The Society of Labor and Employment Relations (SLER) student group organized a career exploration trip to Philadelphia. Here, participants meet with LSER alums working for the National Labor Relations Board's Philadelphia Office.
The Department of Labor Studies and Employment Relations offers B.S. and B.A. majors in Labor and Employment Relations. LER majors learn about all aspects of work and the employment relationship, including:
  • the best strategies for recruiting and hiring a productive workforce
  • the laws that protect employees in the workplace
  • effective human resource practices and policies
  • the challenge of balancing work and family pressures
  • the impact of globalization on work and the workforce
  • the psychology of work and workers
  • the roles unions and collective bargaining play in the workplace
  • the importance of having a diverse workforce
  • effective methods for resolving conflicts in the workplace
  • the rise of new technologies and ways of organizing work.

Undergraduate Curriculum Goals

LER graduates have great success when they enter the job market. The number of professional job openings in the field of human resource management and employment relations is expected to increase significantly in the next ten to twenty years. One of the best things about being an LER major is that it prepares you for a wide range of careers. Many of our students work as human resource and/or employment relations managers with companies. (Click here to learn more on careers in this area.) However, our students also find jobs with unions, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The LER major is also a great pre-law major, and over the years we have sent many students on to law school and successful careers in the field of labor and employment law.

The Department also offers a range of options for study, including traditional undergraduate and graduate programs, distance learning courses, an Honors program, and great study abroad opportunities. Majors also have the chance to participate in three different student organizations:

We welcome you to browse our website or contact our academic advisor, Ms. Maureen Mulenga, MMulenga@la.psu.edu, for more information on the major.