Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania (LHUP) was founded in 1870 as the Central State Normal School, offering a two-year program designed to train teachers for the public schools. In 1927, the school became a four-year degree-granting college of teacher education. With the inauguration of the Arts and Science degree program in 1960, the multi-purpose institution became Lock Haven State College offering Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in liberal arts fields, along with the Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Secondary Education, and a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education. In 1983, the institution was renamed Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.

 

 The main campus of LHUP is located in the ridge and valley province on the edge of the Allegheny Plateau. The West Branch of the Susquehanna River runs alongside the campus while the valley is surrounded by the Bald Eagle Mountains. The area is rich in outdoor recreational opportunities -- swimming, boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, canoeing, camping and skiing. Even so, the cultural centers of New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. are only a few hours drive from the main campus.

 

The town of Lock Haven is a small, charming community. The historic district contains tree-shaded streets and immaculate Victorian homes. The University supports the city in many ways. For example, students volunteer to work in local social service agencies and businesses, and the University sponsors cultural and athletic events.

 

The University also operates a branch campus in Clearfield, 60 miles west of Lock Haven, that offers an associate of arts degree in criminal justice, an associate of applied science degree in healthcare professions, an associate of science degree in business administration, an associate of science in nursing degree and a bachelor of science in nursing degree. This campus is also located near the west branch Susquehanna River. 

 

Today, the University offers the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in liberal arts fields; the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts; the Bachelor of Science in Education; the Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education; the Bachelor of Science in Recreation and the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. At the graduate level, the University offers the Master of Education in Teaching and Learning, Master of Education in Alternative Education, Master of Education in Educational Leadership, and the Master of Health Science, Physician Assistant, and associate of applied science in nanotechnology.