Harrisburg University of Science & Technology, commonly referred to as Harrisburg University (HU), is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

STEM Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...

-focused university in

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in ...

, with an additional location in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

. Founded in 2001 as Harrisburg Polytechnic Institute, it offers

-focused degree and certificate programs. Harrisburg University places special emphasis on education in fields related to engineering, applied science and technology and offers 15

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...

s, 13 master's degrees, and 3

doctoral degrees A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

and certificate programs. The university is accredited by the

Middle States Commission on Higher Education The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (abbreviated as MSCHE and legally incorporated as the Mid-Atlantic Region Commission on Higher Education) is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit membership organization that performs peer evalua ...

History

The university was started as Harrisburg Polytechnic Institute to address the

region's need for educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math careers. Before creation of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, Harrisburg was the largest state capital in the country without a four-year university. The institute received $12 million in state capital funding in 2003 for the construction and related services of the institute from then

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Ed Rendell. The

YWCA The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries. The World office is currently based in Geneva, Sw ...

building at 215 Market Street was the first home for the university. In the same year the university changed its name to Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. Harrisburg University is home to many research centers including the Center for Advanced Entertainment and Learning Technologies, Security Center of Excellence, the Government Technology Institute, Center for Advanced Agriculture and Sustainability, and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

2020 facial recognition software controversy

In May 2020, a team of two Harrisburg University professors and a Ph.D. student announced they had developed computer facial recognition software capable of

predicting A prediction (Latin ''præ-'', "before," and ''dicere'', "to say"), or forecast, is a statement about a future event or data. They are often, but not always, based upon experience or knowledge. There is no universal agreement about the exact ...

whether someone is likely to be a criminal based solely on a photo of their face, and "with no racial bias," a claim found dubious by critics. The announcement was criticized as being "21st-century

phrenology Phrenology () is a pseudoscience which involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits.Wihe, J. V. (2002). "Science and Pseudoscience: A Primer in Critical Thinking." In ''Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience'', pp. 195–203. C ...

" and going "way further than the

pseudoscience Pseudoscience consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that claim to be both scientific and factual but are incompatible with the scientific method. Pseudoscience is often characterized by contradictory, exaggerated or unfalsifiable claim ...

physiognomy Physiognomy (from the Greek , , meaning "nature", and , meaning "judge" or "interpreter") is the practice of assessing a person's character or personality from their outer appearance—especially the face. The term can also refer to the genera ...

." The university later deleted the press release at the request of the researchers involved, noting that they are "updating the paper to address concerns raised."

Campus

Downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg University banner

The university's 371,000- square-foot Academic Center is a 16-story building in downtown Harrisburg, 326 Market St. The building includes classrooms, science labs, meeting areas, seminar rooms, a 125-seat auditorium and a courtyard. The academic center has wireless internet, video conferencing and a multi-media production facility. It also has seven levels of parking between the ground floor and the academic floors. In 2017, the university opened a

satellite A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioiso ...

location in

. The

location offers bachelor's degree programs in Computer and Information Science, Esports Management, Information Systems and Information Technologies, Management and Entrepreneurship, and Interactive Media and also master's courses in Techpreneurship. In 2022, the university opened a location in the City of Knowledge in Panama. Additionally, the university is currently constructing a $100-million Science Education Center at 3rd and Chestnut in Harrisburg. The 11-story building is set to open in January 2023.

Academics

Harrisburg University has 15

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-le ...

, 13

master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

and 3

doctoral A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' l ...

programs in science and technology-related disciplines. The university follows a trimester system. Programs are offered at the academic center located on the main campus in downtown Harrisburg. Some programs are also offered at the Harrisburg University location in Philadelphia, while others are offered only online. The

location offers bachelor's courses in Computer and Information Science, Esports Management, Information Systems and Information Technologies, Management and Entrepreneurship, and Interactive Media and also master's courses in Techpreneurship. The university offers online degree programs, including an RN-to-BSN.

Accreditations

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is accredited by the

since 2009. All Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral (Research) degrees are accredited. In 2014, the commission placed the university on probation for failing to comply with its standards. In March, 2016, the commission determined that the school was in compliance and reaffirmed accreditation until 2021. In 2022, the university accreditation was re-affirmed through 2029. The university is also approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Postsecondary and Adult Education. The MS in Project Management is accredited by the Global Accreditation Center from the Project Management Institute. The B.S. in Computer and Information Science program is accredited by ABET. The RN-BSN and MS in Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Rankings

In its 2020 rankings, '' U.S. News & World Report'' ranked the university in the range #129-#170 in Regional Universities North and tied for #21 in the Most Innovative Schools list.

Professional education

The university offers many professional education programs and centers in partnership with businesses and local government. * Agile Lean Center * Center for Advanced Entertainment and Learning Technologies * Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship * Geospatial Technology Center * Government Technology Institute * Security Center of Excellence * User Experience Center

Student life

The university's housing is located close to campus in

downtown Harrisburg Downtown Harrisburg is the central core neighborhood, business and government center which surrounds the focal point of Market Square, and serves as the regional center for the greater metropolitan area of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. ...

. Housing is offered to undergraduate students and consists of the Residences on Market and Market View Place. The university is located near the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, and the

State Museum of Pennsylvania The State Museum of Pennsylvania is a non-profit museum at 300 North Street in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is run by the state through the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and was created to preserve and interpret the region ...

. The university is also a half block from the state capitol of Pennsylvania, and a brief walk to the Riverfront Park along the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...

. Fitness and dining facilities are leveraged by Strawberry Square. In 2017, the university opened a satellite location in Philadelphia. The university fields an

esports Esports, short for electronic sports, is a form of competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional sports, professional players, individually or as ...

varsity team that has won two national championships.

Notable alumni

* Timothy DeFoor, Auditor General of Pennsylvania

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrisburg University Of Science And Technology Educational institutions established in 2001 Universities and colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Engineering universities and colleges in Pennsylvania Technological universities in the United States Private universities and colleges in Pennsylvania 2001 establishments in Pennsylvania