Human Services & Restorative Justice

Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.)

About this program

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.

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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.

Next steps...

You're on your way to becoming a tomorrow maker.

State-of-the-Art Learning Labs

3

Immersive In-Field Placements

Flexible Curriculum

Careers

  • Social services caseworker
  • Drug & alcohol counselor
  • Youth development specialist
  • Probation officer
  • Restorative justice coordinator
  • Parole officer
  • Police officer
  • Corrections officer
Courses

At Penn College, we believe your educational experience should go beyond specialized skills. Real-world ready means taking a broader approach that builds communication skills, inspires collaboration, and encourages exploration of arts, history, and science.

​​Specialization requires in-depth knowledge and high-level proficiency. Students learn and apply major-specific concepts, skills, and methods.

  • HSJ115Introduction to Human Services & Restorative Justice
  • SOCANTSelect One Course: SOC111 or ANT113
  • HSJ120Introduction to Interviewing Skills & Intake Processes
  • HSJ212Diversity & Inclusive Practices
  • HSJELCHuman Services and Restorative Justice Application Elective
  • HSJ223Assessment, Case Management & Crisis Intervention
  • HSJ263Criminal Justice
  • HSJELCHuman Services and Restorative Justice Application Elective
  • HSJ225Counseling Theories & Techniques
  • HSJ255Internship I
  • HSJ275Serving & Surviving in Human Services
  • HSJ261Families in Crisis
  • HSJ304Management & Administration in Government & Non-profit Agencies
  • HSAELCHuman Services Application Elective - 300 Level
  • HSJ302Trauma-Informed Care
  • HSJ312Community, Advocacy & Change
  • HSBELCHuman Services Application Elective - 400 Level
  • PSC141State & Local Government
  • HSJ420Contemporary Issues in Human Services & Restorative Justice
  • HSJ401Legal Advocacy
  • SOC313Research Methods
  • HSJ455Internship II
  • HSJ495Capstone

​Perspectives are points of view, offering a variety of ways of understanding, interacting, and influencing the world. Students identify, explain, and utilize the approaches used by academics and professionals to study, analyze, or understand problems, and offer solutions.

​​Foundations are the practical, intellectual, and social skills: communication, collaboration, critical and ethical thinking, quantitative thinking, and technological literacy that are crucial to every student at every stage of education and at every stage of life.

  • CSC124Information, Technology & Society
  • ENL111English Composition I
  • ENL201Technical & Professional Communication
  • MTHELCMathematics Elective
  • SPC101Fundamentals of Speech
  • MTHP6 Select One Course: MTH153 or MTH157 or MTH159 or MTH161
View Goals & Course List
On the Podcast

Dr. Craig Miller, History Professor, and recent Human Services & Restorative Justice grad Ashlee Felix-Taveras discuss prison education and restorative justice in this can't miss episode of the Tomorrow Makers podcast.

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Featured Video

Leadership challenge course

The challenge course is designed to enhance problem-solving, leadership, teamwork and communication skills for students.

Maker Profiles
Tour Schedule

Seeing is believing.

Think Penn College might be a good fit for you? Make plans to visit and discover what hands-on learning is all about.

Feb 21

Undergraduate Open House

Saturday, February 219 AM - 3 PM

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Apr 26

Undergraduate Open House

Sunday, April 269 AM - 3 PM

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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.

Lycoming County Children & Youth Services Logo
Clear Vision
YWCA Logo
Muncy State Correctional Institution
Allenwood Federal Correctional Institution
Related Programs

Follow your passion

Student Life

Lead and put your skills to the test

National Human Services Organization

The National Human Services Organization has established a code of ethics, which is designed to protect the rights and dignity of human service professionals and their clients. Students are introduced to this early in their coursework and it is reinforced through the internship experience.

Learn more

Student Organizations at Penn College

Your college experience is about more than the classroom. Join one of 65+ clubs and organizations, or create your own.

Get Involved
Penn College News
Human services & restorative justice graphic

Friday, November 14, 2025

‘Food4Fines’ kicks off Nov. 17

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.

Read Article

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Cross-curricular collaboration explores poverty

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.

Read Article

Monday, February 17, 2025

Building meaningful professional connections

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.

Read Article
Study Abroad

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.

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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Student Experience

The community as their classroom

Human Services students host ‘HOPE’ opioid event

This student-organized event was designed to raise awareness and humanize the local opioid epidemic.

Read more
More Information

Students must complete all HSJ-designated courses and ENL-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 academic advisors and program faculty to ensure that they are meeting all criteria for satisfactory progress in the program.

Continued progression in the program, to include eligibility for internship courses and graduation, is 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.

The following grading system applies to all HSJ-designated courses for students in the
Human Services & Restorative Justice major:

A= 90-100%
B= 80-89.99%
C= 70 –79.99%
F= Below 70%

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 in our Course Catalog for general requirements and procedures and for information on credit through Advanced Placement.

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.

  • 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
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Admissions Office

The future needs you

If you put more into today, could you get more out of tomorrow? If you create your future at Pennsylvania College of Technology, the answer is yes.

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