History - College of Health Sciences & Professional Studies

The College of Health Sciences and Professional Studies was first established as the College of Behavioral Sciences, Human Services and Education. In 1959, the School of Education, Leadership and Public Service was created. Over the years it has dramatically changed. Today, the college consists of the departments of Clinical Sciences; Counseling & Consultation Services; Criminal Justice; Education; Health and Human Performance; Military Science; Native American Studies; Nursing; Seaborg Center; Social Work; and Engineering Technology.

The development of the college has been one of constant evolution. It is a combination of several departments formerly housed in Northern’s original School of Education, Leadership and Public Service and two departments formerly in the College of Arts and Sciences. Education and HPER were departments in the School of Education, Leadership and Public Service in the early 1960s. In the early 1970s, Psychology, which had been part of a combined Education and Psychology department from Northern’s earliest days, became separate. In the early 1980s, the college also included the departments of Home Economics and Industrial Technologies.

In 1985, the Criminal Justice department and the Sociology and Social Work department, formerly in the School of Arts and Sciences, were added to the School of Education, Leadership and Public Service to form a new unit, which was called the School of Behavioral Sciences, Human Services and Technology. Earlier departments which were dropped in 1985 included Home Economics, Industrial Education and Library Science.

In 1986, Industry and Technology was combined with several other programs to form the School of Technology and Applied Sciences. With the exception of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Home Economics department became Consumer and Family Studies in 1988, with its Fashion Merchandising and Child/Early Childhood Education Programs moved to Technology and Applied Sciences. The Nutrition and Dietetics Program of Home Economics was taken over by HPER. At this point, the Schools’ name became Behavioral Sciences and Human Services. In 1989, it was changed to Behavioral Sciences, Human Services and Education. On July 1, 1992, the School, like the others at Northern, was renamed a college.