Degree programs in human services at Pennsylvania College of Technology recently earned accreditation from the Council for Standards in Human Service Education.
The college's bachelor-degree major in applied human services and its associate-degree major in human services have been accredited by the council for the next five years. Accreditation included a self-study and a site visit by CSHSE representatives to ensure that all established national standards are being met at Penn College.
"The information that must be submitted to the Council for Standards in Human Service Education is extensive and follows a process of program scrutiny that extended well over a year," said Elizabeth L. Meyer, associate professor of human services. "Simply going through the self-study process helped us to feel confident that our program is preparing students well and enabling graduates to serve the many and varied populations of service recipients with integrity and skill. The process also helped us to make changes that could further strengthen an already-solid program."
The college's human services associate-degree major helps students develop skills in counseling, crisis intervention, group work and case management to provide supportive and preventive services for people with emotional, developmental, social or physical problems.
The bachelor-degree major teaches students the principles of assessing human needs and the skills to respond to those needs. It is designed to help prepare students for careers in fields offering services for people with developmental disabilities or mental illnesses, those who have been adjudicated in the criminal-justice system, individuals and families in crisis, older people, individuals with a chemical dependency, and others.
"Graduates of human service degree programs that are accredited by the Council for Standards in Human Service Education are eligible to apply for the Human Service Professional credential, a definite plus on a resume," Meyer said.
CSHSE was created in 1976 and is the only national accrediting body for human service degree programs. The national standards set forth by the council have been confirmed through independent and council research, as well as the self-studies of various institutions over the years. Accreditation is voluntary.
For more information about the academic programs offered by the School of Integrated Studies at Penn College, call (570) 327-4521, send e-mail or visit online .