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Department of Behavioral Sciences

Find out about our undergraduate majors and minors, Couple and Family Therapy graduate program and more.

I love the way the professors are able to teach lessons in a relatable way. They make the topics easy to understand with examples and by using real-life situations.

Jalyn Smith

The professors in my major not only cared about the students’ academic success, but also about us as individuals. When classes became difficult, they would remind us of all the people we are going to help and the lives we are going to change.

Jalyn A. Smith, Social Work, ’22

A PNW student stands outdoors

It’s nice to be in a more intimate, smaller setting. It makes me feel like I’m actually a student, not a number.

Mya Bell, Human Development and Family Science, ‘24

Michelle Watkins

The faculty in the department took the time to build a rapport with students and displayed a genuine concern about the quality of education we received. I am proud to have chosen HDFS as a major.

Michelle Watkins, Human Development and Family Services

Elise Garcia headshot

I chose sociology because I believe that, to effect change anywhere, it is crucial to understand the societal/human aspect of issues. The root cause of many social problems begins with the people in our communities and how their behavior can impact the society at large.

– Elise Garcia, ’23, Sociology Minor

Resources

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Take the Next Step

Apply Today

Start your journey to success at PNW– see how to apply!

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Invest in Your Future

Student Resources

Take advantage of resources, including scholarships and student organizations.

Hubert Izienicki

Meet Behavioral Studies

Our Faculty

Our faculty are accomplished in teaching, research, publication, and practice.

News and Announcements

Mya Bell photo

Raising the Bar: Meet 2025 PNW graduate Mya Bell

A last-minute decision to join a PNW campus tour culminated in Mya Bell, ‘25, earning dual bachelor’s degrees in Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) and Political Science.

Richard Sévère in a suit and tie

Welcome Dr. Richard Sévère as the New CHESS Dean

Richard Sévère has been announced as the Dean of Purdue University Northwest’s College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (CHESS), effective July 1, 2025. 

PNW professors Nicky Jackson and Omeed Ilchi display their outstanding faculty awards from Founders Day 2025.

Celebrating Our Founders Day Honorees

PNW’s Department of Behavioral Sciences is proud to have two of three university-wide faculty award winners from Founders Day 2025 in our department! Congratulations to Nicky Jackson (Outstanding Faculty Engagement Award) and Omeed Ilchi (Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award).

Upcoming Events

May 13

Spring 2025 Grades are due

Final grades are due by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13.

May 19

Summer 2025 Session 1 Classes Begin

First day of Summer 2025 Session I Classes, including 12-week session, first six-week session and first four-week session.

May 26

Memorial Day

There are no classes and campus offices are closed on Memorial Day.

Jun 13

First 4-week Module Classes End

Classes end that run the first four weeks of the Summer Session (May 19 to June 13).

Accreditation

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Our Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Our Couple and Family Therapy graduate program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).