach to learning, and expert faculty by your side, you’ll have the skills and confidence to spark change in this rewarding field.

You'll be prepared to address substance abuse, family violence, counseling, policing, and aging in diverse professional settings such as probation services, group homes, mental health centers, and children and youth services agencies.

Ethical Standards, Background Checks and Clearances

The Human Services and Restorative Justice program abides by the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS) ethical standards, which can be found here. Additionally, field experiences and internship sites may require background checks and clearances. Learn more.

Careers in Human Services

Social services caseworker
Drug & alcohol counselor
Youth development specialist
Restorative justice coordinator

Careers in Law Enforcement

Probation officer
Parole officer
Police officer
Corrections officer

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Program Overview

Your coursework will cover classes specific to your area of specialization along with foundational concepts and lessons that invite fresh perspectives. Check out the breakdown below.

B Bachelor of Science

40 courses

122 credits

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Special Equipment Needs

State-of-the-Art Learning Labs

Immersive In-Field Placements

Flexible Curriculum

Labs/Facilities

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Classroom and Lab

Human Services & Restorative Justice students have an integrated classroom and laboratory space to learn from faculty in group settings or simulate therapeutic interventions that prepare them for the real-world.
Counseling Lab

Reserved for Human Services and Restorative Justice students, this applied learning space is used for mock one-on-one and group counseling sessions—all of which are captured via video for the future review and can be used as part of a resume. Upper division students play the role of the clients while students taking lower level courses act as counselors.
Mentoring Lab

Also reserved for Human Services and Restorative Justice students, this lab is the premier location for our mentoring program. All incoming students are paired with current students. Together they design a study plan for their time at Penn College. The lab can also be used for study sessions and peer-to-peer advising.

Scholarships

As a Human Services & Restorative Justice student at Penn College, you may be elgible for 114 scholarships.

8 Program-specific scholarships

106 Additional scholarships

Explore scholarships

Restorative Justice Week highlights importance of empathy December 12, 2025

Pennsylvania College of Technology recently wrapped up Restorative Justice Week, which aimed to highlight the importance of understanding the expansive impact of crime on a community and the most effective response for both the offender and the victim.

‘Food4Fines’ kicks off Nov. 17 November 14, 2025

As part of Restorative Justice Week, Nov. 16-22, Human Services & Restorative Justice Club members and first-year students of the program will accept “Food4Fines.” Students will be stationed in the lobbies of the Hager Lifelong Education Center and Klump Academic Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon Friday to collect food donations in exchange for Penn College parking tickets.

Cross-curricular collaboration explores poverty May 06, 2025

Can you survive a month in poverty? That was the key question at a recent Community Action Poverty Simulation explored by Penn College students in various majors in the School of Nursing & Health Sciences and School of Business, Arts & Sciences. Poverty simulations have been held at the college since Spring 2019, but the Spring 2025 event was the first to cast a wider net of cross-curricular collaboration.

Building meaningful professional connections February 17, 2025

Over 65 Penn College students engaged with 16 employers at the Human Services & Restorative Justice Internship and Job Expo. “Engaging with employers early and often helps students gain a clearer understanding of career possibilities and build meaningful professional connections," said Elizabeth E. Winder, associate professor of human services & restorative justice.

Restorative justice circles boost students' skills December 13, 2024

Pennsylvania College of Technology’s human services & restorative justice major recently observed Restorative Justice Week, an annual international celebration designed to raise awareness of the transformative impact of restorative justice and honor its practitioners and participants. This year’s theme was “The promise of restorative justice in a polarizing world.”

Penn College classes add global travel to students’ education October 15, 2024

Supporting Pennsylvania College of Technology’s mission to equip future leaders with real-world experience, faculty members led students in exploring new parts of that world through six 2024 Global Experience classes. In Europe, students explored the origin and future of objects of their study, and in Latin America, they used their budding skills to serve others. Around 135 students participated in the classes.

Human services students fold hope into community effort May 02, 2024

Several students in Penn College’s human services & restorative justice major provided volunteer support recently to the Union County Giving Closet. The Penn College team pitched in to bag clothing, toys, books and other items donated following the Common Threads Consignment Sale. The items will help the Union County Giving Closet support local families in need.

Therapeutic Community among topics of corrections class visit April 15, 2024

The Introduction to Corrections (HSJ 215) class at Penn College recently received a real-world glimpse into the corrections system, courtesy of Allyson Davenport, a drug and alcohol treatment specialist II at the State Correctional Institution at Muncy. Specifically, Davenport shared information on the facility's Therapeutic Community.

Event helps future providers consider LGBTQ+ health care needs April 11, 2024

Pennsylvania College of Technology’s School of Nursing & Health Sciences Diversity Taskforce, in collaboration with Nate Woods Jr., special assistant to the president for inclusion transformation, recently hosted a “Lunch & Learn” to explore LGBTQ+ issues in health care.

Empowering evening draws community to campus March 05, 2024

The second annual Night of Empowerment drew an enthusiastic crowd of more than 150 community members to Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Klump Academic Center Auditorium. Hosted by the Williamsport Representation Council, the recent gathering offered opportunities for networking and inspiring discussions.

Real World

See how Human Services & Restorative Justice students gain real-world exposure and experience.

People

Meet the Makers

Get to know our community by exploring this collection of student, alumni, and faculty stories.

Alumni

Sydney Telesky

Her passion for helping older adults began with a part-time job in a nursing home and grew through hands-on experiences at Penn College—including an internship that led to her current role.

Faculty

Sarah Moore

Compassionate and caring, Sarah leads by example, inspiring tomorrow's agents of change.

Student

Krystle Richardson

She found countless opportunities to challenge herself, quench her passion for serving others, and grow with each new semester. Above all, Krystle discovered a home and a community at Penn College.

Student

Jerome Frazier

Jerome's writing a better future for himself by helping others succeed.

Alumni

Kalie Kostelnik

Kalie is making a real difference as a life ski

Student

Colin Browne Jr.

He knew from a young age that he was destined to make a difference. The Human Services & Restorative Justice program at Penn College was the perfect fit.

Student

Savannah Zook

Called to help people, Savannah is honing her skills sets and exploring her professional passions through a variety of academic and career resources across campus. Inspired by faculty and the vast opportunities within her industry, she is well on her way to transforming tomorrow's workforce.

Student Life

Lead and put your skills to the test.

Human Services and Restorative Justice Club

The Human Services and Restorative Justice Club promotes positive change, enhances campus inclusivity, and celebrates the value of diverse communities.

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Student Organizations at Penn College

Your college experience is about more than the classroom. Join one of 60+ clubs and organizations, or create your own.

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Gain global experience

See the world via Williamsport. Take your education abroad and get hands-on experience learning about your industry on a global scale.

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Immersive Learning

Selfcare is vital to the success of human services professionals. As part of a class activity, student Natalie Schrader, led a guided meditation with a focus and peacefulness and mindfulness. Students participating in the activity shared their take on being a Human Services & Restorative Justice major.

Helping Others

“We need to really make time for ourselves. All of us want to help other people, and that's what this activity is centered around, taking care of ourselves so we can help other people.”

– Natalie Schrader

Impactful Moments

“When I first got here, I wasn't too sure what I wanted to do. Dr. Winder sat me down one day and she just said, “tell me your story.” And that was the first time I actually told my story. I believe those were the most impactful moments, just knowing that the faculty cares as much as I do.”

– Jerome Frazier

Experienced Faculty

"One of the real-life scenarios that's really impacted me is crisis intervention. I've really gravitated towards that aspect of this major - learning how to respond to individuals who are in crisis. Some of the professors have had jobs that deal with counseling and they share their experiences with us."

– Skylar Bartholomew

Industry Partners

Work with experts to become an expert.

Penn College's strong corporate partnerships impact every step of your journey—from your first day in the classroom and labs, to career placement (oftentimes before graduation) and beyond.

Internship

Your knowledge in practice.

Internships are key for career preparation. As part of this curriculum, you’ll participate in three in-depth practical learning internships including 30 hours of observation in the community, a 175-hour internship and 350-hour internship.

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Male student practices intervention techniques with an anonymous person in the foreground.

More Information

Performance Standards

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Admission to the major does not guarantee permission to take the internship courses or to graduate from the program. Continuation in the program to graduation and permission to take internship courses are predicated not only upon satisfactory academic performance, but also upon satisfactory demonstration of professional and ethical responsibility, personal responsibility, and satisfactory demonstration of skills and abilities prerequisite to the ethical delivery of services in the field. For more specific information about the criteria used to evaluate students' progress, a copy of the program manual can be obtained from the School of Business, Arts & Sciences.Students must complete all HSJ-designated courses with a grade of 'C' or above. Failure to achieve a grade of 'C' or above in a course after the maximum attempts allowed by College policy, results in withdrawal from the major. Students should work closely with their advisers and program faculty to ensure that they are meeting all criteria for satisfactory progress in the program.The following grading system applies to all HSJ-designated courses for students in theHuman Services & Restorative Justice major:A= 90-100%B= 80-89.99%C= 70 –79.99%F= Below 70%

Alternative Credit

Alternative Credit refers to academic credits earned through means other than traditional college course completion, including: credit by exam, articulation, proof of competency gained in high school, work/life experience, and advanced placement.

Visit the Alternative Credit Options page for requirements and procedures and for information on credit through Advanced Placement.

Supporting Information

Background Checks and Clearances

The Human Services and Restorative Justice program abides by the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS) ethical standards, which can be found here. Students in this program must complete a 350-hour internship in addition to the requirements of the associate’s degree. Depending on work site requirements, some of the placements may require some or all of the following background checks: completion of standard basic health appraisal form and receipt of Children's Services Protection Act 33 clearance, State Police clearance, and FBI clearances. Please note that we do not assume responsibility for the requirements of any external organization, and we cannot guarantee placements if the necessary clearances are mandated but cannot be secured by the student.

Advisory Committee

Human Services & Restorative Justice Advisory Committee

Ms. Robin Dadzie, Case Management Supervisor , AIDS Resource Alliance
Mr. Christopher T Kriner, Detective Sergeant - Criminal Investigations , Old Lycoming Township Police Department
Ms. Amber B Morningstar, YWCA Program Director , YMCA Northcentral PA
Mr. Zane R Pardoe, Supervisor of Education , USP Lewisburg
Ms. Penny L Sines, Social Worker II , DOC SCI-Muncy
Karey Snook, Counselor , Lycoming County Pre-Release Center
Nicole J Spring, Esquire, Chief Public Defender , Lycoming County Public Defender
Ms. Rachel Thompson, Workforce Specialist , CareerLink
Mr. Joseph J Weber, Permanency Services, Unit Supervisor , Lycoming Children & Youth Services
Mr. Jeffrey P Wheeler, Assistant Clinical Director , White Deer Run - Allenwood
Ebony Young, Talent Acquisition Manager , Diversified Treatment Alternative Centers